Chateau Palmer 1996
Château Palmer is located in the Margaux appellation, in the Médoc of the Bordeaux region. It was classified Third Grand Cru Classé in the Bordeaux classification of 1855. Château Palmer was once part of the Issan estate and takes its name from Major General Charles Palmer of the British army, who bought the land in 1814. He developed it considerably and gained a strong following for wine in England. Since 1938, the Sichel and Mähler-Besse families have been the main shareholders. The vineyard extends over 55 hectares cultivated with respect for its soils and biodiversity. In 2008, the team experimented with biodynamics but the results turned out to be inconclusive. Since then, sheep graze, grass grows, flowers and plants with healing properties bloom, and agrochemicals are gone.
Château Palmer 1996 is a blend of Cabernet Sauvignon (55%), Merlot (40%), Cabernet Franc (4%) and Petit Verdot (1%) . The 1996 vintage for Bordeaux was extremely good : a mild winter and a warm spring with a month of March bringing significant heat. A hot and dry September favored the ripening of the grapes, which particularly benefited the Médoc. The harvest was a complete success. Cabernet Sauvignon, particularly from the Médoc, has produced tannic, structured, very concentrated wines that are suitable for ageing.
Grapes: 55% Cabernet Sauvignon, 40% Merlot, 4% Cabernet Franc, 1% Petit Verdot