In 1947, seven well-established and visionary winegrowers came together in a joint quest for ultimate perfection and founded Champagne Palmer & Co. The founders bought its current cellars from a failing Champagne House in Reims in 1959. Over the years, the cooperative has spread past Reims and now owns an impressive 450 hectares of vineyards, over 200 of which are classified Grand and Premier Crus. A large percentage of Palmer's vineyards are in the Montagne de Reims giving Palmer a unique source of chardonnay in these cooler aspect locations, Blanc de Blancs being one of the stars in the Palmer portfolio. Palmer are one of few producers to ferment large formats, everything bigger than Jeroboam, in the final bottle and up to Nebuchadnezzar, 15 litres, are made in this way.

Palmer & Co Collection champagnes are a prestigious collection of vintage champagnes, stored perfectly in their 18-meter-deep chalk cellars. Palmer Blanc de Blancs is created from Chardonnay grapes sources mainly from the magnificent terroirs of Villers-Marmery and Trépail. The fruits from these two terroirs are blended with Chardonnay from Côte de Sézanne. The cuvées have been selected by cellar master Xavier Berdin and Palmer's four oenologists for their superior quality and ageing potential and have been ageing on their lees until being recently disgorged. The Collection Range include some of the best vintages of the last 40 years: 1998, 1996, 1988, 1981, 1979 & 1976.

The bottles, magnums, and larger formats, are stored upside down in our cellars for twenty years or more. The very long ageing process gives an intense and complex character to these great wines while at the same time ensuring that they remain remarkably fresh to the palate.

Weather: The 1987 vintage for Champagne was really challenging as Palmer & Co. had to contend with a difficult growing season and an unnaturally wet and cool summer season. Good conditions during the harvest rescued the vintage, producing Chardonnays with a good acidity and concentration. The 1987 vintage is therefore a rare bottle, offering an unforgettable tasting experience.

Technical Information:
Vineyards: 85% Premier Cru: Montagne de Reims, Trepail & Villers-Marmery | 15% Autre Cru: Côte de Sézanne
Grape Varieties: 100% Chardonnay
Lees ageing: 34 years
Dosage: 7.3 g/l
Disgorged: Spring 2022
Bottling date: 1st of June 1988
Drink: Now to 2030

Tasting Note: full and forward nose showing a lot of fruit, ripe apples, pineapple, limes and loads of creamy custard with great balance on the palate; dried fruits apricots, dried lime and pineapple come through with nuttiness and underlying butteriness like in flaky pasty. Beautifully balanced, full and elegant.

In 1947, seven well-established and visionary winegrowers came together in a joint quest for ultimate perfection and founded Champagne Palmer & Co. After a first decade of impressive growth, the founders bought the cellars of a Champagne House in Reims in 1959. Over the years, the cooperative has spread past Reims and now owns an impressive 450 hectares of vineyards, over 200 of which are classified Grand and Premier Crus.

Champagne Palmer & Co take full advantage of allowing their wines to mature for an exceptionally long time and their reserve wines are carefully blended to create a rich and toasty style. Uniquely, Palmer are one of the only producers to ferment all champagnes in the bottles they are sold in - from tiny half bottles to huge 15L Nebuchadnezzar's. In 2015, their range underwent a name change, to now include the term Réserve, which better represents their long ageing periods and inclusion of reserve wines.

In 2019 Champagner Palmer opened its new modern winery symbolising Palmer’s respect for sustainable development, being just the second in Champagne, alongside Moët & Chandon’s facility in the Côte des Bar, to be certified HQE (High Environmental Quality).

Cellar Master: Xavier Berdin
Winery Location: Reims | Champagne, France
Champagne Region: Montagne de Reims
Annual Production (bottles): 700,000