This is a rare and precious vintage, as it simultaneously embodies a bicentenary and a revolution. In 1814, Major General Charles Palmer lent his name to the estate, promising to bring the very best out of this magnificent terroir by producing exceptional wines. Some 200 years later, while remaining true to both its name and its history, Château Palmer has snubbed convention and masterfully achieved a complete conversion to organic and biodynamic farming methods. In 2014, biodynamic viticulture was no longer a mere intuition or a promise, but a decisive success spelling great things for the decade to come.

“After 2013, we felt ready to take our responsibilities in hand and roll out exclusively biodynamic farming across the entire estate”
‍Thomas Duroux — Director of Château Palmer

In fact, the ordeal of the previous vintage, which was defined by dreadful weather and Merlot vines besieged by botrytis, helped to hone the teams’ know-how. In the wake of 2013, everyone knew that it was possible to compensate for the lack of sunshine by taking extra care of the soil and through meticulous blending. The 2014 vintage also benefited from an Indian summer and a technique that was still being perfected at the time: For the first time in the estate’s modern history, we did not sulphite the harvest. Delaying the addition of sulphur meant that the vats could be tasted with more precision, the extraction of tannins was better understood and, ultimately, the wines produced were a more faithful expression of their terroir.

“In 2014, the ecosystem was moving towards a state of harmony and we could take the next decisive step in our vision for the estate”
Sabrina Pernet — Technical Director of Château Palmer

The winter was mild with plenty of rainfall, helping the estate’s soil to replenish its water reserves. There were few days of frost, which encouraged the vines to bud early. Spring, on the other hand, delayed its flourish and flowering finally began at the end of May in a damp climate. From July onwards, the weather was unstable and the summer took a stormy turn. The vines put their energy into their foliage – to the detriment of the grapes. August was one of the coolest since 2000, with little temperature variation. Veraison was sluggish as a result and the grapes grew too big. The winegrowers feared the worst – a rerun of 2013.

Fortunately, a fantastic autumn saved the day. Between September and the first half of October, exceptionally hot and dry conditions gradually shifted the vintage’s profile and quality. From 27 August onwards, the sun reappeared and settled into the Margaux sky. This late (but timely) Indian summer lasted until the end of October. Temperatures soared, the dry weather reduced the size of the grapes and drove the development of sugars, anthocyanins and tannins. It was an autumn of high temperatures in every sense.

“We had made a commitment, putting our trust in biodiversity and the vines’ natural resilience”
Sabrina Pernet — Technical Director of Château Palmer

The harvest began on 22 September, and ended under glorious sunshine on 14 October. The ideal weather allowed the grapes to be picked at perfect ripeness, with no botrytis pressure. Meanwhile, innovation was the watchword in the vat room. The Château Palmer teams decided that the harvest was healthy enough to dispense with added sulphur, drawing on the results of experiments launched two years before. The idea was to enable the grapes to express their full complexity immediately.

During the blending, everything was weighed and handled gently and meticulously to preserve the beautiful, velvety texture of the grapes’ juices. A silky, deeply coloured vintage began to take shape. At this stage, the wines already reflected the impressive diversity of the estate’s plots. What’s more the biodynamic approach confirmed its potential right from the first tastings. A veil had lifted. There was now one question on everyone’s lips: What if biodynamics could bring us closer to our terroir?

“In the end, we found ourselves with an energetic, harmonious vintage whose fine aromatic palette has continued to grow over time”
Thomas Duroux — Director of Château Palmer

2014 is an energetic, silky vintage, with bold aromas and moreish notes of black fruit, spices, black pepper and prestige wood. The texture is refined, like a caress. The wine is more silky than velvety, and beautifully harmonious. While it may have been a little shy at the start, its ten years of rest seem to have imbued it with a new maturity, revealing subtleties otherwise undetectable in its younger years. Ten years old already – just ten years old – and so much still ahead!

“Château Palmer 2014 has taken to cellaring magnificently, exuding fruit and minerality, and continues to surprise us while confirming its exceptional character”
Thomas Duroux — Director of Château Palmer