From the plateau of Saint-Julien, one can spot Château Talbot in the distance in the midst of an ocean of vines, parks and tall trees. The estate has a rich history. Its name originates with Connétable Talbot, Earl of Shrewsbury, governor of Guyenne as well as being a famous English military commander, who was defeated at the battle of Castillon in 1453. In 1855, at the time of the Médoc and Graves growth classifications ordered by Emperor Napoleon III, Château Talbot was promoted as a fourth classified growth of Saint-Julien. For several decades it belonged to the Marquis of Aux and was the purchased in 1918 by Désiré Cordier. A Médoc Grand Cru Classé, Château Talbot comprises 110 hectares of a single vineyard in the heart of the Saint-Julien commune, an outstanding appellation as it counts no fewer than 11 classified growths. Ideally situated on the banks of the Gironde estuary on hilltops of alluvial gravel carried by the Dordogne River from the Massif Central and from the Pyrenees by the Garonne, Château Talbot's terroir is exceptional. The totality of the 110 hectares of the Château Talbot vineyard surrounds the estate house and stretches north, all the way to the border with the Pauillac appellation. Planted on a terroir of fine Gunzian gravels with a core of fossil-rich limestone, which form draining hilltops, one finds a large majority of red vines (105 hectares) and a small acreage of whites (5 hectares). The impeccable management of the vineyard is one of the most irreproachable in the Medoc. The wines, supervised by Nancy Bignon-Cordier, with the valuable advice of enologist Eric Boissenot and consultant Stéphane Derenoncourt, are consistently rich while remaining extremely elegant. The smooth taste and their silky tannins make it possible to drink them young as well as after prolonged aging. With time they develop a delicate, complex aromatic bouquet with tones of cedar and Havana tobacco.
57eFrance » Saint-Julien
Wine Enthusiast 94 This wine seems to be all about structure and tannins. The fruit comes through slowly and has a way to go in its
Wine Spectator 92 "This has melded together nicely already, with a core of gently steeped plum, blackberry and anise flavors intertwined with light licorice snap and
Wine Spectator 91 "This displays blackberry, sweet tobacco and green coffee aromas. Full-bodied, with soft tannins and a caressing texture. This has a really lovely mouthfeel
Wine Spectator 92 "Sweet tobacco, berry and currant aromas follow through to a full body, with soft, silky tannins and a fresh, racy aftertaste of currant
Wine Spectator 92 "Sweet tobacco, berry and currant aromas follow through to a full body, with soft, silky tannins and a fresh, racy aftertaste of currant
Wine Spectator 89 "Shows blackberry, with some meat and smoke character. Medium-bodied, with fine tannins and a chocolate, berry and light vanilla aftertaste. Balanced. Best after
Wine Spectator 91 "Aromas of blackberry, currant and mineral follow through to a full-bodied palate, with fine tannins and a chocolate and light vanilla aftertaste. Subtle
Wine Spectator 90 "Very perfumed with blackberry and light wet earth. Full-bodied, with silky tannins and a long, long finish. Rich and generous for the vintage.
Wine Spectator 93 "Beautiful aromas of raspberries, Indian spices, crushed flowers and berries. Full-bodied, with a solid core of ripe fruit and silky tannins. Long and
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