Château Alter Ego De Palmer 2002
Château Alter Ego de Palmer 2002 is a red wine from the Margaux appellation in Bordeaux, produced by Château Palmer. As the estate's second wine, this cuvée brings together Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, and Petit Verdot. The Wine Advocate awards it a score of 89/100 and a drinking window from 2005 to 2020. The review describes a balanced wine endowed with fine length, combining pure, smooth fruit with nuances of cassis, cedar, herbs, and spices.
Identité du vin
- Couleur
- Red
- Pays
- France
- Région
- Bordeaux
- Appellation
- Margaux
- Producteur / Domaine
- Château Palmer
- Cuvée
- Alter Ego de Palmer
Cépage et assemblage
- Grape Variety
- Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Petit Verdot
Château Palmer
Château Palmer is a wine estate in the Margaux appellation, situated in Cantenac, in the Médoc. Classified as a third growth in 1855, the estate cultivates 66 hectares of vineyards using biodynamic methods. It is owned by the descendants of the Sichel and Mähler-Besse families, who have been joint owners since taking over the estate in 1938.
- Owner
- Familles Sichel et Mähler-Besse
- Maître de chais
- Sabrina Pernet
- Surface (ha)
- 66.00 ha
Histoire du domaine
The estate, then known as Domaine de Gascq, was already renowned for its wines in the early 18th century. In 1814, the British Lieutenant-Colonel Charles Palmer acquired it from Marie Brunet de Ferrière, Gascq’s widow, and named it after himself. He subsequently expanded and modernised the estate over a period of nearly thirty years. In 1853, the brothers Émile and Isaac Pereire took over the estate and reorganised the vineyard. They commissioned the construction of the current château and helped to consolidate the plots. Château Palmer was classified as a Third Growth in the 1855 classification. The descendants of the Pereire family sold the property in 1937, against a backdrop of economic difficulties. In 1938, the wine merchant families Ginestet, Miailhe, Mähler-Besse and Sichel took over the estate; the descendants of the Mähler-Besse and Sichel families still own it today. Thomas Duroux has been at the helm of Château Palmer since 2004. The vineyard’s full conversion to biodynamic viticulture began with the 2014 vintage, under the technical direction of Sabrina Pernet.
Alter Ego de Palmer
Alter Ego is a distinct wine crafted from the same terroir as Château Palmer, following a selection and vinification adapted from harvest onwards. The estate seeks technological and aromatic maturity in order to favor fruit, suppleness, and earlier accessibility.
- Origin of the cuvée name
- "Alter Ego" means "another self" and designates another expression of the same terroir as Château Palmer.
- Cuvée creation year
- 1998
- Style of the cuvée
- Spontaneous, round, generous, and silky profile, combining intensity and lightness. Often dominated by Merlot, it favors fruit, suppleness, aromatic finesse, and an accessible texture in its youth, while still benefiting from aging.
- Position within the range
- The other wine of Château Palmer, a distinct expression of the same terroir and more accessible in its youth.
Histoire de la cuvée
Launched with the 1998 vintage, Alter Ego was born from the desire to offer another facet of the estate rather than a simple second wine. Its crafting relies on reading the potential of the plots, followed by specific choices in selection, vinification, and blending.
