Wine of the month – November

‘Chateau Palmer, Margaux, Bordeaux, France’

The Fire

A single spark

My life begins

Starting small

Slowly growing stronger

I begin to burn and blaze brightly

The temperature is rising now

I’m fierce

I’m out of control

Yet I’m seen to dance gracefully

My arms raised high

I crackle and hiss

Glowing with all the shades of red

My embers begin to rise

You fuel me

And I continue to dance for you

Yet soon I begin to grow tiered

I begin to fade

I begin to grow cold

The dance is over now

I lay down and recede to ashes

My life fades as quick as it began

“Remember, remember the fifth of November, gunpowder, treason and plot…”

Today, marks a day which will never be forgotten, a day we usually commemorate with flames and fireworks. However, today’s celebrations might be a little different this year, this day will be remembered for a different reason; after all, today, the 5th of November is the day England moves into a second lockdown… There will be no venturing out tonight!

Instead we will batten down the hatches, close our doors and lock ourselves in. Staying home, we will stay safe. We must defeat this virus once and for all and this seems the only option we have left to do so. These coming weeks are certainly going to be hard on us all, so let’s take a moment to sit back and enjoy a glass of wine together. Perhaps it’s even time to crack open one of your best bottles?

Château Palmer is a wine estate located in the Margaux appellation in Médoc (regarded by many, as one of the best wine regions in France). Unusually for the Médoc appellation, Château Palmer has as much Merlot as Cabernet Sauvignon in its blend, along with a small amount of Petit Verdot, this helps give the wine it’s fleshy and generous structure and makes for a wine that stands out amongst all others. It can be drunk both young, but also really does reward when left to mature. Our vintage at The Angel being that of 2004.

The Palmer vineyards cover 136 acres in the Cantenac commune, mostly on a plateau of thin gravel on the edge of the estuary. Fermentation of the grapes, received from the site, take place in stainless steel vats. With the different plots vinified separately, to give the winemakers control when it comes to the blending process. The grand vin is quite special and undergoes around 21 months of barrel aging, with up to 60 percent new oak.

An interesting fact about Château Palmer is that it takes its name from Major General Charles Palmer of the British Army, who bought the land in 1814. He developed it considerably and gained a strong following here in England. This was for the wine he was producing and the following is still held to this very day. Since 1938, the Sichel and Mähler-Besse families have been major shareholders.

This wine takes pride of place in our cellar here. It is a high intensity wine, from its deep purple-ruby appearance, to its dark berry nose and tender tannins received on the palate. The finish of this wine is long and luxurious and certainly a wine which will make you forget these troublesome times…