Château Palmer. A morning in the vineyard and winery with Alba, Head of Viticulture at Château Palmer, who, in addition to her deep knowledge and Iberian roots, was an open book with us and incredibly kind. We went with the international sommeliers from the Basque Culinary Center and had the honour of taking part in this true masterclass in viticulture and winemaking.
At Palmer, they know how to have fun! A Passito? A white wine? When nature allows it, they make a Passito white Merlot with 200/300g/L of residual sugar aprox. Their white wine comes from a field blend (3ha) of 4 grape varieties: white Merlot, Muscadelle + Sauvignon Gris (similar to Sauvignon Blanc), and Lauzet (adds acidity).
I don’t wanna make you jealous, but I tasted the ‘white Palmer’ in the past with the one and only Javier Zacagnini. Both of these wines are very limited and reserved for special events/clients/friends.
Château Palmer is 100% biodynamic. They officially turned biodynamic in 2014 (66ha), after experimenting with 1ha in 2008. The results of this experiment showed the wine was as good as before, and therefore, since it was better for the soil and for the workers, they decided to convert. They work biodynamically ‘without fanaticism’, more in the field than in the winery.
They have 2-3 cows on property, going up to 25, and 50 sheep that triple in winter. When flowering arrives, no more sheep on the field (they’d attack the tender part of the vine), so they are there aprox. from November to April.
In July, they have 120 people working in the vineyards! Labour availability is always tricky, but they work with associations, and some stay to work after the summer job.
Harvest finishes in 3 weeks (8kg baskets), normally the last 2 weeks of September and the first week of October. Then, they work the soil and plant cover crops until spring.
They now offer a new deluxe enotourism option: one day at Palmer with Michelin-starred chef, Jean-Denis Le Bras, sharing moments with the workers, and a private dining experience for 2 to 10 people. It just started and is already fully booked.
What else to say? Château Palmer is different! It is the most ‘Hayao Miyazaki’ château of Bordeaux. Full of magic and nuances, from the vineyards to the sensibility and textures in the glass. Palmer and Alter Ego are both out of this world. Thanks a lot Alba and Château Palmer for your time and wisdom.
