2005 Château Talbot - Rediscovering form
‘Talbot embodies for many the ideal of Saint Julien, generously bouqueted, very stable and sure to age’
Bettane et Desseauve, Grand Guide des Vins de France.
2005 Château Talbot, Cru Classé, St. Julien
£745 per 12 bottle case in bond
I have seldom had a mature bottle of Château Talbot that I regarded as anything other than correct. I have a strong recollection of the 1986 holding my interest more than most vintages I have tasted. This was the vintage that Parker got behind with a strong review. Aside from this vintage and a taste of the 1982 in the dim, distant past, I have really struggled to find much to love in vintages pre-2010, with the sole exception of 2005. And for the record, I tasted Château Talbot en primeur in almost every vintage from around 2000 to 2015 at the Union des Grand Cru tastings in Bordeaux itself, and latterly I have tasted at a major negociant’s tasting. Modern-day vintages certainly show a more assured consistency and some, fine potential.
But back to more mature vintages, I held a tasting last year in which we tasted every wine made in 2005 by a classed growth St. Julien Château – there are 11 in total. Aside from verifying the status of 2005 as a great Bordeaux vintage, the aim of the tasting was to take a look at how open the wines were. Were the structured, powerful 2005s finally starting to show? Our conclusion was that certain wines at the lower end of the hierarchy were definitely starting to drink well, whereas, unsurprisingly, the more structured styles such Léoville-Las Cases still needed plenty of time. I found the wines of Beychevelle, Branaire-Ducru and Langoa-Barton to be comfortably into their drinking window.
The surprise for me was the wine that I had come to dismiss, Talbot. I had come to expect a light, almost weedy fruit, with a green tobacco quality and a certain coarseness of tannin in lesser vintages. Obviously in a vintage like 2005 I would have anticipated the bar to be raised, after all, as the saying goes ‘a rising tide lifts all boats’, but I found a really compelling Talbot in my glass, which I am pleased to offer here at £745 per 12 bottle case in bond – a great price for a 20-year old St. Julien against a market backdrop of £895 per case if you look at listings.
We have a parcel of 10 cases available, all of which have been stored professionally since their shipment, with one other merchant prior to Atlas. This is certainly an attractive parcel of perfect provenance.
Available for immediate delivery.
See below for my tasting note as well as Neal Martin’s from 2018.
2005 Château Talbot, Cru Classé, St. Julien
£745 per 12 bottle case in bond
My note from August 2024
Decanted two hours in advance. Unexpectedly deep garnet in the glass with a fine purity to the hedgerow fruits, all blackberry and loganberry, with enticing hints of cassis. Really striking aromas for a Talbot, with the merest hint of tobacco. The palate is just opening up revealing plenty of substance, though remaining mid-weight. This shows fine complexity with a layered, supple dark berry fruit picking up notes of tobacco leaf, iodine and spice as well as a little background toast. This is a very appealing vintage for the Château, and while it exerts some tannic grip to the finish, these tannins are finely expressed. Impressive and still showing potential. For sure, this can be enjoyed now with ample decanting. It just opens more and more in the glass. Time to revisit more recent vintages after this showing. (SL) Drink: now to 2045
92+ points, Neal Martin, vinous.com (December 2018)
The 2005 Talbot was picked from 22 September until 10 October. Having tasted this several times, this might be the best bottle. Deeper in colour than other vintages, it offers much more fruit: blackberry, bilberry and raspberry tinged with cedar and a faint estuarine tang. These aromatics just have more substance than other vintages. The palate is medium-bodied with supple tannin, a fine bead of acidity. It is not the most complex 2005 Saint-Julien but there is grip and matière, notes of soy and black pepper lining the finish that will benefit from another two or three years in bottle. Very fine. Tasted at the centenary Château Talbot vertical at the property. Drink: 2021-2040
My aim here is to highlight that the 2005 Talbot performed well, and I had no great expectations of it. This St. Julien estate, named after an English commander in the Hundred Years’ War, Sir John Talbot, is after all a Fourth Growth with a large vineyard in excess of 100 hectares at its disposal, mostly planted with Cabernet Sauvignon, supported by Merlot and a tiny amount of Petit Verdot. The vineyards are based on typical gravels of the Médoc, ideal for the cultivation of Cabernet Sauvignon. It remains under the ownership of the Cordier family, who previously also owned Gruaud-Larose.
At its best. St. Julien offers a style of Bordeaux with impeccable balance and a certain suppleness of fruit. It used to be termed classic claret for that very poise. It is great to see the strides that Talbot has made in recent vintages in terms of quality, but equally to find a vintage that is on form today and has so much to offer.
We are really pleased to bring this parcel to your attention.
Simon
simon.larkin@atlasfinewines.com