2004 Chateau Palmer Margaux

(94 Points  --  Wine Advocate)

This stunning wine is one of the vintage’s great successes. Administrator Thomas Duroux has fashioned a modern day version of Palmer’s brilliant 1966. Displaying a rare combination of power and elegance, this dense purple-colored offering exhibits notes of blackberries, truffles, flowers, incense, and camphor. Long, classic, and medium to full-bodied with stunning texture and richness, this superb effort is a candidate for the finest Margaux of the vintage. Anticipated maturity: 2011-2025+ Wine Advocate #171 Jun 2007 Reviewer: Robert Parker

Winery Notes: Unlike the previous 2 vintages, the weather in 2004 was ideal without any excesses. Nothing disturbed the vines' normal growth cycle. Summer started after a slightly rainy month of June. Even flowering with no shot berries was followed by moderate summer temperatures that slowed and lengthened the ripening process. The grapes developed slowly and evenly, ripening perfectly thanks to dry, sunny weather in September that also made it possible to wait patiently until each plot reached its peak. The grapes fermented gently for an average of 21 days. In certain cases, the emphasis was placed on extraction early in the vatting period to express all the fruit and richness of the grapes, while in other cases, long skin contact was preferred to enhance the wine's power. Compared to the 2003s, the 2004 vintage is more classically Bordeaux, offering a magnificent combination of all the elegance and finesse of our terroir with the richness and power of a very great year. Harvest dates: from 09/27/2004 to 10/12/2004Blend: Merlot: 47%, Cabernet Sauvignon: 46%, Petit Verdot: 7%Aging potential: 2030++ Tasting notes from Enrico Bernardo, 12/01/2011: Dark, rich colour. Concentrated bouquet already showing some secondary characteristics with hints of black fruit, plums, black pepper, and turmeric. Attractive and round on the palate. Immediately likeable. Full and slightly tannic aftertaste. More concentrated than long.