Palmer Margaux 2005

100 points Jane Anson (Inside Bordeaux): "(53% Cabernet Sauvignon, 40% Merlot, 7% Petit Verdot). Enticing ruby red body, with aromatics that show a touch of orange zest and turmeric spice. The fruit is creamy, intense, a brilliant Palmer that has finesse and balance but a serious kick. Black pepper, cinammon, raspberry, bilberry fruits, smoked earth and campfire on the finish, so juicy, totally salivating with a slate-textured close of play. Delicious, and a great sign that the 2005 vintage is starting to swing open. Harvest September 22 to October 7, 60% new oak. A long dry summer, with 57% less rainfall than usual, although temperatures never climbed as high as in 2003. Impossible to stop smiling after this. Drink: 2021-2045. Alcohol 13%. (12/7/21)"

99 points Lisa Perrotti-Brown (The Wine Independent): "The 2005 Palmer is made from 53% Cabernet Sauvignon, 40% Merlot, and 7% Petit Verdot. Deep garnet-brick in color, it is very shut down on the nose to begin, slowly revealing a powerhouse of creme de cassis, plum preserves, and licorice scents with hints of candied violets and unsmoked cigars. Big, rich, full-bodied, and opulent in the mouth, it has seductively velvety tannins and fantastic length. Still very young, it is approachable at this stage, but expect great things to come with a further 5-10 years of patience. Drink it to 2050+. Palmer is located in the Cantenac sector of Margaux. Most of the plots are situated on the plateau, with the best located around the Chateau. It is worth noting that these prime blocks were not part of the estate in 1855, which is probably why it was ranked a third growth instead of a second (or first). From 1945, a large percentage of Merlot was planted at the estate and it continues to have one of the highest percentages of this grape planted at a Medoc property, currently accounting for around 47% of the vineyard area. In 2004, Thomas Duroux took over from the long-serving Jean Bouteiller as winemaker. He started experimenting with biodynamic viticulture in 2008 and Palmer went fully biodynamic in 2014. Drink: 2027-2050. Alcohol 14%. (7/20/22)"

98 points Robert Parker: "Its bigger sister, the 2005 Château Palmer (53% Cabernet Sauvignon, 40% Merlot and 7% Petit Verdot), is one of the great efforts of this superlative vintage. Floral notes mixed with blackberry, cassis, plum, licorice and spring flowers soar from the glass of this dense ruby/purple wine. It is medium to full-bodied, surprisingly opulent (it has a big percentage of Merlot), long, multi-dimensional and textured. This wonderfully pure, stunning wine once again performs as a first-growth. It should drink well for the next 20-25 years. Drink: 2015-2040. (Jun 2015)"

98 points Antonio Galloni (Vinous): "The 2005 Palmer has been absolutely magical both times I have tasted it recently. Still wonderfully deep to the core, the 2005 is dense, packed to the core and luxuriously opulent. Even with all of that intensity, the 2005 remains vibrant. Lush red/purplish berry fruit, rose petal, lavender and sweet spice build into the towering finish. The 2005 is an epic wine that will have no problem reaching its fiftieth birthday. It is a rich, dramatic Margaux that checks all the boxes, and then some. I rated a second bottle even higher. Drink: 2023-2055. (Apr 2021)"

97 points Neal Martin (Wine Advocate): "Tasted at the Château Palmer vertical in London, the 2005 Château Palmer is a legend in the making. Apparently the vines received 57% less rain than average, yet the 2005 shrugs off any water deficiency and has nurtured a wondrously pixelated bouquet, whereby mineralité shines through the black cherry and blueberry fruit. Search deeper and you discover veins of graphite that impart a Pauillac-like allure. The palate is medium-bodied and intense, but it is not overwhelming, a Margaux that is galvanized with a firm backbone thereby ensuring this will age over the long term. The symmetry here is enthralling - a 2005 that is destined for greatness. The only question is whether it will surpass the 2009 or 2010 Palmer? It will be fun finding out. Tasted May 2015. Drink: 2022-2050. (May 2016)"

97 points Falstaff Guide: "Strong ruby with purple reflections and subtle rim brightening. Fine balsamic nuances, tobacco, a touch of violets, nuances of blackberry, subtle hints of black truffle. Powerful, juicy, fine cherry, firm tannins, pronounced in fruit on the finish, fine acidity, delicate nougat, good minerality, a touch of Valrhôna chocolate on the finish. (2/12/16)"

97 points Bettane & Desseauve's Guide to the Wines of France: "Splendid, complex, and refined nose with a minty note that gives it a rare freshness for the vintage. Superb and balanced body, marvelously velvety, with subtle tannins. A grand wine, worthy of the vintage and the château. Drink: 2011 up to 2030. (2011)"

96 points Wine Enthusiast: "Aromas of black tar, chocolate and berries lead to a wine that is so effortlessly delicious that it’s easy to forget the power the Merlot gives it. The center is round, but dark, filled with sweetness; the outer layers are full of red jelly and toast. There are tannins, but they, too, are sweet. (Jun 2008)"

96 points Wine & Spirits (Oct 2008).

95 points Wine Spectator: "Dark in color, with intense aromas of crushed berry, toasty oak and hints of raisin, turning to fresh flowers. Full-bodied, with a big, juicy, velvety texture and a long aftertaste of coffee, coconut and berry. This is powerful and muscular for Palmer. Best after 2012. (5/31/08)"

18.5/20 points Stephen Brook (The World of Fine Wine): "Opaque red. Sumptuous blackberry nose, opulent, majestic, and hedonistic. There's a good deal of new oak on the nose that still needs to integrate. Surprisingly soft and generous on the attack; a great billowing wine with lush fruit and fine supporting acidity. The tannins are understated, or buried within the fruit, making this surprisingly approachable. Gorgeous but far from slutty. (Issue #26; 2009)"