Producer Profile
Chateau Talbot
Chateau Talbot is a renowned estate within the appellation of St-Julien, on Bordeaux’s left bank. In 1855 they were classified as a Fourth Growth estate, and since then they have upheld a reputation for consistency and quality. The best examples are richly aromatic, with notes of cedar, cassis and vanilla, with a palate packed full of dense black fruits.
The estate takes its name from John Talbot, Earl of Shrewsbury, who in 1453 suffered the ignominy of losing the battle, and with it his life, which allowed Bordeaux and its vineyards to slip back into French control after belonging to the British Crown for over 340 years. It is now owned by the Cordier family, who have kept the estate in the family for the last century. Georges Cordier, who controlled the property in the mid-20th Century was a lover of white wine, and he took the unusual step of planting Sauvignon Blanc and Semillon so they could produce a dry white wine. The first vintage of this was the 1945 Le Caillou Blanc de Ch. Talbot.
Talbot is one of the largest in the Medoc, covering 102 hectares just inland from the Gironde River, to the West of the hamlet of St-Julien-Beychevelle. There blend typically consists of 66% Cabernet Sauvignon, 26% Merlot, 3% Cabernet Franc and 5% petit Verdot. The vinification includes 18 months maturation in small oak barriques.
