Wine Advocate
byRobert Parkerthe4/30/2009
The 2008 Palmer, which tips the scales at 13.5% natural alcohol (among the highest achieved at this property), is a blend of 51% Merlot, 41% Cabernet Sauvignon, and 8% Petit Verdot. It is a massively rich wine with an inky/purple color, sensational density of fruit, velvety tannins, a glorious bouquet of black fruits, licorice, incense, and subtle barbecue smoke, a superb, full-bodied mouthfeel, and a fabulous texture and length. With several minutes of swirling, an enticing floral note emerges. The wine’s glycerin and sweetness suggest it will be approachable 3-4 years after bottling, yet keep for three decades or more. It appears to be among the finest Palmers made this decade, rivaling both the 2005 and 2000.
Yields at Palmer were a shockingly low 30 hectoliters per hectare, and the harvest lasted from October 1 to October 17. Keep in mind, the natural alcohol percentage in the Merlots harvested at Chateau Palmer was a low of 13.5% and reached a lofty peak of 14.5%. All the Cabernet Sauvignons came in between 12%-12.5%. Moreover, the level of tannins and dry extract/polyphenols was the same as in 2005, which provides one more piece of evidence in what is a very successful vintage for Bordeaux.