Talbot 2018 (750ML)

96 JS / 95 WS / 94 DE / 94 WE / 94 FS / 93+ JD / 93 WCI / 93 VM / 17+ JR

To celebrate the 100th year of acquisition by the Cordier family, the 2018 Chateau Talbot will be packaged in special silkscreened bottles for the 750ml, and with a special label which will have the same design as the 750ml for other formats. The design depicts the pillars of the cellar, but also roots or vine stocks.

Rich aromas of blackcurrant, blackberry, chocolate, tobacco and licorice. Oyster shell, too. It’s full-bodied with firm, well integrated tannins. Polished, silky layers with a long finish. Gorgeous ripe and bright fruit in the center palate. Best in a long time. Try from 2025. - James Suckling

This is densely packed with ripe macerated fig, blackberry and plum fruit flavors supported by tar and bramble notes that meld steadily through the finish. Notes of applewood and anise flash throughout. For the cellar. Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot and Petit Verdot. Best from 2023 through 2036. - James Molesworth, Wine Spectator

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. - Jane Anson, Decanter

The special bottle celebrates 100 years of ownership by the Cordier family, one of the top Bordeaux wine families.This wine shows concentration and intense black fruits. Rich dark chocolate and a luscious texture are allied to the firm base of tannins. The wine is set for aging. Drink from 2027. - Roger Voss, Wine Enthusiast

Deep ruby garnet, purple glints, faintly lighter at the rim. Elegant spiced wood tones, cassis, blackberries, a hint of nougat, followed by tobacco and mineral touches. Succulent, refined, chocolatey texture, lush cherries, round tannins, and persistence. Excellent ageing potential. (2025-2045)-Peter Moser, Falstaff

Released in an all-black bottle celebrating 100 years in the Cordier family, the 2018 Château Talbot is a beautiful, classic Saint-Julien that leads with its pure cassis and currant fruit as well as notes of tobacco leaf, violets, chocolate, damp earth, and new leather. These all carry to a medium to full-bodied, elegant 2018 with remarkable purity of fruit, a lively spine of acidity, ripe, polished tannins, and a great finish. It doesn't have quite the level of concentration I thought from barrel, but it's nevertheless a beautiful wine that shines for its finesse and purity, and if it picks up weight in bottle, it will certainly merit an even higher rating. Give bottles 3-5 years and enjoy over the following 15-20+. The blend is 67% Cabernet Sauvignon, 27% Merlot, and the rest Petit Verdot, brought up in 50% new French oak. - Jeb Dunnuck

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.-Jeff Leve, Wine Cellar Insider

The 2018 Talbot is quite the powerhouse. Inky and deep, the 2018 possesses striking textural richness from start to finish. Inky dark fruit, licorice, cloves, new leather, menthol, violet and chocolate fill out the layers effortlessly in this decidedly flashy Saint-Julien. This is a terrific effort for Technical Director Jean-Michel Laporte in his first vintage at Talbot. It will be interesting to see where the château goes in future years. This is certainly an opulent, rich style. - Antonio Galloni, Vinous Media

Deep purple-black hue. Big and rich with a crème de cassis nuance. Plenty of mid-palate volume and gras. Big tannic frame so powerful in style. More modern in concept than the other vintages. Clearly for long cellaring. -James Lawther MW, JancisRobinson