Alter Ego De Palmer 2020 (750ML)

96 JS / 94 VM / 94 DE / 94 JD / 94 WE / 93 WA / 93 JA / 93 FS / 17.5 JR

Gorgeous perfumes of plums, berries, light chocolate and walnut follow through to a medium body, fine tannins and crunchy finish. Bright and fresh. Precise tannins. Drinkable but better after 2027. - James Suckling

The 2020 Alter Ego is phenomenal. Bright acids and lifted floral top notes give the Alter Ego terrific brilliance. The combination of the growing season and a move towards foudres for the second year of élevage yields an Alter Ego that is decidedly linear in construction. The 2020 is going to need a number of years to come around. It's a gorgeous wine, but readers will have to get used to a style that is quite different from the more exuberant wines of the past. It's a very classic Alter Ego and very classic Margaux. -- Antonio Galloni, Vinous Media

Devilishly charming on the nose, deep and seductive, expressive and richly scented. Juicy and succulent but with a richness in terms of texture and depth. Seductive, defined and refined with a chalky, grip to the tannins. Feels rich and charming at the same time with blackcurrant, black cherry, blueberry, pomegranate and a touch of balsamic with an undercurrent of crushed stones and liquorice. A lovely second wine with clear ageing potential. - GH, Decanter

Palmer's second wine, the 2020 Alter Ego, is a beauty. Based on 56% Merlot, 40% Cabernet Sauvignon, and the rest Petit Verdot, this ripe, sexy Margaux offers up a dense purple hue, impressive notes of ripe black cherry and currant fruits, full-bodied richness, and a layered, sweetly fruited, textured, already impossible to resist style. Given its density, structure, and length, you would certainly be excused for mistaking this for the Grand Vin. Give bottles 2-4 years and enjoy over the following two decades. - Jeb Dunnuck

In this wine, the initial acidity gives way to richness and ripe tannins. With freshness and ripe acidity. the wine is balanced and has a great future. Drink from 2025. - RV, Wine Enthusiast

The 2020 Alter Ego de Palmer has turned out beautifully, bursting with aromas of violets and rose petals mingled with notions of sweet dark berries and baking chocolate. Medium to full-bodied, fleshy and seamless, it's vibrant and perfumed, with a bright core of fruit, powdery tannins and a long, expansive finish. It's a blend of 50% Cabernet Sauvignon, 46% Merlot and 4% Petit Verdot.--William kelley, The Wine Advocate

Layered cassis and blackberry fruit on the nose, a pretty serious Alter Ego as it was En Primeur, with a ton of crayon, grilled coffee beans and slate. Violet notes highlighted as it unfurls, and this has concentration and great ageing potential. 31hl/ha yield, 3.73ph, 35% new oak, with large sized oak casks for the second year, so a two-step ageing process (as has been true since 2017, with low SO2 additions). Harvest September 15 to 29. - Jane Anson, Inside Bordeaux

Dark, bright ruby garnet, purple reflections, subtle rim brightening. Ripe red cherries, wild berries, fresh orange zest, delicate floral nuances. Juicy, fresh, elegant and animating to drink, red berry texture, fine tannins, mineral-salty finish, pleasant cherry fruit on the finish, a lively food companion. - Peter Moser, Falstaff

Tasted blind. Black core with purplish rim. Fragrant with gorgeously pure black fruit and definite but not overdone oak. Firm, dry, elegant tannins allowing the fruit and fragrance to shine. Subtle in its power, persistent. (JH), Jancis Robinson .com