Alter Ego de Palmer 2023

Wafting from the glass with pure aromas of cherries, berries, plums and potpourri, the 2023 Alter Ego de Palmer is medium to full-bodied, bright and vibrant, with a vigorous core of fruit framed by supple tannins. It's a blend of 53% Cabernet Sauvignon, 43% Merlot and 4% Petit Verdot.

The 2023 Alter Ego represents one-third of the crop, coming exclusively from gravel soil and picked at 32hL/ha. It displays a very deep purple hue. The bouquet is notably opulent, with the Merlot very expressive and shaping the aromatics at the moment. Hints of cassis and violets lurk beneath, perhaps needing a little more delineation. The palate is actually cut from a slightly different cloth, more restrained and a touch spicier than expected. Graphite and tobacco emerge toward the finish, as if the reins have been passed over to the Cabernet component. This will be fascinating to revisit in bottle—I would just like to see more aromatic composure.

This is dense and velvety with a creamy texture. Blackberry, blueberry and stone aromas and flavors. Layered. Very primary and focused. 53% cabernet sauvignon, 43% merlot and 4% petit verdot.

Opaque purple-black in color, the 2023 Alter Ego strides confidently out of the glass with bold notions of crunchy black plums and redcurrant jelly plus suggestions of bay leaves, graphite, and mossy tree bark. The medium-bodied palate is bright and shiny, with vibrant black and red berry flavors and a racy backbone textured by grainy tannins, finishing with a cheeky herbal lift. The blend is 53% Cabernet Sauvignon, 43% Merlot, and 4% Petit Verdot.