2023 Château Talbot, St Julien, Bordeaux

77% Cabernet Sauvignon, 20% Merlot and 3% Petit Verdot. Cask sample.

Juicy and appealing. Lively St-Julien fruit. Medium-bodied, harmonious and balanced, the tannins integrated. Rewarding. Could be GV.

Drink 2030 - 2042

Smoky red and black fruits, leafy herbs, truffle, and some lively, background floral notes all emerge from the 2023 Château Talbot, a medium-bodied Saint-Julien that has a pure, elegant mouthfeel, ripe tannins, and the fresher yet balanced style of the vintage.

The 2023 Talbot contains the highest proportion of Cabernet Sauvignon to date, at 77%. It was picked from September 13 to October 6 at 54hL/ha according to winemaker Jean-Michel Laporte. Matured in 60% new oak, this has a fragrant bouquet that, like one or two fellow Saint-Julien wines, discretely unfolds in the glass. Quite precise with blackberry, cedar and light pencil box scents, there is a Pauillac-like tincture here. The palate is medium-bodied with finely chiseled, grainy tannins. It’s overtly classic in style, albeit with more mid-weight depth compared to some vintages of Talbot. Displaying fine cohesion and sapidity, this fans out on the finish, with a deft touch of white pepper livening things up. This is a very promising Talbot, and I may actually prefer it to the previous vintage.

Drink 2029 - 2050

Offering up aromas of dark berries, baking chocolate, plums, espresso roast and crushed mint, the 2023 Talbot is medium to full-bodied, deep and fleshy, with a rich but lively core of fruit, powdery tannins and a long, penetrating finish. Harvested over the course of fully four weeks, it's a blend of 77% Cabernet Sauvignon, 20% Merlot and 3% Petit Verdot that attained 13% alcohol.

The 2023 Talbot is another strong wine for this re-emerging estate. Powerful, deep and impressively resonant, the 2023 is striking. Dark-toned fruit, new leather, lavender and dried herbs build over time. There's terrific depth and intensity here, with fine balance to match. This is a superb showing from Talbot and the team led by Estate Director Jean-Michel Laporte.

Drink 2030 - 2053

A medium- to full-bodied red with very fine tannins. It’s firm and structured, showing a bright, dark-fruited character. Focused, with a good center-palate and a lingering finish. Really polished.

More proof that Talbot is on a roll, revved up and ready to take off. This is a brilliantly juicy but understated Talbot, lovely quality, classically-minded with cassis, blueberry, mint leaf, cocoa bean, espresso and powerful grilled fennel. Great stuff. 60% new oak for ageing, and a generous 54hl/ha yield.

Drink 2030 - 2044