Alter Ego de Palmer Margaux 2017

92/100 - 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. - Lisa Perrotti-Brown, The Wine Advocate

93/100 - I love the bright perky fruit that we have here. They had to be careful with extraction to retain this delicacy but have been successful with it. Not enormously concentrated, at least compared to the first wine, but it has lovely classicism, with fresh fruit and some gourmet swirls of cinnamon and chocolate, 3.75pH, 25% new oak. Had some bigger sized oak casks also, testing for the first time on just 60hl. A yield of 38hl/ha because the Alter Ego plots frosted more than Palmer (final count 55% Palmer, 45% Alter Ego). - Jane Anson, Decanter