Wine Advisor
Palmer, Alter Ego de Palmer 2017
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Description
Tasting notes
Reviewed by: James Suckling
This shows excellent body and depth of fruit. Rich and very deep. Layered and flavorful. Solid and chewy. Serious second wine.
Reviewed by: James Suckling
This is a delicious and savory wine with beautiful, ripe and creamy tannins, as well as chocolate and plum character. Full body. The flavors turn to wet earth and mushrooms with some leather. A blend of 53% merlot, 41% cabernet sauvignon and 6% petit verdot. Lovely finish. Try after 2021.
Reviewed by: Lisa Perrotti-Brown
Composed of 53% Merlot, 41% Cabernet Sauvignon and 6% Petit Verdot, the 2017 Alter Ego de Palmer is deep garnet-purple in color and springs from the glass with vivacious black raspberries, black cherries and crushed blackcurrants notes plus hints of Sichuan pepper, menthol, pencil lead and cardamom. Medium-bodied, the palate is charged with energy, featuring expressive, bright black fruits and firm, fine-grained tannins, finishing long and lively.
Reviewed by: Lisa Perrotti-Brown
A blend of 53% Merlot, 41% Cabernet Sauvignon and 6% Petit Verdot, the 2017 Alter Ego de Palmer is very deep purple-black in color and gives up exuberant crushed red currants, red cherries, black plums and mulberries with touches of forest floor, garrigue and lavender plus a waft of dark chocolate. The palate is medium-bodied with a good core of plummy fruit and very soft, plush tannins, sparked by just enough freshness, finishing fruity.
Reviewed by: Antonio Galloni
The 2017 Alter Ego is pliant, textured and supple. Expressive floral notes add inner perfume and freshness to a core of dark red berry fruit, mocha, new leather, spice and menthol. A wine of striking textural richness, Alter Ago also remains light on its feet and wonderfully nuanced. The 13% alcohol, low by present-day standards, adds to a feeling of freshness.
Reviewed by: Antonio Galloni
The 2017 Alter Ego is wonderfully lifted and floral, with a persistent red berry character that carries through to the finish effortlessly. The 2017 is a very pretty Alter Ego that will drink well with minimal cellaring. There is so much to like here. The blend is 53% Merlot, 41% Cabernet Sauvignon and 6% Petit Verdot. Technical Director Thomas Duroux told me his team harvested all the fruit in nine days as opposed to the more typical 2-3 weeks. The 2017s were done with no SO2 at crush. Duroux stopped the pumpovers early and favored gentle extractions. Both wines are in the 13-13.2% range of finished alcohol.
Reviewed by: Neal Martin
The 2017 Alter Ego was bottled a little later than others at the end of August 2019. Deep garnet in colour, it has a refined bouquet with blackberry, cedar, crushed violets, hints of orange pith and incense, all very well defined but understated. The palate is medium-bodied with a lightly spiced entry. Fine tannins, a little compact being so close to bottling, yet it displays the tension and focus that I observed out of barrel with an attractive marine influence on the aftertaste.
Reviewed by: Neal Martin
The 2017 Alter Ego is matured in 25% new oak. It has quite a rich, dark chocolate-tinged bouquet that is driven by the Merlot, almost Right Bank in style. It just lacks the same detail and clarity as the Grand Vin. The palate is medium-bodied with light tannin, nicely balanced, certainly one of the more approachable Alter Ego in recent years with a touch of spice and clove towards the finish.
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.
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