2012-ALTER-EGO-DE-CHÂTEAU-PALMER-du-Château-Palmer-Margaux

ALTER EGO DE CHÂTEAU PALMER

2012 du Château Palmer Margaux

Colour Red
Origin France, Bordeaux
Sub-district Haut Médoc
Village Margaux
ABV 14%

51% Merlot, 40% Cabernet Sauvignon, 9% Petit Verdot. Deep colour. Super-soft sweet-scented harmonious tannins. Not a heavyweight - they've played this gently and used only remontage. The Petit Verdot they describe as the 'salt and pepper' bringing added complexity - there's quite a lot of it here at 9%. Velvety and attractive. Rating: 91 L&S (Apr 2013)


Alternatively, we may well have some bottles in one of our shops - why not give us a call on 0207 244 0522 or send an email to: sales@leaandsandeman.co.uk.

Or, check the RELATED PRODUCTS below for different vintages or wines of a similar style.


A blend of 51% Merlot, 40% Cabernet Sauvignon and 9% Petit Verdot, the first time that the latter has been used in both blends, the Alter Ego has a strong scent of Japanese nori that is quite attractive. The palate is medium-bodied with a fleshy ripe opening – brambly red berry fruit, a slight metallic note that leads to a corpulent (for the vintage) finish that bodes well for the future Rating: 90-92 Neal Martin, www.vinous.com (May 2013)

The second wine, which has gone from strength to strength over recent years, the 2012 Alter Ego de Palmer, is a blend of 51% Merlot, 40% Cabernet Sauvignon and 9% Petit Verdot. Spicy and earthy, displaying notes of new saddle leather, roasted herbs and meaty barbecue, it is a medium-bodied, fleshy, attractive wine to drink over the next 10-12 years. Thomas Duroux produced a brilliant 2012 Palmer that is unquestionably one of the stars of the vintage. High levels of tannin were up there with their best vintages, at least analytically. The final blend of 48% Merlot, 46% Cabernet Sauvignon and 6% Petit Verdot results in a style of wine that is totally different than that of its nearby neighbors, Chateau Margaux, Rauzan-Segla and Malescot St.-Exupery. 2013 - 2025 Rating: 88-90 Robert Parker, The Wine Advocate, www.RobertParker.com (Apr 2013)

The gap between Alter Ego and its grand vin, Château Palmer, is narrower in this vintage than one would expect. For the first time ever, both wines contain some Petit Verdot, partly to make up for the smaller percentage of Cabernet Sauvignon. This is a very forward wine: supple and scented with violet and raspberry notes, backed up by spicy plum and subtle, smoky oak. Drink: 2018-28. Rating: 92 Tim Atkin MW, www.timatkin.com (Apr 2013)

Château Palmer

Margaux Troisième cru 1855 What is now Château Palmer was originally part of a larger Château d'Issan but was divided among heirs and came into the ownership of the Gascq family in 1748. The widow of the last of the Gascqs, in 1814, and apparently having met him on a stagecoach, sold the estate to an Englishman, General Charles Palmer, and Château de Gascq became Château Palmer. He extended the estate and built quite a reputation for his wines (especially in London) but financial difficulties forced him to sell up in 1843 and, by the time of the 1855 classification, the reputation of Château Palmer had slipped sufficiently to rate "only" 3rd Growth status - a status it has exceded for most of its subsequent history. The present château was built at the end of the 1850's. In 1938 the Société Civile de Château Palmer was formed to take ownership of the estate, with the Sichel and Mähler-Besse families as leading shareholders, a situation which persists to this day. Château Palmer sits between Margaux and Cantenac, just east of Issan. The 55ha of vines are planted to 47% each of Cabernet Sauvignon and Merlot with the balance being Petit Verdot. The Grand Vin spends 21 months in wood (45% new). The second wine is Alter Ego de Château Palmer. In the best years of General Palmer's reign, the wines of Château Palmer were regarded on a par with those of Château Margaux and, indeed, during the worst years of the 1960's Palmer probably had a better reputation. Today, despite huge improvements by its neighbours, Palmer sits very squarely as the leading Margaux estate that isn't actually Château Margaux.

This wine isn't currently part of a mixed case, but you can always browse our full selection of mixed cases here.
  • For full delivery details see our Delivery page.
  • We offer free nationwide* delivery for all orders over £150 with our own vans. We also offer an express delivery service for an additional charge.
  • Order & Collect from any of our 5 London shops. Order by Midnight for collection the next working day from 11am.
  • Private wine storage: we offer a full In Bond and Duty Paid private wine storage service - find out more here.

RELATED PRODUCTS

ORDER     COLLECT

ORDER ONLINE AND COLLECT FROM ONE OF OUR SHOPS