Château Palmer - Margaux 2010

Vinous

96 / 100

byNeal Martinthe4/30/2020

The 2010 Palmer has an outgoing, intense and multifaceted bouquet with black cherries, boysenberry, crushed violets and hints of cassis - your quintessential Margaux turned up to eleven. The palate is medium-bodied with very supple tannins and a fine bead of acidity. Headier than its Margaux peers, it builds in the mouth with a complex, marine-tinged finish with cracked black pepper lingering on the aftertaste. This is an outstanding Palmer but it needs more time in bottle. Tasted from an ex-château bottle at the BI Wines & Spirits 10-Year On tasting. Drink 2026-2070

Wine Advocate

96 / 100

byLisa Perrotti-Brownthe3/5/2020

96+ /Deep garnet in color, the 2010 Palmer rolls out of the glass with warm cassis, baked plums and boysenberries scents plus hints of candied violets, star anise and dried bay leaves. Medium to full-bodied, the palate is generously fruited, with a firm backbone of grainy tannins and seamless freshness, finishing long.

Decanter.com

98 / 100

byJane Ansonthe1/30/2020

This is delightful and full of pleasurable, powerful and precisely carved fruits yet muscular and broad-framed, I have tasted this wine many times and once again I am reminded of how lucky I am that this is the case. Damson, slate, rich earthy loam, menthol and crushed rocks, just bursting with vivacity, life, freshness and enjoyment. Love it; shows exactly why we love Palmer. Drinking 2020 - 2050

Stephen Tanzer's International Wine Cellar

96 / 100

byStephen Tanzerthe8/31/2013

Bright, deep medium ruby.  Exotic, expressive nose offers blueberry, black cherry, violet, bitter chocolate, licorice, smoke and spices, with a subtle leather nuance in the deep background.  The tightly coiled, penetrating palate offers uncanny density without weight, with dark berry and floral flavors enlivened by deep minerality.  A wine of outstanding clarity, energy and class.  The extremely long, mounting finish displays serious, ripe tannins that reach the incisors, and great clinging minerality and verve. This extraordinary young Palmer should go on for decades. 96 (+?) points

Wine Spectator

96 / 100

byJames Molesworththe3/31/2013

This is riveting, with terrific tarry grip coursing underneath layers of smoldering bay leaf, warm plum confiture, freshly brewed espresso, dark cassis and well-steeped black tea. The charcoal and tobacco backdrop is gorgeous and should move forward through the core of fruit over time. Be patient though, as the structure is ironclad. This will really be electric once mature. Best from 2017 through 2040. –JM

Wine Advocate

98 / 100

byRobert Parkerthe3/1/2013

The 2010 Palmer is one of the superstars of the vintage, a blend of 54% Merlot, 40% Cabernet Sauvignon and 6% Petit Verdot, which is just slightly different than what I indicated two years ago. The alcohol level hit 14.5%, and the wine comes across like a more stacked-and-packed version of their 2000. It is tannic and backward, but has a sensational black/purple color and a gorgeous nose of camphor, barbecue smoke, blackberry and cassis. Full-bodied, with oodles of glycerin but a relatively healthy pH, this wine has a precision and freshness that belie its lofty alcohol and extravagant concentration. This is a sensationally rich, full-throttle Palmer that could well end up being one of the all-time great wines made at this estate. It needs a good 7-10 years of cellaring and should keep for 50 or more years.  There’s no question that Thomas Duroux and the staff at Palmer are producing wines of first-growth quality, and have been for nearly a decade.

Wine Advocate

95 / 100

byNeal Martinthe2/8/2013

Tasted at the château. The Palmer 2010 is much stricter and more linear than the Alter Ego – indeed this year, I think there is quite a difference between the two. Even though the Cabernet is in the minority, it still exerts great influence over the aromatics with blackcurrant, briary and a touch of graphite (rendering it again, quite Pauillac-like in style.) The palate is medium-bodied with a rich, generous opening: black cherries, dates, liquorice and a touch of aniseed. The tannins and slightly chewy at the moment and will need taming with bottle age, whilst the finish is sweet, long and melodramatic. This is a relatively flamboyant 2010 that should age with style. Tasted November 2012.

Jamessuckling.com

98 / 100

byJames Sucklingthe2/3/2013

A purity of fruit here with plum and dark chocolate undertones. Spices and treacle tart as well. Full body, with ultra-fine tannins and a long, long finish. Very fine indeed. Fit, fruity and reserved. Superb. Try in 2020

WeinWisser

19 / 20

the5/31/2011

54% Merlot, 40% Cabernet Sauvignon, 6% Petit Verdot. 30,5 hl/ha Ertrag. Dichtes Purpur, violetter Schimmer, sehr satt in der Mitte. Ein Wahnsinns-Beerencocktail in der Nase von Grenadine, roten Kirschen bis zu Cassis, eine komplexe, reife Süsse zeigend, wirkt noch etwas zurückhaltend, aber enorm tief. Samtiger Gaumen mit dichter Extraktion und fast essenzartiger Frucht, mollige Tannine, die schon ersten Charme versprühen, erst im Innern kommt das Verlangende, welches auf ein riesiges Alterungspotenzial schliessen lässt. Hat die Maximalnote im visier und zählt zu den allerbesten Bordeaux-Crus des Jahrganges. 2018-2050

Wine Advocate

95-97 / 100

byRobert Parkerthe5/31/2011

2010 Palmer: The 2010 Palmer, which is 50% Merlot and the rest mostly Cabernet Sauvignon except for 6% Petit Verdot, is a huge, inky/purple-colored wine with notes of camphor, incense, blackberry, espresso roast, and subtle barbecue smoke. Extremely full-bodied and unbelievably powerful (14.5% natural alcohol, but with a rather standard pH of 3.75), this wine is going to be one of the great classics ever to emerge from this iconic chateau. It is extremely tannic, but the tannins are eclipsed by the extravagant concentration of fruit, unctuosity, and density of this wine. This will be a Chateau Palmer to put away for 10 years and drink over the following 40+. Drink 2021-2061

Asian Palate

95-97 / 100

byJeannie Cho Lee MWthe5/24/2011

The deep ruby and gorgeous 2010 Palmer exudes aromas of violets, plums and blackberries, supported by wonderful layers of vibrant fruit and spice flavours and fine velvety tannins. This Palmer has somehow been made in a cooler, fresher style despite having the highest-ever recorded levels of alcohol (14.5%) and tannin.

Le Point

18,5 / 20

byJacques Dupontthe5/12/2011

Fruits noirs, épices, poivre, vif, tendu, frais, fin, long, effilé, droit, très juteux, frais, précis. La petite pointe d'acidité en plus, qui manquait singulièrement dans le 2009, confère au vin équilibre et élégance. O=2020 G=30 ans

Decanter Magazine

19,5 / 20

bySteven Spurrierthe4/30/2011

Superb richness and already showing a velvety texture, wonderful freshness and flavours that keep on growing, a magnificent Palmer. Drink 2020-50. (19.5 points)

Jamessuckling.com

97-98 / 100

byJames Sucklingthe4/30/2011

This nose is crazy with treacle tart, dark fruits, spices and milk chocolate. I was in a state of amazement tasting this. Full bodied and very powerful with wonderful ripe tannins and intense nuts and dark chocolate on the palate. This is more powerful than 2009. I am blown away.

TAST

19-19,5 / 20

by Bettane & Desseauvethe4/30/2011

Extraordinaire toucher de bouche, velouté de texture incomparable, finale longue, mentholée d’un charme fou. Une merveille qui fera longtemps parler d’elle.

The Wine Cellar Insider

96-98 / 100

byJeff Levethe4/25/2011

Palmer From an assemblage of 54% Merlot, 40% Cabernet Sauvignon and the remainder Petit Verdot, the wine reached 14.5% alcohol. The beautiful, deep, purple color is almost opaque. Floral aromas are complicated with cassis, coffee, smoke, truffle, earth and boysenberry scents which jump from the glass. With intense purity, tannins that feel like hand polished silk and a beautiful, pure, long, harmonious rich finish, there is not a hard edge to be found. This opulent wine is a treat for the senses. 96-98 Pts

Wine Spectator

95-98 / 100

byJames Molesworththe3/31/2011

This dense red offers a big core of currant, plum and cassis, with lots of buried violet and anise. Really loaded on the back end, this is very muscular, but still velvety. Features saturated fruit on the finish, but stays restrained. Should be very long-lived. Tasted non-blind. —J.M.