The 2002 Château Palmer, with a blend of 52% Cabernet Sauvignon, 40% Merlot, and 8% Petit Verdot, is a powerful wine with complex notes of menthol, black currants, plums, and a hint of cappuccino. Rated 94 by The Wine Advocate, it’s dense, full-bodied, and tannic, requiring significant aging until at least 2012-2028. Despite some critiques of its angular finish, the wine's structure and length show its potential for long-term aging. The vintage benefits from the dry, sunny conditions in September, producing concentrated and high-quality grapes.

The Wine Advocate | RP 94
Published: Apr 29, 2005
Drink: 2012-2028

A successful wine for the vintage, this blend of 52% Cabernet Sauvignon, 40% Merlot, and 8% Petit Verdot boasts complex notes of menthol, black currants, plums, licorice, and a hint of cappuccino in its stunning aromatics. Dense, medium to full-bodied, with high levels of tannin in a big, full-bodied style (much in the spirit of such classic Bordeaux vintages as 1966, 1986, and 1996), this wine possesses superb purity and serious length, but should be purchased only by those with considerable patience and a good, cold cellar, since it will need plenty of time. Anticipated maturity: 2012-2028. 

Jancis Robinson | JR 16
Published: Mar 28, 2012
Drink: 2014-2020

Bright healthy crimson. Not much nose. Definitely solid. Not much sign of Margaux grace here. Was the extraction too enthusiastic? Rather drying finish. Not light but very angular and chewy. 

Chateau-palmer.com

Château Palmer has always transcended fashions and trends to instead tap into a single voice: its terroir. The finesse and elegance of its Margaux roots, the softness and sophistication of its texture, the nobility of leather and the gentle caress of velvet. An almost identical blend of Cabernet Sauvignon and Merlot, rounded off with a touch of Petit Verdot, forge the Palmer style. The aromas offer an immersion in a bouquet of flowers, fruit, and spices, enveloped in a fleshy, generous structure.

2002 blend: Merlot 40%  Cabernet sauvignon 52% Petit verdot 8%

Harvest: From 26th september to 7th october 2002

In the extraordinarily dry climate of 2002, the cycle of vine growth and fruit ripening began earlier than usual. After a gloomy summer, the last three weeks of September brought magnificent weather for the grapes. This vintage promises to be a rich one.

After a mild, dry winter, budding took place in late March. Flowering began in late May during a cool, rainy period, causing heavy coulure and millerandage. Only the Petit Verdot was spared thanks to its late growth. The grapes started to ripen very early, and slowly at first before accelerating with the return of warm weather on August 11. Rainfall in August had little effect on ripening due to the significant previous water shortage. Feeding and growth stopped early, much to the benefit of the ripening grapes, which became highly concentrated.  

September was very sunny with dry winds and cool nights. After surviving the violent hailstorm and heavy rain that hit on September 20, the crop reached full ripeness with very high sugar levels and a phenolic compound content higher than any previous year. The harvest took place under the sun without a drop of rain. Given the very high number of Growth Degree Days and the excellent extractability of both color and tannins, the vinification was carried out at low temperatures, with moderate pumping-over and relatively short maceration time.

Both powerful and fruity, the wine is underpinned by a remarkable freshness and bolstered by a firm balance of acidity, alcohol content, and tannins. Bottle ageing has only accentuated this characteristic.