Palmer, Reconditioned

The 1978 Palmer is a vintage that I have encountered several times, one of the best of that decade. Still youthful in colour considering it is now forty years old, the bouquet is winsome with dusky black fruit, black truffle, smoke and iris. As I remarked in previous notes, this is unashamedly old school. The palate is medium-bodied, fresh and vibrant with fine tannin. There is that spicy vein on the entry, here just a hint of blood orange and a slightly ferrous, cedar-driven finish. It is just a very well made mature Margaux that will not improve with bottle age, but neither is it duty bound to do so. A lovely wine. Tasted blind at Domaine de Chevalier.