2009 - Palmer, Margaux

Deep garnet colored, the 2009 Palmer delivers a beguiling array of black fruit—warm plums, cassis and black cherry compote—with kirsch and wild sage sparks plus profound suggestions of fragrant earth, black truffles, iron ore and liquid licorice. Full-bodied, rich and decadently seductive in the mouth, the generous fruit is superbly framed with plush tannins and seamless freshness, finishing long and mineral laced.

Soy, liqourice, tar, white pepper and baked earth, this remains young and taut, with a punch of cassis, bilberry and fleshy black damson fruits. You reach out and touch the tannins, they are so velvety and rippled. Not as effortlessly balanced as the 2005, this has more of an exuberant character, with chocolate and turmeric spice rippling through the fruits, and a mouthwatering crushed mint leaf finish. You can approach this now with a good few hours in a carafe, but it will improve further with another few years in bottle. Harvest September 23 to October 14, 60% new oak. One hectare of the vineyard was tested in biodynamic farming in this vintage.

The 2009 Palmer has a rich, opulent and ravishing bouquet with precocious kirsch and boysenberry aromas, blue fruit exploding in the glass with aeration. This still feels very backward. The palate is medium-bodied with supple tannin, a fine bead of acidity. Superb mineral tension with great precision towards the finish. Thomas Duroux crafted a superlative Palmer in 2009, one of the finest in recent years. Tasted at BI Wines and Spirits' Ten Year On tasting.

Dark purplish crimson. Nose is not one of the most itense but the wine is very creamy and pretty on the palate (thank you, Merlot). Definitely sweet and chracteristic of 2009 but not over the top. A thoroughly hedonistic wine. (JR)