BEHIND THE SCENES
At Château Palmer, as in the theatre, the real story often lies in what happens backstage.
The genius of the marc
At Château Palmer, with the harvest comes the distillation. In 2018, skins, stems and seeds from the presses of the Merlot and the Cabernet Sauvignon grape varieties were introduced into the still for a conclusive first round of heating.
At Château Palmer, with the harvest comes the distillation. In 2018, skins, stems and seeds from the presses of the Merlot and the Cabernet Sauvignon grape varieties were introduced into the still for a conclusive first round of heating. A year later, it is from the marc of the Muscadelle, an acidulous grape variety used in the assembly of the Vin Blanc de Palmer, that sparks began to fly: an eau-de-vie of an infinitely aromatic finesse, a floral blaze in a citrus and apricot orchard, produced in Venice by the master distiller Vittorio "Gianni" Capovilla. The flame of circular innovation, at the heart of Palmer ...
Strength in Years
In the vine parcels, time is at work…Wine improves as the years pass. So does the vine. Little by little, its roots grow deeper, and in doing so, reach nutrients beneficial for its proper development.
In the vine parcels, time is at work…
Wine improves as the years pass. So does the vine. Little by little, its roots grow deeper, and in doing so, reach nutrients beneficial for its proper development. Throughout this quest for longevity, Château Palmer is there. With delicacy. Its sheep maintain the soil and enrich it. Its teams banish agrochemicals and practice grafting using gentle methods. All with a single goal at heart: the perpetuation of an ecosystem, a great terroir, and a heritage of plant life that is half a century old on average. A rarity. Like the "Tennis" plot, whose Merlot vines have been overlooking the Garonne since 1938. A living treasure to be cherished.
Good Vibrations
A peculiar melody is floating through the grapevine… At Château Palmer, a striking new “music box” has been set in motion.
A peculiar melody is floating through the grapevine… At Château Palmer, a striking new “music box” has been set in motion. This time there aren’t any blue notes in the mix – though jazz will be in the air again soon enough. Put in place recently under the spring sun, in the middle of the Merlot parcels facing the château, this instrument emits a set of carefully calibrated vibration waves. At dawn and then again at dusk, while the birds are singing, they have the remarkable effect of stimulating the flowering of the vine. When the music plays, the buds bloom...
The Alchemy of Wine
In the winery, the apple makes milk… “The transformation of ordinary reality into a miraculous, poetic fiction.” Such is the definition of alchemy in literature.
In the winery, the apple makes milk…
“The transformation of ordinary reality into a miraculous, poetic fiction.” Such is the definition of alchemy in literature. And what if it applied to viticulture? In the Château Palmer winery, after harvest, sorting and pressing is done, the juice, skins and pips begin their fermentations. Plural, because for the fruit of the vine, the fermentation process is twofold: first it’s alcoholic fermentation, when the natural sugars become alcohol; then comes malolactic fermentation, when the malic acid is converted into lactic acid. This essentially deacidifies the wine, and it’s all completely natural, or nearly so… A human hand simply encourages the process, by placing the barrels in a stable atmosphere at 21°C and plugging them with special glass stoppers which allow the gas produced to escape. And thus the malum is transformed into lactis – the “apple” becomes “milk”. A lovely bit of wordplay, which describes a small miracle indeed.
Choukry’s plot
Behind the name of this plot stands a pretty story… Starting point: 1979. Abdeslem Choukry starts working at Château Palmer. The winegrower of Moroccan origin is paid...
Behind the name of this plot stands a pretty story… Starting point: 1979. Abdeslem Choukry starts working at Château Palmer. The winegrower of Moroccan origin is paid under the task-work system. He trims the vines, picks the grapes during harvest and fills-up his wooden buckets on the horse-drawn cart. Finally, he crushes the berries with his feet… Those were different times ! The worker recalls that « life was full of joy ». Retired since 2007, he lives next to the property’s sheepfold. There is no doubt that he still looks after the plot of Petit Verdot, named after him by Thomas Duroux upon his arrival. Beyond the wordplay and the kind gesture, this is a charming way of acknowledging Mr Choukry. Choukran.
PALMER BLUE
