Considered as one of the best - if not the best - second wine to come out of Bordeaux, Chateau Palmer’s Alter Ego has a lot to say for itself. And making its voice heard is no mean feat - the estate’s first wine is one of the few to receive a “perfect 100” from heavenly trinity Robert Parker, James Suckling and Antonio Galloni.

So, with a terroir and savoir faire that scores perfectly more often than not, what can we expect from Alter Ego? Well, firstly that it is a wine in its own right - definitely not Palmer’s poor relation. In fact, using the term “second wine” when talking about Alter Ego is not for the fainthearted. Because Alter Ego comes from different plots than Palmer and is produced with a different blend than the Grand Vin, Chateau Palmer does not view this as a second wine. They produce and market it as its own, unique wine. It does however benefit from Thomas Duroux’s skillful touch and biodynamic farming methods , making it one of the most coveted products on the investment market. Duroux is famous for not turning to chemicals even when the threat of mildew was looming, prefering to keep things au naturel.

Since its inception in 1988 (prior to then it was called La Reserve du General), Alter Ego has proved so popular that it now makes up for 50% of Palmer’s production. That might sound like a lot, but Chateau Palmer is famously one of the most prolific in Medoc, with average yields being in the region of 200,000 bottles a year, meaning that there is plenty of the first and second wine for everyone. However, such fame has come at a cost, and Alter Ego is one of the most counterfeited wines, particularly in Asia. So, in order to make sure that every one of those 200,000 odd bottles is the real deal, Palmer uses the Prooftag system to guarantee authenticity. A code is found on the seal of the bottle, which can be checked via their internet site or app.

Because of Alter Ego’s delicious drinkability, older vintages are increasingly hard to find. This comes as good news for investors, as Chateau Palmer is classed among the three top vineyards in Bordeaux, with prices rising dramatically by 89% over the past 10 years. Unfortunately, prices match the chateau’s success, and Alter Ego is among the highest priced wines of Bordeaux.