Open and drinking exceptionally. Black fruits, berry and cherry. Floral notes emerge with air. Primary but well worth drinking now if you have a few bottles. Silky smooth and precise. Perhaps noted a little heat on opening but didn’t seem to notice after 2 hours of air. One of the best 18s I’ve had.
An unexpected design did not exactly boost my expectations. But this is really, really good. Deep dark, almost black (like the bottle) color. Fruity nose dominates by blackberries, blackcurrant and blueberries, but also with fine hints of vanilla, coffee, and a mineral streak. Full bodied and smooth attack, really refined tannins here! High acidity lifts the mid palate to a fresh and salivating finish. Great wine. Good to drink now, will keep for decades
The 2018 Talbot is no shrinking violet, showing an assertive, Cabernet-driven nose, developing blackberry, ash, pencil, and a gravelly salinity in the decanter. I love how there's great energy here, yet also a creaminess to the nose and palate. Though perhaps slightly candied in the mouth, finish comes across as quite fresh and the alcohol is near-imperceptible. A very fine Talbot and a testament to Jean-Michel Laporte's work, producing serious results after coming on in 2017. 66% CS, 29%M, 5% PV brought in between September 19 and October 10 at 45 hl/ha. 14.5% ABV. 93-94 points
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Nose: Blackberry, plum, and dark florals right up front. Turned earth, moss, stone, tobacco and herbs beneath. Palate: An elegant and broad palate feel that is not over polished. Blackberry, cherry compote, leather and minerality. Mint and a hint of pine forest. The tannins are linear and fine, nothing harsh here.
Lovely. This has a ton of potential, and may be one of the best modern Talbots. I enjoy the bretty era of the 80's, but the very fine wines of the 40's - late 50's at Talbot offer hallmark excellence at maturity. The 2016 - 2020 appear to be a return to the clean fine and bright style of the post-war era.
An early look at this wine Sunday Supper. Purchased over the summer, and I had accessed it with the coravin this a few times before finishing the bottle tonight.
Deep ruby colour. Pronounced and developing nose with red plum, blackcurrant, blackberry, black pepper, cloves, cedar and chocolate. Pronounced taste of blackcurrant, blackberry, black pepper, vanilla, cedar and chocolate. Long and dry finish. High acidity. High tannins. Medium body. An outstanding St. Julien with great potential. Drink in twenty to thirty years. Goes well with beef or lamb.
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Catching up on my notes and writing from memory but… I had this at the chateau last year and couldn’t believe how well it was drinking. The fruit was so ripe and vibrant, blind I might have thought a Napa cab like b cellars which is just crazy for a young Bordeaux. So I convinced Mark to buy some of these for us to split and then didn’t try again until last week. What a disappointment!!! I suspect I missed the baby fat window and it had already ventured into way too young to drink Bordeaux. The fruit is still there and great quality and delicious. It is balanced with slightly grippy and tight tannins. But there is a bitterness to the finish that seemed to get worse with air. Day 2 even more disjointed. I should know better by now. Next bottles in 15 yrs!
92 I think, is a fair score. Decanted for 3 hours before our event. Minimal Bdx funk on the nose when first opened. Leather, graphite and black currant on the nose 2-3 hours in. Blacker tasting fruit on the palate. 14.5% alc, so it's not that big a factor. Yet, this still seems like it was at its juiciest in the first couple of hours in the decanter before the event. It would have made a Cali red drinker happy. This one is good early on, but certainly needs a few more years to come around. Good acidity to go for many years.....tannins, too. A little graphite and leather up front.
Addendum: a small glass left in the bottle on the counter overnight, no cork so now about 27 hours of total air at room temp of 73 degrees between yesterday's decant and all night/today in open bottle. Nose of old stewed plum, palate has fallen apart and tannins have developed a tremendous coarseness on the tongue, like grit.....and there is no grit in this wine as I decanted all its sediment off yesterday. I do not like this wine the 2nd day. If scoring now, maybe an 82?
Purple red, crystal clear. It has a prominent nose of oak and rich fruits which I miss. Newer Bordeaux tend to have a lighter touch on wood. On palate it is smooth and round, with every flavours that you’d expect from a Saint-Julien. Plums, raspberries and a bit of pencil shaves. The finish is lingering. Very nicely made and it has a decade to come before getting more developed.
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Fine Wines SG - 2018 Cabernet BYOB (Praelum Wine Bistro): Deep ruby with purple hue. Soft silky tannins that was achieved after some 4 hours of decanting, with ripe cassis, blackberry, and cool mint and violets, and cinnamon. Medium length
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The 2018 iteration of Château Talbot is packaged in a special, painted bottle that commemorates the 100th anniversary of Cordier family ownership. As such, it may not be recognized by those who have seen Talbot's traditional label over the decades. Vinturi-decanted, this particular specimen was allowed three hours in decanter before serially tasting over the next three hours. An opaque crimson blend of 66% Cabernet Sauvignon, 29% Merlot and 5% Petit Verdot that was aged for 16 months in French oak (60% new), it is aromatically effusive of ripe blackberries, cassis, fig, graphite, tobacco and exotic spices. Full-bodied, freshly acidic and with nicely integrated alcohol (14.5%), it delivers a flavor payload that mirrors the nose, wrapped with a generous aliquot of fine-grained tannins and spicy oak. Dense on the mid-palate and lengthy on the back end, this is a tremendous Saint-Julien that will require some cellar time to reach its potential. Drink 2028-2048.
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This is a classy, Modern-styled St. Julien, surprisingly approachable at this young stage. Fruit forward, but with deft oak that is not too "in your face," my main complaint is that this doesn't really distinguish itself from the pack. Initially this was Coravin'ed, then opened about a week later and the remaining bottle consumed over several nights, so I had a chance to track its evolution. I much prefer its neighbor Gruaud Larose, which is well worth the extra $15 tariff.
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Energetic is a great way to describe the 2018 Talbot. Once again, this is made with an old school vibe that comes across as fresh ripe plums and bell pepper with earth, and tobacco in a long, energetic package. This wine has a strong backbone of gentle, yet abundant tannins that make it drinkable today and in proportion to everything else for graceful aging. This is 2016, dialed up 2 notches. Drink or Hold
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Smoke, espresso, tobacco leaf, cedar, currants and spice create a beautiful nose. On the palate the wine is round, juicy, fruity and packed with sweet currants, herbs and oak. Give this at least 8 years of cellaring to develop more nuances and for the oak to better integrate.
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Very ripe and concentrated - notes of dark fruit, spices, liquorice, violets. Quite sweet on the palate on entry, good acidity, unobtrusive tannins. A big wine, well-balanced with good length. 91-92+
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A Barrel sample tasted at Lord's en primeur. Alcohol thankfully kept down 14.0% Preferred to the 14 by Paul. A good, well balanced 18. £510 a case i.b. rules it out of my shortlist on value grounds.
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Elegant and refined, this wine offers intriguing depth on the mid-palate. Medium-bodied, sweet, fresh and round, there is a nice touch of licorice, black fruits, earth and spice that carries through from start to finish. The wine is made from 66% Cabernet Sauvignon, 29% Merlot and 5% Petit Verdot, reaching 14% alcohol. This is the first vintage at Talbot with Jean-Michel Laporte in charge. 92-94 Pts
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4/14/2024 - Shugs_Claret wrote: 96 Points
Open and drinking exceptionally. Black fruits, berry and cherry. Floral notes emerge with air. Primary but well worth drinking now if you have a few bottles. Silky smooth and precise. Perhaps noted a little heat on opening but didn’t seem to notice after 2 hours of air. One of the best 18s I’ve had.
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1/22/2024 - Remon K wrote: 92 Points
The nice bottle design made me look forward to it. That's all..
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12/25/2023 - dagij wrote: 93 Points
An unexpected design did not exactly boost my expectations. But this is really, really good. Deep dark, almost black (like the bottle) color. Fruity nose dominates by blackberries, blackcurrant and blueberries, but also with fine hints of vanilla, coffee, and a mineral streak. Full bodied and smooth attack, really refined tannins here! High acidity lifts the mid palate to a fresh and salivating finish. Great wine. Good to drink now, will keep for decades
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12/22/2023 - englishman's claret wrote: 93 Points
The 2018 Talbot is no shrinking violet, showing an assertive, Cabernet-driven nose, developing blackberry, ash, pencil, and a gravelly salinity in the decanter. I love how there's great energy here, yet also a creaminess to the nose and palate. Though perhaps slightly candied in the mouth, finish comes across as quite fresh and the alcohol is near-imperceptible. A very fine Talbot and a testament to Jean-Michel Laporte's work, producing serious results after coming on in 2017.
66% CS, 29%M, 5% PV brought in between September 19 and October 10 at 45 hl/ha. 14.5% ABV.
93-94 points
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10/22/2023 - RockinCabs wrote: 93 Points
Nose: Blackberry, plum, and dark florals right up front. Turned earth, moss, stone, tobacco and herbs beneath. Palate: An elegant and broad palate feel that is not over polished. Blackberry, cherry compote, leather and minerality. Mint and a hint of pine forest. The tannins are linear and fine, nothing harsh here.
Lovely. This has a ton of potential, and may be one of the best modern Talbots. I enjoy the bretty era of the 80's, but the very fine wines of the 40's - late 50's at Talbot offer hallmark excellence at maturity. The 2016 - 2020 appear to be a return to the clean fine and bright style of the post-war era.
An early look at this wine Sunday Supper. Purchased over the summer, and I had accessed it with the coravin this a few times before finishing the bottle tonight.
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7/22/2023 - SuperSomm Likes this wine: 94 Points
Deep ruby colour. Pronounced and developing nose with red plum, blackcurrant, blackberry, black pepper, cloves, cedar and chocolate. Pronounced taste of blackcurrant, blackberry, black pepper, vanilla, cedar and chocolate. Long and dry finish. High acidity. High tannins. Medium body. An outstanding St. Julien with great potential. Drink in twenty to thirty years. Goes well with beef or lamb.
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5/1/2023 - Decanting Queen Likes this wine:
Catching up on my notes and writing from memory but…
I had this at the chateau last year and couldn’t believe how well it was drinking. The fruit was so ripe and vibrant, blind I might have thought a Napa cab like b cellars which is just crazy for a young Bordeaux.
So I convinced Mark to buy some of these for us to split and then didn’t try again until last week. What a disappointment!!! I suspect I missed the baby fat window and it had already ventured into way too young to drink Bordeaux.
The fruit is still there and great quality and delicious. It is balanced with slightly grippy and tight tannins. But there is a bitterness to the finish that seemed to get worse with air. Day 2 even more disjointed.
I should know better by now. Next bottles in 15 yrs!
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4/25/2023 - Mark1npt Likes this wine: 92 Points
92 I think, is a fair score. Decanted for 3 hours before our event. Minimal Bdx funk on the nose when first opened. Leather, graphite and black currant on the nose 2-3 hours in. Blacker tasting fruit on the palate. 14.5% alc, so it's not that big a factor. Yet, this still seems like it was at its juiciest in the first couple of hours in the decanter before the event. It would have made a Cali red drinker happy. This one is good early on, but certainly needs a few more years to come around. Good acidity to go for many years.....tannins, too. A little graphite and leather up front.
Addendum: a small glass left in the bottle on the counter overnight, no cork so now about 27 hours of total air at room temp of 73 degrees between yesterday's decant and all night/today in open bottle. Nose of old stewed plum, palate has fallen apart and tannins have developed a tremendous coarseness on the tongue, like grit.....and there is no grit in this wine as I decanted all its sediment off yesterday. I do not like this wine the 2nd day. If scoring now, maybe an 82?
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3/14/2023 - Moroo Likes this wine: 92 Points
산미가 쌔지도 없지도 않은게 딱 맛있게 잘 먹었다
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11/7/2022 - kostaslonis Likes this wine:
Trinity Wines tasting (Stavros Niarchos): Tight, coffee, nutty, black fruit, decadent, needs time, jammy, palate with nice juicy fruit, nice tannins, med body, earthy, a touch gamey, med finish
Probably needs decanting
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11/1/2022 - Irish_Wine wrote: 94 Points
Medium ruby.
Lovely and quite savoury nose with blackcurrant, cedar, mint, charred wood.
Lovely palate with a long finish.
*** Tasted as part of a walkaround 2018 Bordeaux tasting. Not full notes ***
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3/19/2022 - ETT95 wrote: 92 Points
Purple red, crystal clear. It has a prominent nose of oak and rich fruits which I miss. Newer Bordeaux tend to have a lighter touch on wood. On palate it is smooth and round, with every flavours that you’d expect from a Saint-Julien. Plums, raspberries and a bit of pencil shaves. The finish is lingering. Very nicely made and it has a decade to come before getting more developed.
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3/4/2022 - Tony Ling Likes this wine: 93 Points
66% Cabernet Sauvignon, 29% Merlot, 5% Petit Verdot. 14.5% 45 hl/ha yield. 16 months in oak barrels (60% new). 50 years old vine.
PNP into Riedel Ouverture glass (“Leaf” day):
Sight: Medium purple to the eyes.
Nose: Darker cherry fruits, minty spices. Toffee, cocoa.
Palate: Less acidic, darker toned fruits, richer and more opulent.
93 points.
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1/19/2022 - vinhonotte Likes this wine: 91 Points
Fine Wines SG - 2018 Cabernet BYOB (Praelum Wine Bistro): Deep ruby with purple hue. Soft silky tannins that was achieved after some 4 hours of decanting, with ripe cassis, blackberry, and cool mint and violets, and cinnamon. Medium length
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11/25/2021 - Orange Tsian wrote: 90 Points
黑醋栗、黑樱桃等黑色果味还比较结实紧致，带有一些硬朗的肌肉感，花香细碎，而中后段的石墨、甘草、烟熏、皮革和肉桂等味道则增加了厚重感，还有点浑浊感。入口结构中，比较集中紧实，解单宁多且收拢，汇聚于舌中，还有些粗糙感。黑色果味比较成熟，带有一点轻微的青梗味，在石墨、烟叶碎和香料的映衬下，整体有点黑黢黢的。90+/100
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11/25/2021 - wineappellation Likes this wine: 92 Points
Milk chocolate, blackcurrant, blackberry, underlying oak, hint of savoury truffle. Medium bodied. Approachable.
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11/7/2021 - La Cave d'Argent Likes this wine: 94 Points
The 2018 iteration of Château Talbot is packaged in a special, painted bottle that commemorates the 100th anniversary of Cordier family ownership. As such, it may not be recognized by those who have seen Talbot's traditional label over the decades. Vinturi-decanted, this particular specimen was allowed three hours in decanter before serially tasting over the next three hours. An opaque crimson blend of 66% Cabernet Sauvignon, 29% Merlot and 5% Petit Verdot that was aged for 16 months in French oak (60% new), it is aromatically effusive of ripe blackberries, cassis, fig, graphite, tobacco and exotic spices. Full-bodied, freshly acidic and with nicely integrated alcohol (14.5%), it delivers a flavor payload that mirrors the nose, wrapped with a generous aliquot of fine-grained tannins and spicy oak. Dense on the mid-palate and lengthy on the back end, this is a tremendous Saint-Julien that will require some cellar time to reach its potential. Drink 2028-2048.
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10/14/2021 - GrapeScott wrote: 91 Points
This is a classy, Modern-styled St. Julien, surprisingly approachable at this young stage. Fruit forward, but with deft oak that is not too "in your face," my main complaint is that this doesn't really distinguish itself from the pack. Initially this was Coravin'ed, then opened about a week later and the remaining bottle consumed over several nights, so I had a chance to track its evolution. I much prefer its neighbor Gruaud Larose, which is well worth the extra $15 tariff.
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9/24/2021 - Dpark8 Does not like this wine: 86 Points
Oak, great body and tanning. Bit too jammy and fruity. May need few more years
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9/20/2021 - nkh1245 Likes this wine: 92 Points
짙은 루비색
오크, 바닐라, 검은 과실, 미묘한 나무, 미네랄리티
바디 4 탄닌 3 당도 1 산도 1
아직은 영빈, 시시각각 바뀌는 향, 구조감 좋은 와인
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8/30/2021 - Purple Tooth wrote: 95 Points
Energetic is a great way to describe the 2018 Talbot. Once again, this is made with an old school vibe that comes across as fresh ripe plums and bell pepper with earth, and tobacco in a long, energetic package. This wine has a strong backbone of gentle, yet abundant tannins that make it drinkable today and in proportion to everything else for graceful aging. This is 2016, dialed up 2 notches. Drink or Hold
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6/21/2021 - FransS wrote: 93 Points
The 2018 UGCB tasting Amsterdam 6/21/2021 (Amsterdam, Amstel Boathouse): The centenary bottle is quite special; there is a lovely attaque in the mouth, a gentle and juicy midtaste, not complex, but balanced, aftertaste with a medium length.
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6/21/2021 - Xavier Auerbach wrote: 91 Points
Amsterdam UGCB Tasting (Amstel Boathouse, Amsterdam, NL): Earthy nose, quite fierce tannins, powerful and concentrated but dry and aloof.
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3/9/2021 - Jeff Leve wrote: 93 Points
Smoke, espresso, tobacco leaf, cedar, currants and spice create a beautiful nose. On the palate the wine is round, juicy, fruity and packed with sweet currants, herbs and oak. Give this at least 8 years of cellaring to develop more nuances and for the oak to better integrate.
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10/13/2020 - R J Lewis wrote:
N: savoury dominant.
P: Lots of savoury capsicum. Mid-weight.
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7/3/2019 - rossi.wine wrote: 92 Points
Very ripe and concentrated - notes of dark fruit, spices, liquorice, violets. Quite sweet on the palate on entry, good acidity, unobtrusive tannins. A big wine, well-balanced with good length. 91-92+
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5/31/2019 - wineforth Likes this wine: 93 Points
A Barrel sample tasted at Lord's en primeur. Alcohol thankfully kept down 14.0% Preferred to the 14 by Paul. A good, well balanced 18. £510 a case i.b. rules it out of my shortlist on value grounds.
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4/19/2019 - Jeff Leve wrote: 93 Points
Elegant and refined, this wine offers intriguing depth on the mid-palate. Medium-bodied, sweet, fresh and round, there is a nice touch of licorice, black fruits, earth and spice that carries through from start to finish. The wine is made from 66% Cabernet Sauvignon, 29% Merlot and 5% Petit Verdot, reaching 14% alcohol. This is the first vintage at Talbot with Jean-Michel Laporte in charge. 92-94 Pts
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