There is one estate in the Margaux appellation that alone can claim to approach the quality of the First Growths. "Third officially, second unofficially, and first in potential," assert the Sichel and Mälher-Besse families, owners of Château Palmer since 1938. One can only confirm that the status of this legendary estate is out of step with the 1855 classification and its rank as a Third Grand Cru Classé.

Château Palmer crafts an exceptional wine—delicate, subtle, and fragrant—where fruits, flowers, and spices mingle. The remarkably suave tannins translate this unique terroir, which is managed today using biodynamic practices. Palmer is the balance between aromatic richness and a structure of brilliant silkiness; it is a wine of incomparable charm.

General Palmer was a British officer who purchased an estate in the village of Margaux from the Gasq family in 1814. The General, a man of passion, sacrificed a great deal of time and money to the estate. He expanded the vineyard to reach 82 hectares by 1830. Due to financial reasons, he was forced to sell his property in 1843. His name and his dedication to excellence, however, would remain inherent to the Château.
In June 1853, two banker brothers and rivals of the Rothschilds, the Péreires, acquired the Château. They, too, were extraordinary figures, having grown wealthy through the reconstruction of France under Napoleon III. They are better known for the creation of the famous seaside resort of Arcachon.
Only two years later, the Château was classified as a Troisième Cru Classé, even though it was considered by many tasters to be on the level of the Premiers Crus Classés. The Péreires continued to embellish Château Palmer and reorganize the vineyard. The end of the 19th century and the beginning of the 20th were hardly kind to the Bordeaux vineyards, and the crisis of 1930 forced the bankers to sell the Château. It was taken over by four Bordeaux families, including the Mähler-Besses and the Sichels, who remain shareholders of the Château to this day.
After the tragedies of the Second World War, the 1950s saw the reconstruction of the vineyard. Thanks to the support of the Chardon family—a dynasty of estate managers present at Château Palmer since 1893—and the investment of the owners, Château Palmer made history by elevating certain vintages such as 1961, still rated 99 by Robert Parker, which constitutes a true legend in Margaux.
Today
In 2004, the shareholders entrusted the reins of Château Palmer to Thomas Duroux, an agricultural engineer and oenologist. At 34, he brought with him ten years of experience acquired around the world at the greatest estates (Tuscany, California, etc.). Always in search of the absolute, he innovates through tradition. Sandy gravel on the surface and clay at depth form this unique terroir, which is at the heart of the Palmer style. "What is fascinating is that, despite four hundred years of history, we haven't revealed everything yet; we are gradually unveiling new things."