Chateau Palmer Alter Ego de Palmer 2017

Professional Ratings

• 94 James Suckling

  This is a delicious and savory wine with beautiful, ripe and creamy tannins, as well as chocolate and plum character. Full body. The flavors turn to wet earth and mushrooms with some leather. A blend of 53% merlot, 41% cabernet sauvignon and 6% petit verdot. Lovely finish. Try after 2021.

• 93 Decanter

  I love the bright perky fruit that we have here.They had to be careful with extraction to retain this delicacy but have been successful with it. Not enormously concentrated, at least compared to the first wine, but it has lovely classicism, with fresh fruit and some gourmet swirls of cinnamon and chocolate, 3.75pH, 25% new oak. Had some bigger sized oak casks also, testing for the first time on just 60hl. A yield of 38hl/ha because the Alter Ego plots frosted more than Palmer (final count 55% Palmer, 45% Alter Ego).

• 92 Wine Spectator
  Lively, featuring lots of lavender and savory hints mixed with black cherry and plum flavors. Shows a light bramble note. Open-knit, with juicy energy on the finish.
  Barrel Sample: 89-92
• 92 Wine Enthusiast

  Attractive black-currant aromas of this wine are followed on the palate by fresh fruits, lit by acidity and bright black-currant and berry flavors. The tannins are soft and open, meaning this wine will develop relatively quickly. Drink from 2022.

• 92 Jeb Dunnuck

  The 2017 Alter Ego De Palmer is a terrific wine and checks in as 53% Merlot, 41% Cabernet Sauvignon, and 6% Petit Verdot. Its deep purple color is followed by a powerful second wine that has lots of blackberry and assorted dark fruit as well as notes of leafy herbs, earth, and spice. it's nicely concentrated, medium to full-bodied, and has considerable class.

• 92 Robert Parker's Wine Advocate

  Composed of 53% Merlot, 41% Cabernet Sauvignon and 6% Petit Verdot, the 2017 Alter Ego de Palmer is deep garnet-purple in color and springs from the glass with vivacious black raspberries, black cherries and crushed blackcurrants notes plus hints of Sichuan pepper, menthol, pencil lead and cardamom. Medium-bodied, the palate is charged with energy, featuring expressive, bright black fruits and firm, fine-grained tannins, finishing long and lively.