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Wine Description
The Story
Vintage after vintage, the wines of Château Palmer express our vision of an exceptional wine. We believe that it is born of the mysterious trilogy – terroir, history, memory – and all of our efforts are concentrated on bringing it into the world. Distinction, high standards and commitment are the values that guide every choice we make from the vineyard to the table where the wine is served.
Knowing
Knowing your terroir, your grapes, and your wines – this is a threefold enterprise of patient observation. What seems to be a given is in fact a matter of exacting standards at every moment. To know the terroir you have to become intimately familiar with it. We strive to know the grape variety, subsoil, and exposure of each and every plot but also of each and every row within the plot, as we regard every vine as a unique individual. To know our grapes well, we closely monitor their development until maturity. To know our wines, we taste the batches, the vats, the barrels, and the bottles again and again.
Understanding
Progress in œnology has provided us with insight into the development of wines. Progress in agronomy has given us a better understanding of the life of our vineyards. This makes for more precision in our interventions as much in the winery as in the vineyards. Applying the best technical innovations in a spirit of reconciliation between science and craftsmanship, we use all relevant means to reveal the unique character of the Palmer terroir with each new vintage.
Creating
With the grapes that nature offers us, our job is to create the best possible wine. Is this craftsmanship or artistry? No doubt both. Like skilled craftspeople that love their trade, we select and blend the batches with meticulous care. And like artists, we let ourselves be swept away by the work that is born, as it imposes itself upon our will, surprises, amazes and transcends us.
Kindling desire
Ultimately our goal is to make Château Palmer wines as desirable as can be. To achieve this, everything we do, whether we work in the vineyard, the winery, or in the offices, is informed by high standards and a sense of detail Nothing is left to chance, not the choice of paper for a label, or that of an etching for the wood crates, or of a theme for a reception.
Wine Information
Characteristics of the vintage
After a slow start to the growing period, the vines benefited from excellent weather conditions throughout the year. June was fine and warm and July brought hot, dry weather with only the occasional and welcome downpour.
The hot weather in September, which continued right through the harvest, meant that the grapes were concentrated and had reached optimum maturity by the time they were picked.
These near perfect conditions resulted in a truly remarkable vintage, often considered to be one of the greatest years between 1961 and 1982.
Château Palmer’s superb terroir is seen at its best in this vintage : the wines are rich, fruity and concentrated with good balance. Over the years, they have acquired depth and show remarkable length and finesse.
Harvest dates: from 09/26/1970 to 10/16/1970
Blend
Merlot: 44%
Cabernet Sauvignon: 31%
Petit Verdot: 16%
Cabernet Franc: 9%
Tasting
Tasting notes from Enrico Bernardo, 12/01/2011:
Limpid, garnet-red colour.
Spicy, elegant, fruity bouquet with blackberry, cherry, and black pepper nuances.
Fabulous on the palate: well-balanced, round, and caressing. Silky tannin. A true surprise!
Tasting notes from Georges Lepré, 02/04/2012:
Superb, mature ruby colour, shot through with brick-red tints.
The nose is fresh and complex with scents of liquorice, spices, prunes and earthy notes combining to form a harmonious bouquet.
On the palate, the wine is delicate showing medium body and fine balance. With age, the tannin structure has become soft and silky, perfectly underpinning the aromatic complexity that is so typical of Palmer.
The finish is long and elegant with subtle notes of mint and vanilla.