2005 CHÂTEAU TALBOT 4ème Cru Classé Saint Julien, Lea & Sandeman

CHÂTEAU TALBOT

2005 4ème Cru Classé Saint Julien

Grapes Cab Sauv, Merlot, Cab Franc
Colour Red
Origin France, Bordeaux
Sub-district Haut Médoc
Village Saint Julien
Classification 4ème Cru Classé
ABV 13%

57% Cabernet Sauvignon, 39% Merlot, 4% Petit Vedot. Fresh, crisp, pure and well-constituted, Talbot is not a lot fuller than the 2004, and has a touch of the herby Cabernet that is so typical. A wine of excellent balance and crispness, with a good tannic structure behind the fruit. A good wine which may drink younger than other Saint Juliens like Branaire or Lagrange. Rating: 91 L&S (Apr 2006)


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The 2005 Talbot was picked from 22 September until 10 October. Having tasted this several times, this might be the best bottle. Deeper in colour than other vintages, it offers much more fruit: blackberry, bilberry and raspberry tinged with cedar and a faint estuarine tang. These aromatics just have more substance than other vintages. The palate is medium-bodied with supple tannin, a fine bead of acidity. It is not the most complex 2005 Saint-Julien but there is grip and matière, notes of soy and black pepper lining the finish that will benefit from another two or three years in bottle. Very fine. Tasted at the centenary Château Talbot vertical at the property. Drinking range: 2021 - 2040 Rating: 92 Neal Martin, www.vinous.com (Oct 2019)

A sweet ripe nose of blackberry, a touch of raisin and plum that overall lacks a little definition. The palate is tannic and full-bodied with moderate rathern than high acidity. Thich chewy texture, very concentrated though perhaps a little conservative and blowsy on the savoury-tinged finish. A good Talbot in the context of previous vintages. Rating: 20/25 Neal Martin, www.vinous.com (May 2006)

Full medium ruby. Very primary nose of cassis, licorice, earth and leather, complicated by an almost exotic note of chocolate. Then suave, broad and dry, with a fine-grained texture and very good palate coverage. Doesn't currently show the lift or intensity of the best Medoc wines of the vintage, but offers a fleshy, solid impression and finishes with fairly sweet tannins for this property. Rating: 88-91 Stephen Tanzer's International Wine Cellar (May 2006)

Château Talbot

St Julien Quatrième cru 1855

John Talbot, Earl of Shrewsbury was sent by King Henry VI to re-impose some English rule on this troublesome part of his Kingdom, but ended up being killed at the Battle of Castillon in 1453. Quite what connection he had with this particular bit of St Julien is unknown but, at least as far back as the 17th Century, the large estate in the centre of the appellation has been known as Château Talbot and it has generally been held that it was named for said John Talbot.

Désiré Cordier bought Talbot in 1917 and it is still in the hands of the Cordier family.

Sitting right in the middle of St Julien, surrounded by the great names of the appellation, and at 107ha of vineyard, Château Talbot is hard to miss. The vineyards are planted to 66% Cabernet Sauvignon, 26% Merlot, 5% Cabernet Franc and 3% Petit Verdot. Fermentation takes place in a combination of traditional wooden vats and modern stainless steel, with the Grand Vin spending 14 months in oak (50%-60% new).

There is a second wine named in honour of John Talbot, who's local title was Connétable Talbot.

With such big production and with an easy name to read and remember in the English-speaking market, Château Talbot has a healthy following and reliable reputation. It is a reputation that Talbot, by and large, lives up to with well-flavoured structured wines.

This wine isn't currently part of a mixed case, but you can always browse our full selection of mixed cases here.
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