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Talbot 2015

RegionBordeaux
Subregion France > Bordeaux > Left Bank > St Julien
ColourRed
TypeStill
Grape VarietyCabernet Sauvignon/Merlot

View all vintages of this wine | View all wines by Château Talbot

Label

Tasting Notes

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.

93
Neal Martin, vinous.com, July 2019

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.

94
James Suckling, JamesSuckling.com, February 2018

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

16.5
Jancis Robinson MW, JancisRobinson.com, February 2019

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

91
Jeb Dunnuck, JebDunnuck.com, November 2017

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.

86/89
Derek Smedley MW, DerekSmedleyMW.co.uk, April 2016

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

91
Tim Atkin MW, timatkin.com, April 2016

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.

17.5
Matthew Jukes, Matthew Jukes' Blog, April 2016
Read more tasting notes...

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.

90
Neal Martin, March 2018

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.

88/90
Neal Martin, Wine Advocate (224), April 2016

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.

92/93
James Suckling, JamesSuckling.com, March 2016

Dark crimson. Lots of sweet fruit but a slight lack of focus. Solid box-ticking wine but without real excitement.
Drink 2024-2040

17
Jancis Robinson MW, JancisRobinson.com, November 2017

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

16.5
Jancis Robinson MW, JancisRobinson.com, April 2016
Please note that these tasting notes/scores are not intended to be exhaustive and in some cases they may not be the most recently published figures. However, we always do our best to add latest scores and reviews when these come to our attention. We advise customers who wish to purchase wines based simply on critical reviews to carry out further research into the latest reports.