Chateau Talbot Saint Julien Grand Cru 2022 - 375mL HALF BOTTLE -
(Bordeaux, France) - [WS 96, #13 of '25] [TWI 96] [JS 96] [DM 95] [JD 95] [VM 94] [WE 94] [WA 93]

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About the Winery:
4th Médoc Grand Cru Classé, Château Talbot comprises 110 hectares of a single vineyard in the heart of the Saint-Julien commune, an outstanding appellation as it counts no fewer than 11 classified growths.

Ideally situated on the banks of the Gironde estuary on hilltops of alluvial gravel carried by the Dordogne River from the Massif Central and from the Pyrenees by the Garonne, Château Talbot’s terroir is exceptional.

About the Terroir:
The totality of the 110 hectares of the Château Talbot vineyard surrounds the estate house and stretches north, all the way to the border with the Pauillac appellation. Planted on a terroir of fine Gunzian gravels with a core of fossil-rich limestone, which form draining hilltops, one finds a large majority of red vines (105 hectares) and a small acreage of whites (5 hectares).

The impeccable management of the vineyard is one of the most irreproachable in the Medoc. The wines, supervised by Nancy Bignon-Cordier, with the valuable advice of enologist Eric Boissenot and consultant Stéphane Derenoncourt, are consistently rich while remaining extremely elegant.

The smooth taste and their silky tannins make it possible to drink them young as well as after prolonged aging. With time they develop a delicate, complex aromatic bouquet with tones of cedar and Havana tobacco.

About the Vineyard:
The reds are dominated by the Cabernet Sauvignon variety (66% of the cultivated surface), the variety of choice in the Médoc, particularly in Saint Julien. This variety provides tannic structure and power. With 30% Merlot, the wines become rounder and more suave.

To improve this alchemy of varieties and terroirs, the petit-verdot (4%) provides a delicate touch, like spices in fine cuisine. A difficult variety to tame, it can prove an incredible asset in outstanding vintage years. It is particularly pampered at Talbot, as Nancy Bignon-Cordier has a weakness for this enfant terrible.

For the whites, the grape variety is composed of 80% Sauvignon and 20% Semillon.

Ratings & Reviews

96 Points & #13 Top 100 of '25 - Wine Spectator:
"This delivers an energetic tumble of blackberry, boysenberry and black currant paste flavors injected with bramble and apple wood and supported by a licorice snap accent. The strapping finish is laced with violet and iris notes, while a cast iron edge lends bass. Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot and Petit Verdot. Best from 2027 through 2045. 24,000 cases made, 2,400 cases imported." - JM (May 2025)

96 Points - The Wine Independent:
"This grand vin from Jean-Michel Laporte is 70% Cabernet Sauvignon with 25% Merlot and 5% Petit Verdot. It has a nose which is dense, dark, smoky and brooding, laden with dark chocolate, dried red fruits, toast, crushed chalk and tobacco – I cannot remember the last time I encountered a Talbot so seductive and yet also so dark and brooding. The palate follows on in the same character, all dense, dark and energetic, with masses of tannic structure but in a polished, complete and coherent style, wrapping themselves around the palate but never dominating. A huge success for Talbot here, a wine dense with tannin and potential, and this is quite possibly set to be one of the greatest ever vintages from this property. Come back in ten or twenty years to find out. Chapeau! Tasted twice. The alcohol on the label is 13.5%." - Chris Kissack (Jun 2025)

96 Points - James Suckling:
"The aromas of blackcurrants and dried flowers with fresh herbs like basil and rosemary are extremely attractive. Medium- to full-bodied, this has firm and velvety tannins with a tension and focus that I have not seen for a while. Long and chewy finish. Solid. Drink after 2028 and beyond." (Jan 2025)

95 Points - Decanter Magazine:
"A great effort in 2022 with such excellent precision and detail to the tannins and fruit. Cool blueberries, blackcurrants, cola, vanilla, tobacco and liquorice all give nuance and interest with fleshy tannins and bright acidity. Great balance of intensity and finesse with such energy from start to finish. Really quite approachable and enjoyable with impressive crystalline aspects and a lovely sense of place. Tasted twice. A yield of 40hl/ha. Ageing 16 months in barrels, 60% new. Harvest 9-28 September. 3.75pH." - Georgina Hindle (Apr 2023)

95 Points - Jeb Dunnuck:
"Smoky currants, tobacco leaf, leather, and chocolaty notes all define the 2022 Château Talbot, a sensationally textured, concentrated, medium to full-bodied Saint-Julien. It has plenty of mid-palate depth, ripe, building tannins, beautiful overall balance, and a great finish. Based on 70% Cabernet Sauvignon, 25% Merlot, and the rest Petit Verdot, raised in 60% new oak, it's one of the all-time greats from this château and will have three decades of longevity. (Feb 2025)

94 Points - Vinous Media:
"The 2022 Talbot was bottled in May. Estate Director Jean-Michel Laporte commented that he sees it as a combination of 2018, 2019 and 2020, though better than those vintages. The 2022 has a tightly knit bouquet, crisp and clean, a little "cooler" in style than I recall and I mean that in a positive way. It neatly shrugs off the warmth of that growing season. There's wonderful purity of fruit here, tinged with tobacco and light chimney soot scents. The palate is medium-bodied with crunchy black fruit—a quintessential Talbot, with a little more horsepower than recent vintages but fine precision and structure on the finish. I appreciate the finesse of the tannins and the weight throughout this Saint-Julien. (Drink between 2027-2060)." - Neal Martin (Feb 2025)

94 Points - Wine Enthusiast:
"93-95 Barrel sample. The wine is rich, finely balanced with layers of black fruits. Underlying tannins promise well. It is already dense, with great acidity and structure to propel the wine forward." - Roger Voss (Nov 2023)

93 Points - Wine Advocate:
"The 2022 Talbot has turned out nicely in bottle, bursting with aromas of cherries, berries, orange zest and petals, framed by a touch of toasty new oak. Medium to full-bodied, velvety and layered, with a rich core of fruit, ripe tannins and a long, cigar-inflected finish, it's a blend of 70% Cabernet Sauvignon, 25% Merlot and 5% Petit Verdot that matured in 60% new oak." - William Kelley (Mar 2025)