Chateau Palmer - Alter Ego 2015

JAMES SUCKLING: JAMES SUCKLING:"This is sensational, characterized by such purity and beauty and with aromas of blackberries, dark chocolate, walnuts, cedar and lavender. Full-bodied, tight and focused — in part thanks to sensational tannin tension that is intense yet polished. Needs five to six years of bottle age to come together. Great second wine of Palmer."

FALSTAFF: FALSTAFF:"Kräftiges Rubingranat, violette Reflexe, breitere Randaufhellung. Feine Edelholzwürze, zart nach Vanille, frische dunkle Herzkirschen, von rauchigen Nuancen unterlegt. Straff, saftig, engmaschige dunkle Beerenfrucht, präsente, gut tragende Tannine, feine pfeffrige Würze im Abgang, bereits zugänglich, sicheres Potenzial für die nächsten zwanzig Jahre."

THE WINE CELLAR INSIDER: THE WINE CELLAR INSIDER:"Rocks, stones, flowers, wet earth and inky, dark cherry, plum and even darker chocolate notes are all over the place. From the nose to the palate, you find the same expressions and complexities. The wine is richly textured, sensuous, silky and sweet. There is length and purity, This is better than any vintage of Palmer from the 70's, most of the 80's and the 90's! This is the best vintage of Alter Ego ever produced."

WINE ENTHUSIAST: WINE ENTHUSIAST:"Powerful tannins initially show in this perfumed wine. Behind them lie velvety-smooth black-currant fruit. The wine is pure, open and will age well over a medium term. It will be ready to drink from 2025."

DECANTER: DECANTER:"The first one of these three Alter Egos to have Petit Verdot in the blend and it works really well, adding a swirl of cinnamon and black pepper spice that sits perfectly within the always gourmet, glamourous character of this wine. A juicy rise through the finish adds precision, but even at five years old it's not quite ready to go, and I would suggest waiting another few years."

JEB DUNNUCK: JEB DUNNUCK:"The 2015 Alter Ego de Palmer is a sensational wine in its own right. Loaded with notes of black cherries, cassis, scorched earth and hints of toasty oak all emerge from this full-bodied, ripe, yet beautifully balanced Margaux. With ripe tannin, solid mid-palate depth and ample sweet fruit, it shows the charm of the vintage and is already hard to resist, yet should keep for 10-15 years."

WINE SPECTATOR: WINESPECTATOR:"Warm and inviting, with delightfully ripe plum and cassis notes that are lined with subtle lilac, fresh earth and singed sandal wood details before a wave of tobacco and humus comes in on the finish. Approachable, but should develop with time. Best from 2019 through 2029."

THE WINE ADVOCATE: THE WINEADVOCATE:"Composed of 52% Merlot, 42% Cabernet Franc and 6% Petit Verdot, the 2015 Alter Ego de Palmer has a medium to deep garnet-purple color and gorgeous nose of ripe plums, cassis and crushed cherries with touches of incense, lavender and chocolate box. Medium-bodied, very finely crafted and vivacious in the mouth, it finishes with great elegance and finesse."

WEINWISSER: WEINWISSER:"Tiefes Purpur, satt in der Mitte, Granatschimmer am Rand. Tintiges Bouquet, Pflaumenschalen, floraler Schimmer und pfeffrige Nuancen. Saftiger Fluss, sehr elegant, aromatisches Finale. Ein sehr harmonischer Zweitwein ohne Zwischentöne."

JANCIS ROBINSON: JANCIS ROBINSON:"Tasted blind. Mid to dark crimson. Floral, aromatic, lifted. Sweet start. Pretty fine and appealing. Alter Ego? Satisfying. Very fresh."