Tasting Notes
JancisRobinson.com 16.5
Tasted blind. First bottle: TCA. Second bottle: Very dark crimson. Damp-fur nose and black-cherry palate. But it s not too hot on the end – just a little too ripe. Sinewy leathery tannins on the end.
Anticipated maturity: 2024-2038
Vinous 91
The 2016 Alter Ego, matured in around 35-40% new oak, has a forward, quite voluptuous bouquet of macerated red cherries, kirsch and hints of cassis, underneath which lies a fine graphite thread. The palate is medium-bodied with slightly chewy tannin on the entry. This feels quite tarry at the moment, and dense but tightly coiled toward the grippy finish. I would have liked a little more flesh to come through. Not bad, but this year I find the Palmer to be streets ahead. 13.5% alcohol.
Anticipated maturity: 2022-2035
Robert Parker 93
Blended of 48% Cabernet Sauvignon, 40% Merlot and 12% Petit Verdot, the deep garnet-purple colored 2016 Alter Ego de Palmer opens with beautifully expressive notes of black cherries, fresh blackberries and redcurrants plus suggestions of menthol, dark chocolate, cloves and underbrush. Medium to full-bodied with a rich mid-palate and stacks of exuberant black and red fruits, it has a velvety texture and fantastically long finish.
Anticipated maturity: 2021-2040
