Appellations

Alter Ego de Palmer (2nd wine of Palmer) 2016

Margaux, Second wine

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Tasting Notes

The 2016 Alter Ego is a drop-dead gorgeous beauty. Fresh, vibrant and pulsing with energy, the 2016 is utterly captivating from the very first taste. There is a purity to the 2016 that is simply remarkable. Floral overtones add lift to this super-expressive, sensual Margaux. Alter Ego is made from a selection of parcels that are picked earlier than those used for the Grand Vin. Lower temperatures in fermentation and gentle vinifications yield a wine that emphasizes freshness and energy. In that sense, Alter Ego is not really a second wine of the Grand Vin, but rather is more accurately described as a second, and independent, wine off the property.

Score: 94 Antonio Galloni, Vinous.com Maturity: 2022-2026 Date: 01 January 2019

The 2016 Alter Ego represents a fairly big departure is style from what has been the norm in recent vintages. Bright red stone fruit, tobacco, flowers and herbs. The combination of less Merlot and naturally lower alcohol are among the factors that have contributed to an especially silky, perfumed Alter Ego built on considerable finesse.

Score: 90 - 93 Antonio Galloni, Vinous.com Date: 25 April 2017

The 2016 Alter Ego, matured in around 35-40% new oak, has a forward, quite voluptuous bouquet of macerated red cherries, kirsch and hints of cassis, underneath which lies a fine graphite thread. The palate is medium-bodied with slightly chewy tannin on the entry. This feels quite tarry at the moment, and dense but tightly coiled toward the grippy finish. I would have liked a little more flesh to come through. Not bad, but this year I find the Palmer to be streets ahead. 13.5% alcohol.

Score: 91 Neal Martin, Vinous.com Maturity: 2022-2035 Date: 01 January 2019

The 2016 Alter Ego de Palmer is a blend of 40% Merlot, 48% Cabernet Sauvignon and 12% Petit Verdot this year (a little less Merlot than usual). That exuberant Merlot drives the aromatics along, almost citrus-like with scents of blood orange and blueberries soaring from the glass. The palate is medium-bodied with grainy tannin on the entry, quite sharp acidity at first, quite structured for an Alter Ego with a grippy finish. I think the new oak will bind this together, this sample coming from a used barrel.

Score: 89 - 91 Neal Martin, Wine Advocate, RobertParker.com Maturity: 2021-2036 Date: 28 April 2017

Palmer lost 20% of its crop in the spring, and the Merlot was affected more than the Cabernet so there is only around half as much Alter Ego as normal. The yield here is 29hl/ha, so a lot less than most of Margaux, mainly due to vineyard rebalancing after moving to biodynamics and the spring crop loss. The harvest start date of 3rd October was the latest on record, following on from a very long, slow ripening leading to lots of tannins (71 IPT) which although soft and integrated are at a higher level than 2015, while the 3.65pH remains the same. Late harvests encourage elongated tannins, and Thomas says he has never seen such sophistication in the construction of the wines here, so different from the 2015. As with Palmer, Alter Ego has a highly aromatic nose, majoring here on damson and blackberry. Tasted on an overcast Friday morning and yet it sings, with the most beautifully soft expression of black fruits. It's a different style to others, the 13% ABV being extremely low for this amount of Merlot. Beautiful.

Score: 93 Decanter, - Maturity: 2023-2040 Date: 20 April 2017

40% Merlot, 48% Cabernet Sauvignon, 12% Petit Verdot. Packed with blackberry jam, soft black stone fruits with crushed rocks. Some chalkiness to the mid-palate. Very ripe and luscious with glycerol and a cocoa powder dry finish.

Score: 91 - 94 Albany Vintners, - Date: 19 April 2017

48% Cabernet Sauvignon, 40% Merlot, 12% Petit Verdot. Very bright dark glossy crimson. Very rich and sweet and approachable. Round and fresh. Meaty. Very, very sweet start and then chewy. Lots going on here but not that much tannin, much less than in most other 2016s. Very juicy. 13%

Score: 16 - 17 Jancis Robinson MW, JancisRobinson.com Maturity: 2022-2030 Date: 17 April 2017

This is very concentrated yet soft and fresh in texture. Full-bodied and round and mouth-filling. So impressive how it fills your mouth yet remains fresh. It’s so framed.

Score: 95 - 96 James Suckling, JamesSuckling.com Date: 24 March 2017