Chateau Palmer - 2013 -Margaux - 750 ml.

A year of heavy rain. Never have our vineyard workers experienced such a wet winter. This was followed by a late and hasty harvest. While worryingly rough tannins were avoided with careful vinification, only a third of the harvest was retained for the final blend…

Winter 2013 stands as one of the dampest of the last few years, which significantly complicated working conditions in the vineyard. Early in the season, our observations showed a delay of around ten days compared to the already late 2012 vintage. In May, rainy conditions led to a major amount of coulure. The risk of mildew was particularly high. The summer weather was more favorable, but the development of the vines remained stalled on a late growth cycle.

September held an unpleasant surprise for us, with rain, humidity, and warm temperatures. We began harvesting on September 27. The Merlots, which are so important to the identity of our wines – were picked in time and showed a level of phenolic and aromatic maturity that surpassed our expectations. We continued harvesting the Petit Verdot and Cabernet Sauvignon grapes. Their aromatic palettes were clean and precise. During the winemaking process, the must was handled very carefully to avoid extracting any potentially harsh tannins.

We were able to carefully preserve the silky, velvety identity of the estate’s wines. To find the right expression for this difficult vintage, we held many different tasting sessions, each inspiring countless debates. In the end, only a third of the production was retained in the final blend. A great wine is all about balance. Château Palmer 2013 reminds us of this by subtly playing on an atypical style.