Wine Advisor
Palmer, Alter Ego de Palmer 2010
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Description
Tasting notes
Reviewed by: James Suckling
Floral and blackberry and currant. Full to medium body. Round and velvety with chocolate and nuts. A firm and structured Alter Ego.
Reviewed by: James Suckling
Aromas of orange peel, walnuts and berries follow through to a full body, with a luscious tannins and fruit structure. Long and delicious. The second wine of Palmer. Try in 2017.
Reviewed by: Neal Martin
Tasted blind at the Southwold Bordeaux 2010 tasting. The Alter Ego de Palmer has a very floral bouquet, much more Margaux in character than its peers, with fine definition and mineralite. The palate is medium-bodied with succulent ripe tannins. Chewy in the mouth, towards the finish is feels a little over-thought, though hopefully it will develop more tension and delineation with time. Tasted January 2014.
Reviewed by: Robert M. Parker, Jr.
For many of the classified growths in the Medoc, the quality of the second wines has soared over the last 5-6 years, and Alter Ego is no exception. The 2010 Alter Ego is the richest ever made. Relatively high in alcohol, this is a blend of 51% Cabernet Sauvignon and 49% Merlot. Thick and juicy, its black fruits intermixed with acacia flowers, camphor, and subtle smoky notes are followed by a plump, corpulent style of wine with loads of fruit, glycerin and texture. Drink it over the next 15 or so years.
Reviewed by: Neal Martin
Delivering 3.55pH with 14.4 % alcohol, a blend of 51% Cabernet Sauvignon and 49% Merlot, this has a very tightly wound bouquet with dark cherries, cassis and a touch of liquorice. There is a very fine sense of definition at the moment. The palate is medium-bodied with sturdy, firm tannins, layers of mocha-tinged dark berried fruit leading to a structured, quite spicy finish with gentle but insistent grip. Tasted March 2011.
Reviewed by: Neal Martin
Tasted at the chateau. The Alter Ego 2010 has a well-defined, quite exuberant bouquet of dark cherries, boysenberry and cassis that blossom in the glass. There is just a hint of fresh dates emerging with aeration. The palate is medium-bodied with an edgy, liquorice-tinged entry. It has a grainy texture, good depth, though needs just a little more refinement towards the finish. Tasted November 2012.
Reviewed by: Robert M. Parker, Jr.
An equal-part blend of Merlot and Cabernet Sauvignon, the 2010 Alter Ego represents 50% of the crop at Palmer. It has been an interesting second wine to take note of ever since the first vintage in 1998. The 2010 displays loads of chocolaty espresso notes, with plenty of punch, glycerin and unctuosity as well as some tannin like its bigger sister, but it is clearly meant to be drinkable at a much earlier age. It will still require several years of cellaring and should last 12-15 years. There’s no question that Thomas Duroux and the staff at Palmer are producing wines of first-growth quality, and have been for nearly a decade.
Reviewed by: Lisa Perrotti-Brown
Deep garnet in color, the 2010 Alter Ego de Palmer rolls out of the glass with crème de cassis, stewed plums and mocha scents followed by fried herbs, tilled soil and cedar chest. Full-bodied, the palate has a solid structure of chewy tannins and plenty of freshness, finishing just a tad firm.
Reviewed by: Ian d'Agata
(a 51/49 blend of cabernet sauvignon and merlot; 82 IPT; 13.9% alcohol) Deep ruby-red. Musky aromas of blackberry, gunflint and black pepper, plus a whiff of dried herbs. Bright and linear on the palate, with lively acidity framing the flavors of dark fruits, black pepper and minerals. Finishes with smooth tannins and good length. This rather firm-edged Alter Ego is a different wine than usual, more rigorous and less fruity than the softer, suppler versions of recent years. In fact, in this vintage it resembles Palmer more than Alter Ego.
Reviewed by: Stephen Tanzer
Bright ruby-red. The nose offers a mix of decadent plum, green pepper and fresh herbs. On the palate, dark cherry and spice flavors are lifted by peppery herbs and flowers and framed by solid acidity. The finish is a tad diffuse and dry. There's an overripe/underripe quality to this second wine: I wanted a bit more fruit.
About the Producer
The fine seaside climate and soils of Long Island’s North Fork provide exceptional conditions for the making of world-class varietal wines. With 110 acres planted with Merlot, Chardonnay, Pinot Blanc, Sauvignon Blanc, Gewurztraminer, Cabernet Sauvignon, and Cabernet Franc to supply the winery’s 20,000 annual case production, Palmer strives to preserve and enhance the purity of flavor and distinctive, fresh character which makes this region’s wines so unique. The state- of-the art winery contains the most modern winemaking equipment available today, and also includes substantial new French oak cooperage, purchased each year, for both barrel fermentation of our Chardonnay and the aging of our premium red varietals.
