Château Palmer, 3ème Cru Classé, Margaux, 2002
Yields at Palmer were a touch over half those of 2001 (24 as against 44 hl/ha). The 2002 has remarkable colour, opaque purple, and texture - the tannin count has never been so high and along with natural alcohol of 12.8° it makes this one of the biggest, boldest Palmers since the sixties. Highly concentrated, ripe, damson and blackberry fruits, velvet middle palate, freshness and elegance. A top wine.
critic reviews
The 2002 Palmer has a well-defined bouquet with smudged red fruit, melted tar, dark chocolate and mint. This has held up well over two decades, but it is missing some of Palmer's DNA. The palate is medium-bodied, simple yet balanced, with fine acidity and firm tannins. It lacks some vigor and comes across as rather austere and more Saint-Julien in style on the finish. Not bad, though I prefer the 2000 or 2001 by comparison. Tasted at the Palmer vertical at the château.
Plenty of upfront raspberry and blackberry fruits, not as elegant as the 2001 but with structure and concentration. Touches of white pepper spice, along with gunsmoke and cigar box as it opens, this is enjoyable and has a skip of acidity that keeps your mouth watering and keeps momentum drawing you forward through the palate. Harvest September 26 to October 7, 60% new oak. Palmer avoided some of the heavier rains that affected much of Bordeaux during harvest (just 5mm on this spot in the biggest storm of September 20), and was seen as one of the wines of the vintage. Impressive, and surprising.