Château Palmer

Château Palmer is often touted as the only wine to rival Château Margaux within the commune of Margaux. Despite being classified as a Third Growth it is a wine which, according to wine critic Jancis Robinson ‘acutely expresses its origins.’ This fascinating estate was once part of Château d’Issan; it was sold in 1748 although it wasn’t until 1814 that Englishman Major General Charles Palmer bought the estate and put both significant investment, and his name, into it. His work saw the reputation of Palmer soar, but economical difficulties not only forced him to sell but also affected Château Palmer’s 1855 classification which was based on the price of wine at the time.

Palmer was bought out by a syndicate of Bordeaux négociants, and two of the four families remain major stakeholders. Since 2004, winemaker Thomas Duroux has been leading the estate, implementing biodynamic farming methods. Two wines are produced at Château Palmer, the Grand Vin and a second label - not a second wine - Alter Ego de Palmer, designed to be an earlier drinking blend made from the same terroir and grapes as Château Palmer.