Palmer Margaux 2017

98 points James Suckling: "Very perfumed and subtle with dried flowers and citrus, as well as blue fruit. Full-bodied with wonderfully diffused, integrated tannins that just run over the edges of the wine. It’s extremely polished and very, very long. Fresh and bright. Energetic finish. A thoughtful wine. A blend of 54% merlot, 42% cabernet sauvignon and 4% petit verdot. Drink after 2023. (12/20/20)"

97+ points Lisa Perrotti-Brown (Wine Advocate): "A blend of 54% Merlot, 42% Cabernet Sauvignon and 4% Petit Verdot, the deep garnet-purple colored, 2017 Palmer gives a very serious nose of pronounced blackcurrant cordial, warm plums and blackberry preserves with hints of cedar chest, pencil shavings, violets, dark chocolate and star anise plus exotic wafts of sandalwood and cassia. Medium-bodied, the palate features fantastically vibrant, crunchy black fruits with a firm texture of ripe, grainy tannins and tons of freshness, finishing very long and mineral laced. It will need a good 5-7 years to really blossom with all those tightly wound nuances, but it should be a stunner! Drink: 2025-2065. (Mar 2020)"

97 points Jane Anson (Decanter): "Beautifully powerful and precise with great depth and character to the fruit, despite the austerity that is more evident now than it was during En Primeur as the wine has begun bed down. These tannins are finely boned but they are plentiful, providing strength in numbers. Bottled end of August after 21 months of ageing. Clearly going to age well, this has concentration, intensity and seriousness where the Alter Ego is more gourmet. A precise and intellectual Palmer, a very fine example of the wine, with a sense of place and a purity to the fruit expression. Drinking Window: 2024-2048. (Nov 2019)"

97 points (18.5/20) La Revue du Vin de France: "Palmer 2017 imposes its great breed, depth and volume on the palate. Dense, with a silky grain and a sparkling finish, this is an incredibly posh and digestible wine. (2020)"

96+ points Antonio Galloni (Vinous): "One of the wines of the vintage on the Left Bank, the 2017 Palmer is fresh and vibrant, with tons of energy. Veins of supporting salinity and floral overtones lend grace to the Grand Vin in 2017. I imagine Palmer will only blossom with a few years in bottle. Time in the glass brings out pretty notes of dark fruit, mocha, spice, leather and licorice, but overall, the 2017 is quite reticent, especially given what readers have come to expect here. The blend is 54% Merlot, 42% Cabernet Sauvignon and 4% Petit Verdot. Technical Director Thomas Duroux told me his team harvested all the fruit in nine days as opposed to the more typical 2-3 weeks. The 2017s were done with no SO2 at crush. Duroux stopped the pump overs early and favored gentle extractions. Both wines are in the 13-13.2 range of finished alcohol. Drink: 2027-2047. (Mar 2020)"

95 points Wine Spectator: "[$300 list] Dark and winey in feel, with ample blackberry, plum and black currant compote flavors leading the way, while licorice snap, singed apple wood, black tea and dark earth notes fill in throughout. The finish is focused, showing a nice buried iron accent. A powerful version of Margaux and a strong effort in the vintage. Merlot, Cabernet Sauvignon and Petit Verdot. Best from 2023 through 2038. (3/31/20)"

95 points and 'Cellar Selection,' Wine Enthusiast: "Fruit and supple tannins mingle in this balanced, classic wine. Black-currant flavors are lifted by the energetic acidity and the freshness of the crisp texture. This wine will develop easily, giving pleasure all the way. Drink from 2023. Alcohol 13%. (Mar 2020)"

95 points Chris Kissack (Winedoctor): "This is 42% Cabernet Sauvignon, 54% Merlot and 4% Petit Verdot, and the élevage was mostly in barrels, using 60% new oak, as well as two foudres, the wine blended and bottled at the end of August 2019. The overall yield was 38 hl/ha and the grand vin took 55% of the crop. It is dark, fragrant and perfumed, certainly a wine with a sense of conviction, especially for the vintage. The aromatics are dominated by floral and violet scents, along with toasted fruits and cocoa bean. This is followed by a polished and seamless start to the palate, with floral black cherry notes, supple and correct, spiced with vanilla bean, cocoa bean and black pepper, with a slowly unfurling grip at its core. A quite beautiful style, serious and a little savoury, convincing and yet elegantly poised. It does not quite possess the seamless elegance of Margaux, but it has more substance and conviction. There is a good length to it as well. (Dec 2019)"