Nose
This blend ... boasts complex notes of menthol, black currants, plums, licorice, and a hint of cappuccino in its stunning aromatics.
Palate
The wine is quite powerful and fruity, tremendously fresh, and displays beautiful balance between acidity, alcohol, and tannin.
Growing Conditions
Precocious. In 2002, extraordinarily dry weather led to earlier than usual bud break and grape ripening. After a gloomy summer, the last three weeks of September helped the grapes reach peak form for an extremely promising vintage.
After a dry mild winter, bud break occurred in late March. The weather at the end of May was rainy and chilly (less than 15° C / 59°F) at Château Palmer during flowering, which caused millerandage (abnormal fruit set) and coulure (shot berries). Only Petit Verdot, a late-ripening variety, was spared. Véraison (colour change marking the beginning of the fruit ripening stage), began very early as well as relatively slowly. Things speeded up, however, thanks to the beautiful weather that set in on August 11. The rain in the month of August had little effect on the grapes due to the accumulated water stress affecting the vines for the first 6 months of the year. Vine nourishment and growth came to a halt as the plant’s vigour was directed towards ripening the grapes, which became quite concentrated. September was very sunny with a dry wind and cool nights. Spared by a violent hail storm and strong rains that struck on 20th September (just 5 mm of precipitation at Château Palmer), the grapes were picked at peak ripeness, with excellent sugar and a greater concentration of phenolic compounds than any recent vintage. The vintage took place under bright skies without a drop of rain.
Winemaking
In light of the high sugar levels and ease with which excellent colour and tannins were able to be extracted from the skins, fermentation took place at low temperatures with moderate pumping over and fairly short maceration.
