NV Palmer & Co Rose
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The NV Champagne Solera Rosé displays a bright, pale salmon color. This is by far the most chalky and structured of the wines, and it’s perhaps the most interesting from a gastronomic perspective, possibly my favorite wine in the range. It’s based on the 2021 vintage, with 50% reserve from 2020, 2018, 2016, and 2015, and it includes 7-9% reserve of red wine from the solera. Medium-bodied, it has a chiseled, chalky structure with pleasing salinity. It features fruitiness and delicate spices, with hints of mango, grapefruit pith, floral perfume, and raspberries. The mousse is characteristically charming and creamy, and it pairs well with many dishes. Drink from 2025-2040. 6.1 grams per liter dosage. Founded in 1947, Palmer & Co. are established wine growers, mainly in Premier and Grand Crus of the Montagne de Reims, producing around one million bottles annually, with 80% exported. While they also have some wines from the Côte de Blancs and other areas, they are considered specialists of northern Montagne de Reims. In the cellar, they primarily use stainless steel. They maintain three soleras: one for Chardonnay, nearly 40 years old from Trépail and Marmery, which is used for the liqueur in dosage; another for red wine aged 50 years; and a Pinot Noir solera for a special Blanc de Noirs blend. Barrels are used only for the soleras. They also have a winery dedicated to making their red wine, which ages in old barrels in the cellars for 7 months. They perform malolactic fermentation because of the grapes’ origin.
Critic scores
Tamlyn Currin, jancisrobinson.com
Jancis Robinson MW
More reviews and scores
A new cuvée from Palmer & Co is the NV Brut Rosé Solera, a lovely effort that includes some 8% Pinot Noir from a perpetual reserve. Pale in hue, it wafts from the glass with attractive and already complex aromas of fresh bread, red berries, spices, dried citrus peel and orange. On the palate, it's medium to full-bodied, with a nicely concentrated core of fruit, racy acids and a fine mousse, concluding with a saline finish.
A solid effort and disgorged in 2018, the NV Champagne Rose Reserve offers a light pink hue as well as classic notes of tart strawberries, red currants, apple blossoms, and white flowers. Nicely textured on the palate, with medium-bodied richness, bright acidity, and solid depth and length, it should continue drinking nicely for another 7-8 years, possibly longer.
Disgorged in April 2018 with eight grams per liter dosage, the NV Brut Rosé Réserve was showing well, opening in the glass with aromas of toasted gingerbread, small red berries and dried white flowers. On the palate, it's medium to full-bodied, with ripe but racy acids, a delicate core of fruit and a sapid, gently phenolic finish. Readers are advised to consult the lot numbers on Palmer's back labels and try to give the wines at least a year from the date of disgorgement before opening, as it really does bear dividends.