Bordeaux, France
Château Palmer
Margaux’s Legendary Third Growth
Est. 1814
About the Estate
Palmer is the Margaux estate that consistently outperforms its 1855 Third Growth classification, often trading at prices that match the First Growths. Major General Charles Palmer bought the estate in 1814 and built its reputation to rival the very best of the Médoc by the 1830s. The 1855 classification placed it as a Third Growth. After financial difficulties and a series of owners, a consortium of Bordeaux families (Sichel and Mahler-Besse) took ownership in 1938, and they have managed it ever since. What makes Palmer different is the unusually high Merlot proportion, roughly 47% of plantings, equal to Cabernet Sauvignon. This gives the wine its signature perfume and velvety texture. The estate launched a second label (Alter Ego) in 1998 and converted to 100% biodynamic farming in 2014.
Grape Varieties
Merlot, Cabernet Sauvignon, Petit Verdot
Heritage & Milestones
A journey through time, celebrating the moments that defined our legacy
Birth of Château Palmer
Major General Charles Palmer purchases the vineyards of Château de Gascq in 1814 and renames it Château Palmer after himself. He expands the estate three-fold over the next decades, establishing its high reputation in Margaux
Third Growth Ranking
In the 1855 Bordeaux Classification, Château Palmer is ranked as a Troisième Cru (Third Growth) of the Médoc, cementing its status among the top echelon of Bordeaux estates
New Ownership
A syndicate of four negociant families (including Sichel and Mahler-Besse) purchases Château Palmer in 1938. These families modernize the estate and eventually consolidate into the two family owners that still steward Palmer today
Alter Ego Debuts
Palmer introduces a new second label, Alter Ego de Palmer, with the 1998 vintage. Unlike a traditional second wine, Alter Ego is made from dedicated lots with different blend proportions, offering a rounder, earlier-drinking expression of the Palmer terroir
Birth of Château Palmer
Major General Charles Palmer purchases the vineyards of Château de Gascq in 1814 and renames it Château Palmer after himself. He expands the estate three-fold over the next decades, establishing its high reputation in Margaux
Third Growth Ranking
In the 1855 Bordeaux Classification, Château Palmer is ranked as a Troisième Cru (Third Growth) of the Médoc, cementing its status among the top echelon of Bordeaux estates
New Ownership
A syndicate of four negociant families (including Sichel and Mahler-Besse) purchases Château Palmer in 1938. These families modernize the estate and eventually consolidate into the two family owners that still steward Palmer today
Alter Ego Debuts
Palmer introduces a new second label, Alter Ego de Palmer, with the 1998 vintage. Unlike a traditional second wine, Alter Ego is made from dedicated lots with different blend proportions, offering a rounder, earlier-drinking expression of the Palmer terroir
Vineyard Location
Bordeaux, France
Terroir
66 hectares on Margaux's gravel plateau, spanning the communes of Margaux and Cantenac. The roughly equal Merlot-to-Cabernet-Sauvignon split (about 47% each, plus a touch of Petit Verdot) is unusual for the Left Bank and largely explains Palmer's character: more perfumed and velvety than its Margaux neighbours. Vinification happens in 42 custom concrete vats, parcel by parcel, and the wine ages in fine French oak.
Available Wines
Discover our curated selection from Château Palmer
