Château Talbot 2024

Expressive on the nose, showing smoky notes, dried herbs, plum and cassis; approachable on the palate, round on the attack, then it grips, showing structure and plenty of spice, with a long finish, ending on red fruit. A successful Talbot, built for medium-term aging.

Bright and lively on the palate, juicy, succulent and ripe with cool blue-fruit elements too. Cherry and strawberry mingle with chalky, wet-stone notes. Round and forward, this has a sense of fun and persistence. Feels well crafted with enough ripeness and balancing tannins. Great stuff here. Chewy, concentrated and just fun. Good first and second wine here in 2024.

Blackberries, currants, and tobacco leaf open the medium-bodied wine. Juicy and fresh, with black currants in every sniff, swirl, and sip, the wine will offer charm early, but it will also have the ability to age for two decades with ease. The wine blends 59% Cabernet Sauvignon with 41% Merlot. 13% ABV. Drink from 2028-2045. 91-93 pts

Velvety and intense, the nose opens with aromas of jammy red fruits, fern and sandalwood. The balance between the fruit and the silkiness on the palate is delightful, with a bright texture full of energy and tension, and lifted, sappy red and black fruits. The polished tannins remain discreet, leading to a finish of fresh coffee. A wine of finesse and panache.

The nose is beautifully handled—clear, racy, precise, elongated—and offers refined straightness. It reveals notes of fresh wild blackcurrant, wild strawberry and, more subtly, cornflower, joined by lovely hints of infusion (with freshness), touches of Bigarreau cherry, small red fruits (teetering on the edge of fresh-roasted), a hint of violet, and discreet hints of cinnamon, toasted almond and Cubeb pepper. Depth and density in the aromatics. The palate is beautifully handled and offers freshness, minerality, a fresh framework, a touch of coating fat, lovely energy, a tangy feel, brightness, fine breeding as well as aromatic depth. On the palate, this wine expresses notes of bright blackcurrant, pulpy/bright cherry and juicy/fresh blackberry, combined with touches of racy/iodized minerality (even a discreet oceanic character), floral hints (cornflower, lilac…), as well as subtle hints of star anise, almost anise-like, and almost fresh mandarin in the background. The tannins are elegant and chalky. Good length. An elegant hint of darkness.

Finely constructed tannic frame, sappy, good clarity of autumnal berry fruit but lacking some punch. St Julien finesse in evidence, possible upscore in bottle. Yield just under 40hl/h, Nancy Bignon-Cordier owner. 60% new oak.

Fruity, enjoyable wine, but it lacks mid-palate structure and body. Blend: 70% Cabernet Sauvignon, 25% Merlot, 5% Petit Verdot. Alcohol: 13%. Production: 220,000 bottles.