
Ruby in color with a reddish rim.
Nice nose of fresh red fruits.
Medium plus in body with medium acidity.
Dry on the palate with cherries, plums, light oak, chocolates, licorice, coffee, spices, tobacco leaf, light earth and herbs.
Long finish with round tannins and tangy cherries.
This is a delicious Grenache from Châteauneuf-du-Pape. Elegant and nicely balanced.
The 2022 vintage was excellent, and it shows. Already drinking beautifully. Very approachable, complex and rich.
The high alcohol is already well integrated. Easy drinking right out of the bottle, and better with airtime.
Still young, and needs 5 years in the bottle to mature properly. Will continue to age nicely in the next 10 to 15 years. Has good potential to become a 94+ point wine.
Very tasty by itself as a sipping wine or with food.
A blend of 98% Grenache with a touch of Cinsault and Clairette. Grapes from 70 year old vines were aged in large French oak barrels for 15 months. A small production of less than 8,000 bottles.
15.5% alcohol by volume.
92 points.
$80. — a month ago
Beautiful medium dark rubi robe, reticent nose of blackcurrant, asphalt, tobacco and black cherries notes. It has density and quality of fruit, but ends on a dry port register. A faulted bottle ? In any case not worth the price and disappointing. — 21 days ago
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. — 2 months ago
Dark ruby color with slightly garnet rim. On the nose plum with old wood notes and cigar. Medium acidity. Taste of muted fruits, dark chocolate, coffee. — 8 days ago
Deep ruby opaque, full body, blackberries and blueberries, herbs, jammy and mature — a month ago
Doug Powers
This CdP seems a bit more angry and wild from being opened, a touch more structure than the softer 2000 Bosquet des Papes (2001 was a more tannic vintage), solid balance, also mature, 13.5% ABV, longish finish. — 7 days ago