Wending their way along the famous Route des Châteaux, visitors to the Médoc can see Château Palmer's elegant façade, with its three flags and two conical turrets, from a long way off.

A subtle blend of classic, Baroque, and Renaissance styles, the château was designed by architect Charles Burguet, who is also responsible for the two wings of the Fine Arts Museum and the Chartrons Market in Bordeaux. Built in 1856 for the brothers Isaac and Emile Péreire, the château's distinguishing features are: tall windows with blue shutters, sculpted lintels, and a slate roof. The glazed doors open onto recently-created topiary gardens.

Looking beyond the gardens, visitors can admire the gentle slope of the gravelly rises of Margaux and Cantenac where Palmer's vineyards are to be found. The long rows of Merlot and Cabernet Sauvignon vines stretch out to the horizon under the blue Médoc sky...

Château Palmer has 52 hectares of vines. A large percentage of Merlot, almost the same amount of Cabernet Sauvignon, and a small proportion of Petit Verdot contribute to the wine's unique character. Contrary to a widely-held opinion, the grape variety alone does not determine a wine's personality. In fact, grape varieties, despite their specific qualities, are only a vector for expressing the terroir. The winegower's art consists of matching the right variety to every part of the vineyard and understanding the profile of wine produced from each individual plot in order to make the best possible final blend.