Vieux Château Palon – 2021
Montagne-Saint-Émilion AOC – Right Bank, Bordeaux, France 🇫🇷
Overview
A distinctive Right Bank Bordeaux, this cuvée flips the classic Merlot-dominant Saint-Émilion script. Instead, it is crafted from 75% Cabernet Sauvignon and 25% Cabernet Franc, making it unusually bold, structured, and aromatically lifted for the appellation.
Aromas & Flavors
Blackcurrant, blackberry, and cassis dominate, with graphite, cedar, and tobacco leaf from the Cabernets. Subtle violet and peppery notes emerge from the Franc.
Mouthfeel
Firm tannins, medium-plus body, and a long, savory finish. More muscular and linear than many Montagne-Saint-Émilions, leaning toward Left Bank style but with Right Bank elegance.
Food Pairings
Grilled ribeye, lamb chops with rosemary, cassoulet, duck confit, aged Comté or Tomme de Savoie cheeses.
Verdict
An atypical but fascinating Montagne-Saint-Émilion that highlights Cabernet structure over Merlot plushness. For those who love Pauillac or Saint-Julien, this bottle is a bridge into the Right Bank world. Cheers!
Did You Know?
Montagne-Saint-Émilion is one of the four “satellite” appellations of Saint-Émilion, known for offering excellent value Bordeaux reds. Few estates here lean so heavily on Cabernet Sauvignon, which makes Palon stand out stylistically. — 7 months ago
Good value from Wegmans. Reminds me of some sort of rum, both in aroma and flavor. Very pleasant. — 6 years ago
Pale lemon color with aromas of ripe fruits, citrus, nutty and flinty scents, small harvest, aged in 10% new French oak. On the palate flavors of apple, peach and orange citrus, cinnamon notes, well balanced with acidity. Medium+ finish ending with nutty toasty spice, mineral, biscuit and citrus notes. Great now, will still age for next 5 years. — 2 months ago
The Hall Masterpiece is a tough act to follow, but at about 1/3 of the price, this cab from this little known producer holds up just fine.
Blackberry, cassis, incense, licorice, anise, and subtle forest floor on the nose. Full body and quite masculine, but there is still a generous feel on the mid palate. Supple tannins. — 4 years ago
Colour is very pale with just the lightest hint of coral pink. It’s off-dry with lots of ripe tropical fruits on the noise and palate - cantaloupe, peach, and a hint of floral. It’s a very interesting blend of grapes. — 4 months ago
Tasting older. Lots of earl grey tea, dried cherry, potpourri, some cedar, plums. — 7 months ago
The best jammy wine between 2 gums. Out of stock. Anyone know where I can find a case or 2? — 5 years ago
My second time with this producer after having the 2015 Les Frionnes a few weeks ago. I find the two to be quite different and definitely preferred the En Remilly.
Aromatically, it shows caramel dipped Granny Smith apple, melon, pineapple, honeysuckle and a kiss of oak. Where it really differs from the Les Frionnes is the profile on the palate...much more texture and richness here. Classical chalk and limestone alongside more melon, underripe white peach, and the very end of the finish has a note of granulated brown sugar which is really unique (and enjoyable). It’s all wrapped in a nicely dense but quite lifted profile. The warmer it gets, the more honeyed it gets. I thought this was best just a tad warmer than cellar temp, and feel this would be a good bridge to white burgundy for those who enjoy quality US chards. Thanks to @David T again for the intro to this producer! — 6 years ago
Jon Haupt
Probably about at the end of this 2009 unless you super carefully store it. But it's very interesting, Dark toffee, caramel, kind of Madeira type notes. — 2 months ago