CHÂTEAU TALBOT

2017 4ème Cru Classé Saint Julien

EN PRIMEUR

Jean-Michel Laporte (formerly of Conseillante) has now taken the reins here but he did not have input into this vintage. He has no plans to revolutionise things, just to make small, gradual changes like slowly increasing the plantings of Cabernet over the course of the next 80 years... The 2017 showed a nicely open nose of fresh black fruit and some savoury elements like cedarwood, earth and tapenade. It has a fine medium-bodied frame and lots of juicy refreshment. The tannins are slightly chalky but overall this is a very well presented Saint Julien. Rating: 90-91 L&S (May 2018)

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68% Cabernet Sauvignon, 26% Merlot, 6% Petit Verdot. Fresh and fragrant but only just beginning to open. Accent on the fruit with both red- and dark-fruit notes. Light but fine tannic frame. Attractive in a clean, precise, elegant way. Ripe but lacks the substance of a great year so more for medium-term ageing. A touch short on the finish. (JL) 13.5% Drinking range: 2024 - 2035 Rating: 16+ James Lawther MW, www.JancisRobinson.com (Apr 2022)

The 2017 Talbot is powerful and rustic, just as it was en primeur. Black cherry, plum, grilled herbs, leather, menthol and scorched earth add to the wine's brooding, potent feel. The 2017 remains a rather rustic Saint-Julien. It will be interesting to see if the tannins soften over time. For now, there is a good bit of character, if not exactly a ton of finesse. Drinking range: 2022 - 2037 Rating: 91 Antonio Galloni, www.vinous.com (Mar 2020)

The 2017 Talbot offers blackberry, bilberry, pencil shaving and gravelly scents on the nose. Nicely defined it misses a little intensity compared to its peers. The palate is medium-bodied with slightly chalky tannins. I admire the freshness of this Talbot, although the tarry finish just feels a little short and leaves you wanting for more. Hopefully it will put on more weight with bottle age. Drinking range: 2023 - 2040 Rating: 89 Neal Martin, www.vinous.com (Feb 2020)

The 2017 Talbot was picked from 18 to 4 October using manual and optical sorting, matured in 50% new oak. It has a relatively light but well-defined, floral bouquet, pressed flower filtering through that blackberry and boysenberry scents, a little clove and bay leaf lending complexity as it opens in the glass. The palate is medium-bodied with fine but firm tannin that frame the slightly savory black fruit, just a little earthiness developing towards the finish. It is a classic Talbot really, exactly what you would expect for the vintage. Drinking range: 2020 - 2036 Rating: 90-92 Neal Martin, www.vinous.com (May 2018)

Jean-Michel Laporte (ex Conseillante) has been director at Talbot since spring 2018. Deep crimson. Fragrant with both berry and leaf of cassis. Chalky texture but still fresh and just enough fruit to give a lively finish. Could do with a little more flesh in the middle but it is nicely scented. Drinking range: 2023 - 2029 Rating: 16 Julia Harding MW, www.JancisRobinson.com (Apr 2018)

Medium to deep garnet-purple colored, the 2017 Talbot is a little closed on the nose with subtle plums and blackberries notes plus hints of underbrush, black olives and wood smoke. Medium-bodied with a firm frame of chewy tannins, it has lovely freshness and a savory finish. Rating: 87-89 Lisa Perrotti-Brown, RobertParker.com (Apr 2018)

Talbot has produced an elegant, fresh and carefully structured 2017. This has plenty of finesse and rich black fruit flavours with some floral notes and cedar. It shows great St-Julien balance, but again just lacks a little of the impact that has been evident at this property over recent vintages. Drinking range: 2024 - 2038 Rating: 89 Jane Anson, Decanter (Apr 2018)

The 2017 Château Talbot is solid and offers a charming, medium-bodied, nicely concentrated profile. It has classic black and blue fruits, hints of damp earth and tobacco, ripe tannin, and nicely integrated acidity. This is a classic, well-made Saint-Julien. Rating: 86-88 Jeb Dunnuck, www.jebdunnuck.com (Apr 2018)

This is solid and structured with blackberry and currant character. Full-bodied, muscular and dialed-in. Rating: 92-93 James Suckling, www.jamessuckling.com (Apr 2018)

Solid, with currant and plum fruit at the core flanked by focused, chalky tannins. Savory and tobacco notes score the finish. A touch austere but shows impressive drive. Rating: 90-93 James Molesworth, The Wine Spectator (Apr 2018)

This has a rather dusty nose, with griddled red cherry fruit aromatics, and little else showing through at present. There is a little matchstick note beating it down as well. The palate has a rather bold, oily texture, fat without too much stuffing, and it feels to me to be a little lacking in character, although it is wrapped up in what is an undeniably attractive belt of velvety and still grippy tannins. This is fresh and peppery, certainly bold and richly structured, but it seems to be missing a bit of concentration and fruit on the palate. It will be interesting to see how this changes going forward, since the appointment of Jean-Michel Laporte, once of Château La Conseillante, as director of the estate in November 2017. I wish him well in this project. Rating: 87-89 Chris Kissack, www.thewinedoctor.com (Apr 2018)

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.