| Region | |
|---|---|
| Subregion | France > Bordeaux > Left Bank > St Julien |
| Colour | Red |
| Type | Still |
The 2015 Talbot shows much better now than just a year ago. Here it has a much more intense bouquet than Gruaud Larose and Lagrange. Upfront blackberry and bilberry scents, cedar and subtle mint aromas lend complexity with time in the glass. The palate is medium-bodied with grippy tannin on the entry, a fine bead of acidity with layers of graphite-infused black fruit. I love the precision on the finish here and the persistence is superb. Impressive. Tasted blind at the Southwold 2015 Bordeaux tasting.
A big, rich wine for St. Julien with plenty of power and concentration, which enables it to carry plenty of spicy and toasty oak. The tannins need some time to soften, but the elegant finish says that from 2020 this should really impress.
Tasted blind. Blackish crimson. Leafily aromatic. Light tannins. Very easy and charming but not one of the most ambitious, though there are ripe tannins on the very end.
Drink 2023-2038
Notes of black cherries, underbrush, tobacco and smoked herbs all emerge from the 2015 Château Talbot and it’s an old-school, classic, concentrated 2015 that does everything right. With medium-bodied richness, good concentration, and solid overall balance, it’s already approachable, as are most in the vintage, yet will benefit from short-term cellaring and deep for 10-15 years. 2018 - 2033
Firm on the nose the start of the palate is tight bright and herbaceous. Richer in the middle the mix of cassis and black cherry is sweet but at the back firm tannins tend to hold back fruit expression and shorten the finish.
Forward, floral and comparatively easy to drink, even from barrel, this is light, pure and attractive, all red fruits and tobacco leaf with textured tannins and well handled oak. Not profound, but appealing stuff. Drink: 2020-28
There is a lot more fruit on Talbot this year and the oak retreats into the background which is a blessing. The red fruit
tones manage to push any darker notes aside and this is not a bad thing because it creates a pristine and sonorous
flavour. This is not a classic Talbot, but it is a very well made wine which will soften into a consummate charmer within
the decade.
The 2015 Talbot has a clean and refined bouquet with blackberry, cedar and cigar box scents that gradually unfurl in classic Saint-Julien/Talbot fashion. The cedar element becomes heightened with aeration while it develops more delineation and complexity. The palate is medium-bodied with fine tannin. This has gained body and substance since I tasted it in barrel, the sample at the UGC in London a little simplistic on the finish although the bottle at the château demonstrated much more sophistication and terroir expression. Delicate and elegant. Antici-pated maturity: 2021 - 2045.
The 2015 Talbot has a very typical nose for this Saint Julien estate: unapologetically classic in style, reserved even, with very subtle blackberry and briary scents tinged with pencil shavings. The palate is medium-bodied with fine tannin, moderate weight in the mouth, but it feels very linear and conservative towards the finish. Talbot rarely shows well out of barrel and can improve in bottle, so I will be a little more optimistic in my score and hope that it gains matière during élevage. Drink: 2022 - 2040.
A refined yet chewy young red with lots of blackberry and blueberry aromas and flavors. Full body, ripe tannins and a fresh and clean finish.
Dark crimson. Lots of sweet fruit but a slight lack of focus. Solid box-ticking wine but without real excitement.
Drink 2024-2040
A Stéphane Derenoncourt wine. Mid crimson. Fragrant. Not concentrated but fresh and vital on the nose. Absolutely classic claret for early drinking. Or airlines!
Drink 2017-2024
