2001: Initially lots of tar on the nose and palate, but that blew off/faded after a few moments. What a beautiful wine. Deep red in colour (none of the neonic purple) with a small measure of bricking. Once settled after opening the nose was really pretty: dark berries, plums, licorice, spice, some floral notes. But the palate is where this wine lives. Beautifully balanced between acids, tannins, and alcohol. Nice grip on the back end, neither hot nor bright. Acids and alcohol are in check with the tannins. Nice silky mouth feel, buy not gooey or syrupy. Retaining that lightness in the mouth -- Bdx is the butter in a wine world filled with oleo! On the palate: black fruits, forest floor, tobacco, cedar, truffle, a measure of violets and a touch of the powder of cocoa. Ya the oak is in there, but it's nicely integrated, not burying it. This is drinking nicely right now, but is in no hurry. Hey, only 12.5%! Sorry Jeff!
2004: More tannic and tighter than the 01. Still, you can tell it's a very good wine. A beauty of a nose. En bouche, it's better the next day, more open. Dark berries, cedar, graphite, earth, something like white lilies, musk, chinese all-spice. This is also very nice but needs more time.
Both of these are gorgeous wines, but I'd leave the 04 for a few years yet. Go for the 01 if you've got them and you're desperate for a bottle of Palmer, but they're no where near their end, of course. Both are rich wines without being gooey or alcoholic or too tannic. In other words, these are nicely balanced, sophisticated wines. Palmer, of course!
The seal of approval of wine gods everywhere.
