Château Talbot, 4ème Cru Classé, St Julien, 2017
Good ol' Talbot. We tasted at the UGC, which certainly doesn't enhance a wine’s chances, and despite its inauspicious surroundings, Talbot triumphed. Jean Michel Laporte, formally of La Conseillante has created one of the best Talbots we can remember – a wine that harks back to the glory days of the Cordiers in the 1980s. The final blend is 70% Cabernet Sauvignon, 25% Merlot and 5% Petit Verdot. It opens with classic Cabernet aromas of violet, gravelly cassis and garrigue. The palate is solid but also quite juicy and fun. Grippy, something you can get your teeth into, this is a really well-judged effort matching density of fruit with vibrant acidity and plenty of length. Bravo.
critic reviews
Yet more proof of how good 2017 is right now. Cloves, liquorice root, juicy blueberry and salivating, savoury cassis-strewn Cabernet Sauvignon, edge of bitter fennel and smoked almond on the finish, this is great stuff. No need to wait although you absolutely can hold on and get a softer, more finessed experience in a couple of years. 50% new oak for ageing, Jean-Pierre Marty director.