Working in the wine industry does allow one to experience some wines which others may not necessarily have the opportunity to try and last night I had the pleasure of trying Alter Ego de Palmer 2004.
Not only did this wine live upto its preconceptions but it was ready for drinking without any hesitation, although it would be a good drink in another 5 years too. This is the second wine of Château Palmer and has a blend of 50% Merlot and 50% Cabernet Sauvignon. As the Château Palmer website states this is,
“Unlike the previous 2 vintages, the weather in 2004 was ideal without any excesses. Nothing disturbed the vines’ normal growth cycle.
Summer started after a slightly rainy month of June. Even flowering with no shot berries was followed by moderate summer temperatures that slowed and lengthened the ripening process. The grapes developed slowly and evenly, ripening perfectly thanks to dry, sunny weather in September that also made it possible to wait patiently until each plot reached its peak.
The grapes fermented gently for an average of 21 days. In certain cases, the emphasis was placed on extraction early in the vatting period to express all the fruit and richness of the grapes, while in other cases, long skin contact was preferred to enhance the wine’s power. Compared to the 2003s, the 2004 vintage is more classically Bordeaux, offering a magnificent combination of all the elegance and finesse of our terroir with the richness and power of a very great year.”
I have to agree with this whole heartedly and must confess I was very pleasantly surprised. I am normally not a Bordeaux lover, but this may be because I have only had the displeasure of tasting cheap nasty wines, but have to say I was won over by this wine and would recommend it to those who were not sure about paying that bit extra for a Bordeaux.
On the nose this wine has sumptuous blackberry fruit with a hint of pencil lead and crushed black pepper showing real complexity. On the palate it has incredible balance and richness with a fabuolous texture. Again it displays cassis and pepper. I chose to serve this delight with steak and I have to say the pair went together like a match made in heaven. I only wish I had bought a second or even third bottle as it was a real delight and a wine which should be sort out by customers when purchasing a fine wine.
If you are interested in purchasing either Bordeaux 2008 or Port 2007 En Primeur have a look at Majestic Wine, who are offering Château Palmer 2008 Margaux.
oh i love wines that smell of pencil lead.