Wine Advisor
Palmer 2001
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Description
Tasting notes
Reviewed by: Neal Martin
The 2001 Palmer is a vintage that I have tasted several times, though Thomas Duroux lamented that he has very few bottles left at the property. The lovely bouquet of red berry fruit, dark chocolate, star anise and light iodine aromas gently unfolds from the glass, displaying a little more complexity than the 2001 Château Margaux that I tasted the same day. The palate is medium-bodied with a granular opening and a little ferrous in style, secondary notes percolating through the carapace of primary fruit. Tea leaves, allspice and black pepper define what feels like quite a robust finish, lacking the elegance that Palmer exhibits nowadays. Still, this is an excellent 2001 that probably deserves another 2–3 years in the cellar.
Reviewed by: Stephen Tanzer
Dark red. Expressive aromas of redcurrant, raspberry, dark plum, tobacco, graphite, minerals and flowers. Very suave and smooth on entry, then a bit closed in the middle palate. But this very young, firm Palmer boasts harmonious acidity, very good cut and excellent balance. Finishes with rather tight tannins that will need six or seven years to soften. (I was not able to taste the 2002 Palmer, which was being fined; Delfaut described it as more powerful and concentrated than the 2001.)
Reviewed by: Stephen Tanzer
Medium red-ruby. Aromas of cherry, violet, shoe polish and spicy oak; a bit less black fruit in character than the 2002. Very sweet, silky and suave; this is more typical Palmer texture. Boysenberry, tobacco, bitter chocolate and oak flavors enlivened by harmonious acidity. Finishes firmly tannic and long, with a strong mineral element.
Reviewed by: Stephen Tanzer
(from a yield of 44 hectoliters per hectare, vs. 48 in 2000) Bright medium ruby. Vibrant aromas of black cherry, violet, licorice and mint. Sweet and minerally in the mouth, with lovely verve and lift and sharply delineated black fruit, spice and mint flavors. Finishes with complex notes of mocha, earth and Cuban tobacco but limited sweetness, with the firm tannins coming across as just short of dry.
Reviewed by: Neal Martin
The nose is similar to the previous wine, ripe raspberry, strawberry with a touch of chestnut and saddle-leather, becoming gamey with aeration. The palate is medium-bodied, good acidity, quite meaty with blackberry and strawberry. Fine tannins on the crisp, well defined finish. This is sophisticated and but just lacking some weight on the finish. Tasted October 2007.
Reviewed by: Lisa Perrotti-Brown
Medium-garnet colour. The nose is still very youthful with notes of ripe cassis, dark cherries, cloves, graphite, a touch of cedar and a little mint. The medium bodied, well structured palate gives medium-firm tannins, medium+ acidity with a good balance of plump, spicy fruit. The oak needs a little more time to marry and tannins are a little on the firm side but otherwise approachable now. Long finish. Drink now – 2025. Tasted February 2009.
Reviewed by: Robert M. Parker, Jr.
The 2001 Palmer, a blend of 51% Cabernet Sauvignon, 44% Merlot, and 5% Petit Verdot, reveals a saturated purple color in addition to a gorgeous perfume of melted road tar intermixed with spring flowers, smoky blackberries, and cassis. Medium to full-bodied, with high tannin as well as tremendous fat, density, and length, this wine continues to gain weight and look better and better every time I go back to it. It should come close to rivaling the compelling 2000. Anticipated maturity: 2008-2020.
Reviewed by: Neal Martin
Tasted blind at Bordeaux Index’s 10-Year On horizontal. A deep garnet core, this has an introverted nose at first but it opens up in the glass to reveal cedar and cigar box aromas with just a hint of black olive interlacing the ripe black fruits. The fineness of the tannins is undeniable the fruit moving into secondary stage with hints of dried herbs and tobacco. Very good structure although it does not quite have the gravitas on the finish. It is more masculine and almost Saint-Julien like in its personality. Fine. Tasted March 2011.
Reviewed by: Neal Martin
At the IMW 2001 tasting in November 2005. This is a very classy wine that is head and shoulders above the Margaux wines tasted so far. A very pure, intense black cherry nose with that slight savory note still detected. A super-smooth entry on the palate, with seamless new oak and ebullient sweet cassis and blackberry. The balance is just delectable and there is an impressive length. Very tannic, this is a long-term Palmer.
Reviewed by: Neal Martin
A seductive, perfumed, floral nose is followed by a beautiful palate that is akin to a flower waiting to unfurl. Medium-bodied, harmonious and unassuming you might describe this as a little straight-laced. Eschewing flamboyance, it is a bodice of blackberry leaf and blueberry, pencil-lead and raspberry. Cedar comes forth on the finish that has a delightful grainy character. Not a powerful wine, but very focused and great potential. Tasted October 2006. Drinking 2012-2030
Reviewed by: Robert M. Parker, Jr.
The 2001 reveals less power and muscle than the 2000, and possibly less charm than the 1999. This blend of 51% Cabernet Sauvignon, 44% Merlot, and 5% Petit Verdot exhibits a dense ruby/purple color as well as a stylish nose of flowers, black fruits, and new oak. It offers a sweet attack, medium body, moderate tannin, and a crisp finish. Surprisingly, the acidity is lower in the 2001 than in the 2000. Fifty percent of the crop made it into the final blend. Yields were 44 hectoliters per hectare. Anticipated maturity: 2006-2015.
Reviewed by: Robert M. Parker, Jr.
A virile, muscular effort for this estate, the 2001 Palmer (a blend of 51% Cabernet Sauvignon, 44% Merlot, and 5% Petit Verdot) exhibits a saturated purple color to the rim. Although closed and backward, it is surprisingly powerful, layered, and formidably endowed, revealing hints of charcoal, black fruits, earth, and underbrush. There is a lot going on in this offering, but it needs 5-7 years of cellaring to resolve its high tannin. Anticipated maturity: 2010-2022.
Reviewed by: Neal Martin
The 2001 Palmer is a vintage that I have tasted several times, though Thomas Duroux lamented that he has very few bottles left at the property. The lovely bouquet of red berry fruit, dark chocolate, star anise and light iodine aromas gently unfolds from the glass, displaying a little more complexity than the 2001 Château Margaux that I tasted the same day. The palate is medium-bodied with a granular opening and a little ferrous in style, secondary notes percolating through the carapace of primary fruit. Tea leaves, allspice and black pepper define what feels like quite a robust finish, lacking the elegance that Palmer exhibits nowadays. Still, this is an excellent 2001 that probably deserves another 2–3 years in the cellar.
About the Producer
The fine seaside climate and soils of Long Island’s North Fork provide exceptional conditions for the making of world-class varietal wines. With 110 acres planted with Merlot, Chardonnay, Pinot Blanc, Sauvignon Blanc, Gewurztraminer, Cabernet Sauvignon, and Cabernet Franc to supply the winery’s 20,000 annual case production, Palmer strives to preserve and enhance the purity of flavor and distinctive, fresh character which makes this region’s wines so unique. The state- of-the art winery contains the most modern winemaking equipment available today, and also includes substantial new French oak cooperage, purchased each year, for both barrel fermentation of our Chardonnay and the aging of our premium red varietals.
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Package Size
12 x 75cl
