Chateau Palmer 2020
(Margaux, Bordeaux, France) - [DM 99] [WE 98] [JS 98] [JL 98] [TWI 97+] [WA 97] [JD 97] [VM 95+]

About the Winery:
Chateau Palmer earned the title of Troisième Grand Cru Classé in the 1855 classification but the Chateau began to make a name for itself in 1814, when Colonel Charles Palmer bought it from Marie de Gascq, investing considerable sums in it. Currently, the Domaine is jointly owned by the Sichel and Mähler-Besse families, who continue to enhance its reputation.

The vineyard covers 55 hectares, planted with 47% Cabernet Sauvignon, 47% Merlot, and 6% Petit Verdot. The vineyards have been managed entirely according to biodynamic principles since 2014. The wines age for 20 to 22 months in oak barrels, 50% of which are new.

Renowned for the finesse and elegance of its wines, since 1998 the estate has produced a second wine, Palmer's Alter Ego, , drawn from the same terroirs but vinified separately to yield an earlier-drinking wine.

About this Wine:
It was as though time stood still over the course of this very special year, forcing us to focus on the essentials, tending our vines and listening to our environment. In the wake of an extraordinary 2018 and a 2019 rooted in pure elegance, 2020 concludes an absolutely exceptional trilogy.

At the end of February, the onset of budding almost two weeks ahead of schedule heralded the launch of a very early vintage. March brought heavy rainfall, followed by an equally damp spring with mild temperatures – conditions all too suited to the spread of mildew. Throughout April and May, the vineyard required exceptional care and attention to keep us on course for a healthy harvest. In mid-May, a return to dry weather set the stage for an ideal flowering period. In June, the summer weather arrived and settled in to stay.

By late July, the berries had begun to change color under the bright and constant sun. Although the heatwaves of August subjected the vines to a good deal of water stress, intense thunderstorms brought welcome respite. The Merlot grapes gorged themselves and Cabernets retained their small size, while the subsequent return of dry weather drove the tannic concentration. Harvest began on September 15, with the Merlot picked in the cool of dawn and the Cabernet gathered as the rain beat down.

In the vat room, the fermentations proceeded smoothly and the assemblage was carried out over two sessions in mid-November, mostly during the run-off phase. Underpinned by the year’s favorable climate, the 2020 vintage is on par with 2018 in terms of structure, boasting sunny Merlots, refined and powerful Cabernets, and a terroir of exceptional clarity.

Blend: 48% Cabernet Sauvignon, 48% Merlot and 4% Petit Verdot
Harvest: From 15th to 29th September 2020

Ratings & Reviews

99 Points - Decanter Magazine:
"A wine that impressed all tasters for its transcendental depth and precision. Of course, with its ripe fruit and many lovely aromas, including floral and wet stone, Palmer impresses not only through remarkable concentration, but also via refined structure and exceptional length. Call it a modern classic, whose grip improved on the second day of the tasting – tighter perhaps, but in a good way, as the tannins are suave and the fruit ripe, with powerful weight underlying it all. The 2020 also comes across as more precise than the 2006 vintage, tasted alongside. Potential for 100 points here, once tertiary complexity arrives in the next decade. Biodynamic." - Panos Kakaviatos (Feb 2026)

98 Points - Wine Enthusiast:
"Massively rich already with density and opulence, this powerful wine is half-and-half Merlot and Cabernet Sauvignon. The dark tannins presage aging for many years. Drink from 2027." - Roger Voss (Apr 2023)

98 Points - James Suckling:
"Great aromas of blackcurrants, black truffles, blueberries, lead pencil and hints of cedar. Full-bodied and powerful with fantastic tannin backbone giving it great length and power. Muscular. Toned. Flexing. This needs time. Best after 2028." (Mar 2023)

98 Points - Jeff Leve, The Wine Cellar Insider:
"Violets, lilacs, and roses covet their spot in the perfume before you find all of its black, and red cherries, black currants, blackberries, cigar wrapper, and earthy notes. While the perfume is intoxicating, it is on the palate where the magic happens due to its silky, sexy-textures, and layers of pure, sweet, ripe, delicate, yet concentrated layers of fruit. The tannins are the text-book description of refined, leaving you with a seamless finish showcasing its purity, and sensuality for over 50 seconds. I have a sneaking suspicion that with time, my score is going to rise, as it feels like there is a lot more going on here that is still holding in reserve. Drink from 2027-2065." (Mar 2023)

97+ Points - The Wine Independent:
"The 2020 Palmer, composed of 48% Cabernet Sauvignon, 48% Merlot, and 4% Petit Verdot, is deep garnet-purple in color. It is completely shut down on the nose to begin, needing a lot of patient coaxing to bring out scents of preserved cherries, creme de cassis, blueberry compote, and cedar chest, followed by wafts of lilacs, clove oil, and fertile loam. The medium to full-bodied palate delivers mouth-coating black fruit preserves layers with a rock-solid, grainy texture and just enough freshness, finishing long with loads of savory and earthy nuances." - LPB (Mar 2023)

97 Points - Wine Advocate:
"Aromas of raspberries, cassis and cherries mingle with hints of violets, raw cocoa and hints of truffle in a perfumed bouquet. The 2020 Palmer is a full-bodied, layered and seamless wine that's deep and concentrated, with a vibrant core of beautifully pure and perfumed fruit, lively acids and ultra-refined tannins. This suave but authoritative Palmer is one of the high points of the vintage." - William Kelley (Apr 2023)

97 Points - Jeb Dunnuck:
"The flagship 2020 Château Palmer checks in as 48% Merlot, 48% Cabernet Sauvignon, and the rest Petit Verdot that's aged one year in 50-60% new barrels before moving to foudre. It's another ripe, sexy, yet incredibly pure wine from this team offering loads of black and blue fruits, some iris flower, spice, iron, and obvious mineral nuances, full-bodied richness, velvety tannins, and a great finish. It's easily one of the most opulent, sexiest wines from the Médoc, and while it's already just about impossible to resist, it deserves 7-8 years of bottle age and will evolve for 40+ years." (Mar 2023)

95+ Points - Vinous Media:
"The 2020 Palmer has a relatively straightforward nose, more austere than its peers—not in a negative way, just reserved and a little leafier. The palate is overtly sweet, almost candied on the entry, with a very concentrated orange zest and marmalade sorbet-like quality. This is perhaps missing a little Margaux DNA on the finish, but it is still very attractive. Returning to it after ten minutes, there is structure and persistence. It is interesting how, tasted blind, the Grand and Deuxième Vin are so close together, but I am certain this will pull away with bottle age. Tasted blind at the annual Southwold tasting." - Neal Martin (Nov 2024)