Chateau Palmer Alter Ego de Palmer 2012

Scores

94 / 100

"This has incredible length for a second wine. Full body, with dark berry and raspberry character, ultra-fine tannins, and a long, long finish. Tiny grape yields for the vintage. 51% Merlot, 40% Cabernet Sauvignon and 9% Petit Verdot."
- James Suckling

93 / 100

"Another brilliant example from administrator Thomas Duroux and his team, the intense second wine, Palmer’s 2012 Alter Ego (51% Merlot, 40% Cabernet Sauvignon and 9% Petit Verdot), offers up plenty of blackberry and crème de cassis notes along with some spring flowers, licorice and subtle background oak. Opulently textured, full-bodied and stunning, this is an outrageously successful second wine to drink over the next 12-15 years."
- Robert Parker's Wine Advocate

92 / 100

"Even though it was only introduced by Château Palmer in 1998, the distinctive reverse black-and-gold label is surely one of the best known in Bordeaux. But the real success of Alter Ego has come in its consistently excellent quality. It’s hard to go wrong with the vintages, although prices are steep, with recent years coming in at above £550 for a case of 12 (in bond) at most UK merchants. The 2012 is a wonderful example of why this wine is so good. It has all the lush exoticism and fine tannic structure of Palmer, but with a softness and crème de cassis, dense fruitiness (it is 52% Merlot) that makes it drinkable now and for the next 10 to 15 years."
- Decanter

92 / 100

"The 2012 Palmer Alter Ego is a smoking good Margaux that over delivers. Made from 51% Merlot, 40% Cabernet Sauvignon and 9% Petit Verdot, its still ruby/purple color is followed by a ripe, sexy, medium to full-bodied 2012 that gives up tons of blackcurrants, licorice, crushed flowers, and graphite. With incredible charm as well as a broad, sexy texture, drink it over the coming 10-15 years."
- Jeb Dunnuck

92 / 100

"The 2012 Alter Ego is unusually dark in this vintage, the result of abnormally low yields and very ripe Merlot. An exuberant, voluptuous wine, the 2012 hits the palate with a mélange of black cherry, plum, smoke, licorice, tobacco and grilled herbs. There is more than enough tannin and acidity to support a good decade-plus of very fine drinking. This is a superb second wine that should be on consumers' radar screens, as it over delivers, big time. The 2012s at Palmer are made from unusually low yields of around 28 hectoliters per hectare. One of the effects of the 2011 hailstorm that hit the estate was a lowering of the following year's crop, which has resulted in rich, tannic wines. Estate Manager Thomas Duroux opted to give the 2012s more time in barrel than is customary and the wines were bottled in September 2014."
- Vinous

Tasting Notes