Freddy R. Troya

9.0

Vieux Château Palon – 2021
Montagne-Saint-Émilion AOC – Right Bank, Bordeaux, France 🇫🇷

Overview
A distinctive Right Bank Bordeaux, this cuvée flips the classic Merlot-dominant Saint-Émilion script. Instead, it is crafted from 75% Cabernet Sauvignon and 25% Cabernet Franc, making it unusually bold, structured, and aromatically lifted for the appellation.

Aromas & Flavors
Blackcurrant, blackberry, and cassis dominate, with graphite, cedar, and tobacco leaf from the Cabernets. Subtle violet and peppery notes emerge from the Franc.

Mouthfeel
Firm tannins, medium-plus body, and a long, savory finish. More muscular and linear than many Montagne-Saint-Émilions, leaning toward Left Bank style but with Right Bank elegance.

Food Pairings
Grilled ribeye, lamb chops with rosemary, cassoulet, duck confit, aged Comté or Tomme de Savoie cheeses.

Verdict
An atypical but fascinating Montagne-Saint-Émilion that highlights Cabernet structure over Merlot plushness. For those who love Pauillac or Saint-Julien, this bottle is a bridge into the Right Bank world. Cheers!

Did You Know?
Montagne-Saint-Émilion is one of the four “satellite” appellations of Saint-Émilion, known for offering excellent value Bordeaux reds. Few estates here lean so heavily on Cabernet Sauvignon, which makes Palon stand out stylistically. — 14 days ago

Davito Mazza

10

The best jammy wine between 2 gums. Out of stock. Anyone know where I can find a case or 2? — 5 years ago

Shay A

9.3

My second time with this producer after having the 2015 Les Frionnes a few weeks ago. I find the two to be quite different and definitely preferred the En Remilly.

Aromatically, it shows caramel dipped Granny Smith apple, melon, pineapple, honeysuckle and a kiss of oak. Where it really differs from the Les Frionnes is the profile on the palate...much more texture and richness here. Classical chalk and limestone alongside more melon, underripe white peach, and the very end of the finish has a note of granulated brown sugar which is really unique (and enjoyable). It’s all wrapped in a nicely dense but quite lifted profile. The warmer it gets, the more honeyed it gets. I thought this was best just a tad warmer than cellar temp, and feel this would be a good bridge to white burgundy for those who enjoy quality US chards. Thanks to @David T again for the intro to this producer! — 5 years ago

Joel Lara

9.0

Delicate notes of strawberry and citrus with undercurrent of toasty minerality, Balanced acidity with tasty, crisp finish. Paired nicely with chicken thighs roasted with tarragon and onions. Bubbles fizzle out a bit more quickly than with other sparkling wines, but still tastes great with minimal bubbles. — 3 months ago

Ming L

9.2

I opened my go-to Knights Valley Cabernet to compare it with the Trace Ridge from Jackson Estate. While the two share a similar aromatic profile, this offers a fuller body, greater depth, and a firmer structure, making it the more sophisticated of the two.

This is the KB, the entry level cab. Prior notes apply. — 5 months ago

Andrea Wilson @farmforthesoul

9.1

So delicious! High end but it was on sale so I tried it and then snagged a few more! If you haven’t tried out of Sonoma County, you really should. It surprised me! — 5 years ago

with Jeremy

Joe Roth

9.4

Excellent example of Walla Walla Merlot! — 6 years ago

with Jeff and Michael

Jan de Weerd

9.0

We are into the 10 year old wines this weekend. And as we are heading to Walla Walla, we thought to give this wine a try after it was been in my cellar for more than 10 years. And…. hmm, a bit disappointed. Had expected much more complexity, layers of flavored and endless finish. Nope. Nice wine though, smooth, balanced, great vibrancy but, yeah, still single note and I don’t think there is more to discover with aging. — 5 months ago

with Tammy

Byron C Mayes

9.0

Dark amethyst. Inviting, voluptuous nose of blackberry and violets. Echoed on the medium full, fruit-forward palate adding juicy black cherry and a hint of earthenware. Medium tannins and medium plus acidity. Excellent Dundee Hills PN that's a great foil for almost any fare, but with enough fruit for on its own drinking. A bridge between California and Burgundy. Drink now through 2026 or even a bit beyond. — 3 years ago

J B

9.0

Good value from Wegmans. Reminds me of some sort of rum, both in aroma and flavor. Very pleasant. — 5 years ago