Château Palmer
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Château Palmer is a winery in the Margaux appellation of the Bordeaux region of France. The wine produced here was classified as one of fourteen Troisièmes Crus (Third Growths) in the historic Bordeaux Wine Official Classification of 1855.[1] the property is situated in the communes Margaux and Cantenac, and its wine is considered to be one of the two most popular Third Growths.
The Château also produces a second wine, Alter Ego de Palmer, previously named Réserve de General.
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[edit] History
Once a part of the ancient estate Château d'Issan divided by the heirs of the Foix-Candale family in 1748, 50 hectares of vineyards came to the Gascq family. Though without association to any noble château , the wine produced became Château de Gascq, quickly established in the market and served at the court of Versailles under Louis XV.[2][3][4]
By 1814 the widow of the final Gascq heir, Madame Marie Bumet de Ferrière sold the property for fr 100,000 to an Englishman, General Charles Palmer. Having retired from military life, Palmer invested in the property over the following years, acquiring additional land and facilities. By 1831 the domain extended 163 hectares with 82 hectares under vine, buildings in Issan, Cantenac and Margaux, and had a reputation on a par with Château Margaux and Château Beychevelle.[2][4] In the early 1840s, Palmer had economic difficulties which would later affect the estate's position in the 1855 Classification, and was forced to sell the property to madame Françoise-Marie Bergerac in 1843 for fr 410,000, at a substantial loss.[2]
From 1844, during the arrival of oidium to Bordeaux, Château Palmer was managed by a agricultural mortgage corporation, Caisse Hypothécaire de Paris, until it was sold in 1853 to the brothers Isaac and Emile Péreire, bankers and rivals of the Rothschilds. The Péreires widely improved the estate but faced a difficult period of oidium, and by 1858 the entire vineyard had to be replanted.[2] the architect Burguet was commissioned to build the present château constructed 1857-1860, and by 1870 the estate extended 177 hectares, with 109 hectares under vine.[4] The Société Civile Péreire was formed in 1889, remaining proprietors until the poor economy following World War I and The Great Depression. Having sold off land during the preceding years, the final sale of the remaining estate took place in 1938.
A syndicate of the Sichel, Ginestet, Mialhe and Mähler-Besse families, forming the Société Civile de Chateau Palmer took control, the Sichel and Mähler-Besse families remaining major shareholders to date.[2][4] Before World War II, Château Palmer's owners bought Château Desmirail, another Third Classified Growth, and uniquely in 1963 Palmer wines were sold under the Desmirail name.[3]
Since 2004, Palmer is managed by Thomas Duroux, formerly a winemaker of Tenuta dell'Ornellaia.[4]
[edit] Production
The vineyard area extends 52 hectares with the grape varieties of 47% Cabernet Sauvignon, 47% Merlot and 6% Petit Verdot.[4]
The annual production of the Grand vin Château Palmer is 11,000-12,000 cases, and of the second wine Alter Ego de Palmer there is annually produced 7,000-8,000 cases.[5]
[edit] Cultural references
Its 1999 vintage was named the 2nd apostle in the Japanese wine comic Les Gouttes de Dieu.
[edit] References
- ^ Karen MacNeil, The Wine Bible, Workman Publishing. 2001 p.885, ISBN 1-56305-434-5
- ^ a b c d e Peppercorn, David (2003). Bordeaux. London: Mitchell Beazley, p.92-95. ISBN 1-84000-927-6.
- ^ a b Lichine, Alexis (1967). Alexis Lichine's Encyclopedia of Wines and Spirits. London: Cassell & Company Ltd., p.395.
- ^ a b c d e f Kissack, Chris, thewinedoctor.com. Chateau Palmer.
- ^ Indianwineacademy.com Wines of Château Palmer: Bernard de Laage de Meux interview
[edit] External links
- Château Palmer official site (French) (English) (German)
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