Chateau Palmer Margaux 2005 750ml

The 2005 Palmer is made from 53% Cabernet Sauvignon, 40% Merlot, and 7% Petit Verdot. Deep garnet-brick in color, it is very shut down on the nose to begin, slowly revealing a powerhouse of creme de cassis, plum preserves, and licorice scents with hints of candied violets and unsmoked cigars. Big, rich, full-bodied, and opulent in the mouth, it has seductively velvety tannins and fantastic length. Still very young, it is approachable at this stage, but expect great things to come with a further 5-10 years of patience. Drink it to 2050+. Palmer is located in the Cantenac sector of Margaux. Most of the plots are situated on the plateau, with the best located around the Chateau. It is worth noting that these prime blocks were not part of the estate in 1855, which is probably why it was ranked a third growth instead of a second (or first). From 1945, a large percentage of Merlot was planted at the estate and it continues to have one of the highest percentages of this grape planted at a Medoc property, currently accounting for around 47% of the vineyard area. In 2004, Thomas Duroux took over from the long-serving Jean Bouteiller as winemaker. He started experimenting with biodynamic viticulture in 2008 and Palmer went fully biodynamic in 2014.