2021 Château Talbot
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Tasting notes
Tasted blind. Blackish crimson. Sweet ripe-Cabernet nose. Straight-backed claret, with some fruit on the mid palate. A little dry on the end but very much the sort of wine a gents’ club would lap up! Old fashioned but well done. (JR)
Critic scores
William Kelley, Wine Advocate
Antonio Galloni, Vinous
More reviews and scores
The 2021 Château Talbot is based on 71% Cabernet Sauvignon, 24% Merlot, and 5% Petit Verdot. It has lots to love and brings more density and depth than most in the vintage. Ripe red and black fruits, tobacco leaf, spicy oak, and a touch of chocolaty earth all emerge on the nose, and it's medium-bodied, with a rock-solid mid-palate, ripe tannins, and a great finish. It's impressive and well worth seeking out and buying, as you can drink bottle today or in 15+ years with no issues.
The 2021 Talbot, bottled in early May, has an unapologetically classical-styled nose: light black fruit, antique furniture, freshly rolled tobacco with some pencil shavings. It gains a little more fruité with aeration. The palate is medium-bodied with pliant tannins. Nicely balanced, this is underpinned by a keen thread of acidity, a bit austere toward the finish like many in this vintage. I wonder whether it will gain a bit more flesh during bottle aging?
The 2021 Talbot is an absolutely gorgeous wine. Aromatic, layered and impeccably balanced, Talbot is simply exquisite in 2021. Sweet pipe tobacco, incense, dried flowers, mint, licorice and blue-toned fruits are some of the notes that grace this super-refined Saint-Julien. All the elements are so well balanced. The floral, effusive finish is so inviting.
About the producer
Quality has not necessarily always lived up to this property’s Fourth Growth status, however there have been significant improvements in recent years, with a sustainable focus in the vineyard, and new winery and cellar.