Our Wines & Spirits

Neal Martin: Tasted at the Chateau Palmer vertical in London, twobottles of 1961 Chateau Palmer were opened and compared. The firstwas a great bottle of wine, beautifully balanced and complex, andyet not quite living up to its status as one of the legendarybottles of the 20th century. That said, I still scored it aroundthe 96 or 97 point mark. The second lived up to the billing. Comingfrom the late great John Avery's cellar, that is to say, purchasedon release and never moved, the first difference is the slightlydeeper color compared to the first bottle. The bouquet is difficultto capture in words. Heavenly, ethereal, moving and profound - theyare all applicable here. It is still a wine in its prime, with darkberry fruit, hints of graphite and mineral, a touch of wiltedviolet petals. Its ineffable purity knocks you sideways. The palateis defined by its filigree framework of tannin - precise andlace-like, lending it the texture of a mature Richebourg. Yet it isunmistakably Margaux because there is stunning structure on thefinish, astounding precision and a never-ending aftertaste that isborderline supernatural. This bottle reminds me of the first time Itasted the 1961 Palmer several years ago when I gave a perfectscore without hesitation. This is exactly the same: a perfect wineand a bona fide legend. Tasted May 2015.