Established in 1947 by seven winegrowers combining forces, Palmer & Co’s unique wines, were on show at a press tasting at Langan’s in London.
It was perhaps a good thing Peter Langan was not around last night. He enjoyed champagne rather a lot and I’m of the age to remember him careering around the tables in his eponymous restaurant, cheerfully abusing guests before taking a nap under a table.
Today Langan’s is a more sober place, but upstairs heavy red decoration that hints of a Parisian brothel, still remind me of more hedonistic times.
Palmer & Co are dead serious though. With more than 220 hectares classified as Premier and Grand Crus, in the heart of the Montagne de Reims, they blend remarkable grapes to create thrilling wines. Tonight they have brought examples of their Blanc de Blancs 2014, La Reserve and Rose Solera. We are also promised a very special champagne to end the evening.
This is the first unveiling of the Blanc de BLancs 2014 and it’s being served from Magnum bottles These heavyweights aren’t just for Formula One drivers to spray on each other, or a simple gimmick. A Magnum is two bottles of Champagne in one and is perfect for ageing wine.
The neck and cork are the same size as a standard bottle but with twice the volume of wine inside a proportionally small amount of oxygen gets in to deliver slower, more graceful aging. You also get finer, more delicate, bubbles and in general the wine is more stable, meaning it can sit safely in a cellar for a very long time getting better every year. Champagne connoisseurs insist on Magnums.
100% Chardonnay primarily from the grands terroirs of Villers-Marmery and Trépail, this wine boasts citrus fruits, white flowers, and almonds as well mineral notes from the chalk-rich soils. It goes very well with the oysters served.
Rose Solera rosé champagne is enriched with a perpetual reserve of red wine Pinot Noir over four decades old, using Palmer & Co’s unique expertise in the Spanish ‘stacking’ technique largely unknown in the Champagne region. It’s non vintage and has a fruitiness and delicate spice that makes it outstanding and one of the world’s great champagnes
The flagship Reserve is a blend of Chardonnay, Pinot Noir, Meunier and 30% previous blend ‘reserve’ wines for maturity, hence the name. The Magnum is aged two to three years longer than the bottle, resting on its lees to achieve exceptional length. A beautifully fresh wine that’s also buttery and soft.
And finally out comes the Palmer & Co Collection Vintage 1995. 8% Chardonnay, 37% Pinot Noir, 15% Meunier and, obviously, aged for twenty years. in 1995, the quality was excellent for all grapes and particularly for Chardonnay. This has to be one of the best champagnes I’ve ever tasted, although I should stress I am not in the habit of drinking champagne every day.
Palmer & Co is available from
www.champagnedirect.co.uk
www.divinecellar.com/en/
www.champagne-palmer.fr/en/
Incidentally, each bottle of Palmer & Co can be identified by the ID on the back label. This lets you to discover the story of that very bottle using the smartphone App or on the Palmer & Co website.