Chateau Palmer 2002

ANTONIO GALLONI: "Good bright ruby-red. Sweet, penetrating aromas of raspberry, currant, flowers and sweet oak. Tight today but not hard, with burnished oak notes sweetening the dark berry and floral flavors. Finishes long and firmly tannic, with cabernet-dominated floral and minty notes."

ROBINSON: "Glossy, sweet and fragrant. Looking good! Fresh and just slightly tobacco. Clean finish. Quite long."

WINEADVOCATE: "A successful wine for the vintage, this blend of 52% Cabernet Sauvignon, 40% Merlot, and 8% Petit Verdot boasts complex notes of menthol, black currants, plums, licorice, and a hint of cappuccino in its stunning aromatics. Dense, medium to full-bodied, with high levels of tannin in a big, full-bodied style (much in the spirit of such classic Bordeaux vintages as 1966, 1986, and 1996), this wine possesses superb purity and serious length, but should be purchased only by those with considerable patience and a good, cold cellar, since it will need plenty of time. Anticipated maturity: 2012-2028."

WEINWISSER: "Sattes Purpur mit violettem und rubinrotem Rand. Nobles, vielschichtiges Bouquet, Kirschentöne, schwarzer Pfeffer, dunkle Rosen, sehr würzig und tiefgründig, deutlicher konzentrierter Cabernet-Ausdruck, nicht besonders typisch, sonst in der Jugend oft von der Merlot-Fülle lebend. Auch im Gaumen zuerst scheinbar ohne die üppigen Konturen und pflaumigen Noten des Merlot, aufgrund des intensiven Cabernet-Ausdrucks eher an einen Saint-Julien erinnernd, was sich auch mit der Tabak- und Zedernnote im Finale auszudrücken scheint, sandiger Fluss, langes Finale. Gesamtsäure und Menge der reifen Tannine lassen darauf schliessen, dass erst in etwa zehn Jahren klar werden wird, was dieser Margaux wirklich draufhat."

WINESPECTATOR: "Rich aromas of vanilla, chocolate and berry follow through to a full-bodied palate, with ultrafine tannins and a long, silky finish. Very fine indeed. Palmer shows power with finesse here. Best after 2007. 8,500 cases made."