Palmer 1978 (750ML)

19 JR / 92 VM

This fully mature wine was absolutely glorious. Served blind alongside Hermitage La Chapelle from the same vintage, it was rounder and much more luscious. Tannins had completely disappeared, leaving wonderfully sweet, round, fully mature fruit and just the slightest suggestion of something charred on the finish. Excellent freshness as well as all that Merlot, presumably saved by the fine September. Michael Broadbent, in his Vintage Wine, calls this 'A lovely wine and a very good 1978’. Tasted December 2022. - Jancis Robinson

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. -- Neal Martin, Vinous Media