Chateau Palmer Alter Ego de Palmer Margaux 2019 750ml

Château Palmer is a Third Growth in the 1855 classification, with 66 hectares in Cantenac-Margaux farmed biodynamically. It's owned by the Mähler-Besse and Sichel families, with Thomas Duroux as CEO since 2004. Alter Ego was introduced in 1998, and the estate presents it as Palmer's other self from the same terroir rather than a classic second wine.

The 2019 is about half Merlot, with around 40% Cabernet Sauvignon and 9% Petit Verdot. The estate stresses purity and aromatic clarity in an abundant vintage.

The estate describes Alter Ego as spontaneous, generous and silky, sharing Palmer's tannin grain. James Suckling finds intense blackcurrants, cedar and ripe tobacco with hints of violets, and Jeb Dunnuck says it "might be the richest, most concentrated second wine out here."

Against Chateau Lascombes 2010, Alter Ego is a younger, Merlot-led Margaux from a biodynamic Third Growth; for a bottle to lay down for the next decade, choose Alter Ego.

Decanter gives a window of 2027 to 2043, and Wine Advocate calls it more immediate than the grand vin. Serve it with lamb.

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