'EDUCATING THE BEAST' - TASTING CHATEAU PALMER'S 2018

In January James spoke with the Chateau Palmer CEO Thomas Duroux about the 2018 vintage, and its metamorphosis from a highly concentrated wine when James first tasted the en primeur sample, into a fantastic wine. The 2018 was a challenge for Duroux as they could only retain 11% of the total crop due to mildew pressure. However the transformation in the wine was due to the two stages of elevage that Duroux and his team implemented: 10 months in barrel to strengthen the wine, followed by 10 more months 'en foudre' (a large wooden vat significantly bigger than typical oak barrels). "You're right, the wine was quite strange when we presented en primeur - it was like a beast that had to be educated," said Duroux. "Elevage was crucial to manage the power of this wine."Listen to their conversation for more details on how Duroux tamed and refined his 2018 wine, and read the tasting note below.Château Palmer Margaux 2018Read James' full report on the 2018 Bordeaux vintage here.