2018 Château Talbot

95 POINTS

Bettane & Desseauve - Bettane & Desseauve

Grand corps, tannin précis, grand avenir, un superbe talbot en préparation qui méritera peut-être encore une meilleure note.

94 POINTS

Roger Voss - Wine Enthusiast

This balanced, stylish wine is full of a dark berry flavor and juicy acidity. The dry core of tannins is integrated and cushioned by the fruity nature. The wine is already showing its fine future.

94 POINTS

Jane Anson - Decanter

A great St-Julien that reflects the estate more than the vintage - a definite compliment to the winemaking team as well as those 50-year-old (on average) vines that are less swayed by climatic changes.  This is full of blackberry and bilberry, with a touch of tobacco on the nose. There's good sweetness to the fruit, and although it's not quite as punchy, deep or concentrated as some, this means that it has a beautifully balanced appellation signature. 45hl/ha yield. 60% new oak.Drinking Window 2027 - 2040

94 POINTS

James Suckling

Very attractive core of pretty fruit and polished yet chewy tannins. Medium to full body, integrated tannins and a driven finish. One of the best Talbots in a long time.

94 POINTS

James Molesworth - Wine Spectator

Shows range, with cassis, blueberry and plum fruit and a nice snap of licorice throughout. Fleshy, but with latent drive on the finish. A concentrated, solid wine.

93 POINTS

Jeff Leve - The Wine Cellar Insider

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 POINTS

Lisa Perrotti-Brown MW - Wine Advocate

Deep garnet-purple in color, the 2018 Talbot is just a little reduced to begin, opening out to reveal notions of warm red and black currants, baked plums and mulberries with touches of sautéed herbs, tilled soil, fallen leaves and unsmoked cigars. Medium to full-bodied, it has commendably ripe, fine-grained tannins and restrained, earthy layers on offer in the mouth with an herbal lift on the finish.

92 POINTS

Antonio Galloni MW - Vinous

The 2018 Talbot is super-refined and nuanced from start to finish. Powerful yet also impeccably refined. Talbot is a wine of real character and glass. Savory Cabernet Sauvignon inflections of grilled herbs, cedar, tobacco, menthol, licorice and coffee all add shades of nuance. At times, Talbot can be a bit light. Not in 2018. Simply put, the 2018 Talbot is stellar. Tasted two times.