Chateau Palmer 2003 — Chateau Palmer, 3eme Cru Classé, Margaux, Bordeaux, France. This 2003 vintage is a classic Château release from a 55ha vineyard planted on gravel soil.

Grapes: a blend of 68% Cabernet Sauvignon, 20% Merlot and 12% Petit Verdot, aged in French oak barrels. Palmer is noted for a fleshy texture, supported here by an unusually high proportion of old-vine Merlot, with many vines planted in the 1930s.

Winery tasting note: the Château described the 2003s as "full of charm, with good body and very ripe fruit from the very beginning." Despite the heat of the vintage, Chateau Palmer says these wines reflect their prestigious terroir and should reveal exceptional quality over time.

Critics' tasting notes: "Very deep purple colour. Warm cassis, mocha, vanillin and cinnamon aromas predominate with a pinch of anise and some dried plum. The palate reveals this as a very big, dense, weighty Palmer, with less elegance / femininity and more fruit and alcohol punch. Medium to firm, fine tannins and medium+ acidity. Long finish." — Lisa Perrotti-Brown, 91/100 (March 2010).

"Forward, exotic, sweet red and black fruits nose with a gravelly, minerally edge. Sweet and focused. The palate is open and approachable with nice sweet fruits, but it clamps down firmly on the finish with a bit of plummy bitterness and firm tannins. Not perfect, but still pretty impressive." — Jamie Goode, 93/100.

Tasting summary: dense and ripe, with warm black-fruit and spice notes, firm tannins and a long finish — a vintage that rewards patience but can be enjoyed now by those who appreciate a generous, weighty Margaux.

Serving suggestion: decant and serve alongside roast lamb with rosemary and garlic, or a rich beef dish such as a slow-roasted shin of beef. These pairings complement the wine's ripe fruit and substantial texture.

Stock and condition: this bottle is offered from a private customer’s collection and is in excellent condition. We act as agent in the sale; the price is exclusive of V.A.T. which is not due. Multibuy discounts do not apply.