Alter Ego de Palmer (2nd wine of Palmer) 2014

Margaux, Second wine

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Tasting Notes

The 2014 Alter Ego de Palmer has quite a feisty, vivacious bouquet with red cherries, crushed strawberry and peppermint scents bounding from the glass. There is just a little warmth here that detracts from its delineation. The palate is medium-bodied with fine grain tannin, crisp and taut with good acidity, spicy with clove and white pepper, leading to a cohesive and quite persistent finish. There is good potential in this Margaux but it will need time. Tasted blind at the annual Southwold tasting.

Score: 91

Neal Martin, Vinous.com Maturity: 2020-2040 01 March 2018

The Alter Ego de Palmer 2014 is a blend of 52% Merlot, 35% Cabernet Sauvignon and 13% Petit Verdot. It has an opulent, glossy bouquet with layers of small dark cherries and plenty of glycerin. The palate is more reserved than the bouquet suggests: saturated tannins, a little chewiness on the entry but suppler towards the finish. It feels very linear in keeping with the style of the vintage, the finish a little sweet than its peers with a dab of licorice on the aftertaste.

Score: 90 - 92

Neal Martin, Wine Advocate, RobertParker.com Maturity: 2019-2035 01 April 2015

Aromas of spices and earth with mushrooms. Dark fruit. Full-bodied, dense and rich with earth and spices. A beauty. Soft and juicy. Savory yet exotic. From biodynamically grown grapes. First year. Drink or hold.

Score: 93

James Suckling, JamesSuckling.com 13 February 2017

Vibrant and fruity with currant, blueberry and spice character. Full yet tight with tension and brightness. Very velvety tannins. Sexy already.

Score: 92 - 93

James Suckling, JamesSuckling.com 31 March 2015

The 2014 Alter Ego is dark, inviting and impeccably balanced. Black cherry, plum, espresso, spice and new leather meld together in a sumptuous, midweight wine. The relatively high %age of Petit Verdot results in a somewhat somber, very serious second wine that carries a feeling of gravitas. The 2014 is 52 % Merlot, 32 % Cabernet Sauvignon and 13 % Petit Verdot.

Score: 92

Antonio Galloni, Vinous.com Maturity: 2020-2029 01 February 2017

A juicy, expressive wine, the 2014 Alter Ego is wonderfully open and expressive today, with radiant fruit, soft contours and gorgeous overall balance. Sweet red plum, raspberry, rose petal and French oak flow through to the soft, resonant finish. An exuberant floral note adds the last layer of complexity. The 2014 is 52% Merlot, 32% Cabernet Sauvignon and 13% Petit Verdot. Despite the relatively high percentage of Petit Verdot, that fruit comes from gravelly/sandy soils that confer perfume and aromatics, qualities winemaker Thomas Duroux brought out further with a short, gentle fermentation. This is a lovely second wine.

Score: 90 - 92

Antonio Galloni, Vinous.com 01 April 2015

Fragrant with vivid cranberry and cherry. Plump mouthfeel with well-integrated oak, finishing crisp and fresh.

Score: 90 - 92

Albany Vintners, - 24 April 2015

Very bright crimson. Certainly straightforward and very directly fruity on the nose. Noticeable acidity on the palate. Very fresh red cherry flavours and not that dense. Good finish. 13.4%

Score: 16

Jancis Robinson MW, JancisRobinson.com Maturity: 2019-2025 15 April 2015

Bursts with violet, plum and raspberry fruit, lined with silky tannins and backed by a tantalizing iron hint. Features lovely brisk energy and gorgeous purity. Tasted non-blind.

Score: 90 - 93

James Molesworth, Wine Spectator 01 April 2015