2009 Château Palmer

Description

99   Jeb Dunnuck
“The 2009 Palmer is unquestionably one of the greatest young Bordeaux I’ve tasted, and it has a rare mix of richness and elegance that’s incredible. Blackcurrants, violets, lead pencil shavings and a touch of minerality all emerge from this rich, massively concentrated Margaux that still glides across the palate with no sense of weight or heaviness. It’s perfectly balanced, has a ripe, hedonistic core of fruit, as well as integrated acidity. It’s a dream today, but is going to have 30-40 years or more of prime drinking.” (12/2017)

98   James Suckling
“This has such class and power. Aromas of blueberries and blackberries, with hints of violets. Full-bodied, with polished tannins and a juicy finish. Solid and extremely pretty. Fabulous finish.” (2/2012)

98   Lisa Perrotti-Brown for Robert Parker’s Wine Advocate
“Deep garnet colored, the 2009 Palmer delivers a beguiling array of black fruit—warm plums, cassis and black cherry compote—with kirsch and wild sage sparks plus profound suggestions of fragrant earth, black truffles, iron ore and liquid licorice. Full-bodied, rich and decadently seductive in the mouth, the generous fruit is superbly framed with plush tannins and seamless freshness, finishing long and mineral laced.” (3/2019)

98   Roger Voss for Wine Enthusiast
“A beautiful wine, with the firmest tannins surrounded by perfumed fruit. It is dense, of course, but this density is balanced with great elegance, blackberry fruits, sweetness and final juicy acidity. The wine is structured, a powerhouse of concentration while preserving this complete style.” *Top 100 Cellar Selections of 2012* (2/2012)

97   Jane Anson for Decanter
“A deep, rich and subdued nose slowly unpeels to reveal violets and peonies. The palate is rich too, with an incredible texture and a smoky edge which comes out on the mid-palate. It’s so young still, it will go and go and lives up to some of the best Palmers on record. It’s not as elegant as the 2005 or 2015 perhaps, but the generous fruits are matched pace for pace by the natural tension and tannic grip. It’s just beginning to bed down, never mind open up. Very good quality.” (2/2019)

96   Neal Martin for Vinous
“The 2009 Palmer has a rich, opulent and ravishing bouquet with precocious kirsch and boysenberry aromas, blue fruit exploding in the glass with aeration. This still feels very backward. The palate is medium-bodied with supple tannin, a fine bead of acidity. Superb mineral tension with great precision towards the finish. Thomas Duroux crafted a superlative Palmer in 2009, one of the finest in recent years.” (3/2019)