Chateau Talbot: Wine Styles, 10 Great Bottles to Buy in 2024

Chateau Talbot is one of the oldest estates in the Medoc region of Bordeaux and has a colorful past, including being named after the Earl of Shrewsbury (England) in the 15th century!

It is classified as one of ten Fourth Growth estates (Quatrieme Grand Cru Classe) in the 1855 Bordeaux classification. At prices more affordable than many other first and second growths in the region, this wine is a great introduction to the enchanting world of Bordeaux.

So, what makes the wines of Chateau Talbot equally sought-after by wine lovers and critics? Which are the best bottles to buy now?

Let’s embark on a tour of the grand Chateau Talbot and explore its rich history, the glorious vineyard, and the top ten wines from this winery. Plus, we’ll take a look at how you can invest in Chateau Talbot Wines with ease.

The Iconic Chateau Talbot

The Chateau Talbot winery is located in Saint Julien, which is one of the oldest red wine appellations of the Haut Medoc district. It lies in southwestern France (near the Gironde estuary) on the left bank of the Bordeaux region. 

Chateau Talbot produces three wines from it’s 102 hectare vineyard: 

• The  Grand Vin - Chateau Talbot
• The  second wine - Connétable de Talbot
• Caillou Blanc (Medoc's oldest dry white wines)

The winery has changed hands several times in the past two hundred years and is now owned by the Cordier family. 

Let’s go back in time to see how it all began.

The History of The Majestic Chateau Talbot

Chateau Talbot was named after Sir John Talbot, the Earl of Shrewsbury (England) who was killed in the battle of Castillon in the 15th century.

After the battle, all Bordeaux vineyards that were under the English crown for 340 years, went back to French control.

The imposing estate was owned by the d'Aux family until it was sold to Désiré Cordier in 1917. The Cordier family had been a distributor of Chateau Talbot wines. They also managed the Chateau Senejac vineyard in the Haut Médoc appellation and the Gruaud Larose vineyard.

Talbot’s imposing estate was then inherited by Désiré Cordier’s son George Cordier, followed by his grandson Jean. 

After Jean passed away in 1993, the estate was passed down to Lorraine Cordier and Nancy Bignon-Cordier, the fourth generation of the Cordier family.In the year 2007, the family hired consultant Stephane Derenoncourt to help improve the quality of their wine and vineyards. 

With the help of consultant Stephane Derenoncourt and oenologist Eric Boissenot, a complete renovation was done in 2016. This can be seen in the improved vinification facilities, oak barrel cellars, wooden vats, and the beautiful and angular cellar design.

Chateau Talbot’s Terroir and Revered Vineyard

The 250-acre vineyard of Chateau Talbot sits atop the Gironde estuary, rich with deposits of alluvial gravel and limestone. Talbot’s vines enjoy the highest elevation in the Saint Julien appellation. The terroir of the vineyard is composed mainly of clay, soil, sandstone, iron, and gravel.

The Chateau has also been experimenting with the Genodics system in the vineyard, which involves emitting different sounds and frequencies to influence vine growth.

Winemaking At The Chateau

Red wine from Chateau Talbot is a blend of grape varieties like Cabernet Sauvignon (66%), Merlot (26%), Cabernet Franc (3%), and Petit Verdot (5%.) The fruit from Talbot’s vines is hand-picked and vinification includes maturation of 18 months in temperature-controlled wooden vats, French oak barriques, and stainless steel tanks.

White wine from Chateau Talbot is a blend of 80% Sauvignon Blanc and 20% Semillon grape varietals. The fruit for Talbot’s white wine vinification comes from a cooler terroir with clay-rich soil. 

Let’s take a look at the gorgeous wines produced here.

Wines Of Chateau Talbot

The three wines produced by Chateau Talbot are:

1. Chateau Talbot

The grand vin, Chateau Talbot, is one of the most famous wines from one of the Medoc’s oldest estates. A racy wine with hints of Havana tobacco and licorice, Chateau Talbot embodies the ideal Saint Julien wine.  

Chateau Talbot, when young, is pleasant, rounded, and contains very mild and silky tannins. It also remains an extremely stable wine as it ages.

On average, only 25,000 cases of the Chateau’s Grand Vin are produced every year. 

2. Connetable Talbot

Connetable Talbot was launched in the sixties and is the second wine of the Chateau.

Like the grand vin, Connetable Talbot is elegant with a clean, well-defined structure and a long, fresh finish. It is aged for 12 to 15 months in an oak barrel.

The grape varietals in this blend include 54% Merlot and 46% Cabernet Sauvignon. It is a great wine with a juicy palate with supple tannins that leave behind a savory gourmet finish.

3. White Caillou Blanc de Talbot

Caillou Blanc happens to be the only white Bordeaux wine (Bordeaux blanc) that’s produced in the Saint Julien appellation. Caillou Blanc was also the first white wine to be made in the Medoc. Georges Cordier (grandfather of the current owners, Lorraine Cordier and Nancy Bignon-Cordier) was a white wine lover. He was one of the first in the Medoc to replant the white vine fruit in Chateau Talbot's terroir in the 1930s.

Aromatic with a lively personality, this great wine comes mainly from the Sauvignon Blanc grape varietal, with a hint of Semillon.

Serving And Food Pairing Tips For Talbot Wines

Serve your Chateau Talbot wine at 15 degrees Celsius (60 degrees Fahrenheit). Pour it into a decanter before serving to bring out the freshness of the wine. This will also let you enjoy the generous bouquet of cedarwood and vanilla-scented cassis fruit aroma, and a palate of well-integrated tannins and ripe black fruit.

Great food and wine pairing are about creating a balance between the dish and the characteristics of the wine. Pair your Talbot red wine with classic meat dishes, including grilled, stewed, or roasted veal, pork, beef, lamb, duck, game, and roasted chicken.

Talbot white wines go well with Asian cuisine. It strikes the perfect balance with hearty seafood like Tuna or richly textured food like mushrooms, pasta, cheese, and grilled herbs.

10 Exceptional Wines Of Chateau Talbot (Including Tasting Notes, Prices)

Here are some of the best Chateau Talbot Vintages to buy in 2024:

1. 1922 Chateau Talbot, St Julien, France

This red savory Bordeaux wine blend is a classic. It has tasting notes of oak, havana tobacco, cedar with a bold palate of black currant, cassis, and blackberry fruit. This wine pairs fine with beef and venison.

Price of 1922 Chateau Talbot, St Julien, France: $668

2. 1929 Château Talbot, St Julien, France

The 1929 Talbot has a garnet red color with a nose of cedar and cigar. The palate is pleasant, round, and sweet, marked by a silky tannin. This vintage wine pairs well with red meat and grilled herbs. 

Price of 1929 Château Talbot, St Julien, France: $748

3. 1934 Chateau Talbot, St Julien, France - $471

This unique wine has a generous bouquet of cedar that emerges throughout. The 1934 vintage has a charming taste of dark fruit, cinnamon, spice, and earth, characterized by a long finish on the palate.

Price of 1934 Chateau Talbot, St Julien, France: $471

4. 1947 Chateau Talbot, St Julien, France - $544

The 1947 vintage has a beautiful nose of sweet red fruit, black cherry, pine sap, oak cabernet green, cedar, and leather notes. The wine has a fully integrated sweet palate, bright acidity, freshness, and a lovely long finish.

Price of 1947 Chateau Talbot, St Julien, France: $544

5. 1949 Chateau Talbot, St Julien, France 

This elegantly mature ruby-brown vintage comes with a meaty character. It has a thoroughly captivating aroma of decayed earth, black cherry, and minerals. It is complimented by a palate of light bell pepper, and tobacco that comes alive upon opening.

Price of 1949 Chateau Talbot, St Julien, France: $614

6. 1952 Chateau Talbot, St Julien, France

This red wine from the Chateau Talbot Saint-Julien appellation is vinified using Petit Verdot, Merlot, Cabernet Sauvignon and Cabernet Franc. The nose is floral, fruity, and violet. The palate packs silky tannins with a long sweet finish.

Price of 1952 Chateau Talbot, St Julien, France: $506

7.  1958 Chateau Talbot, St Julien, France

The aroma of the 1958 Talbot is rich with notes of tea, rust, oak celery, and nuts. The palate of this Talbot vintage is layered with notes of chocolate, celery, and coffee.

Price of 1958 Chateau Talbot, St Julien, France: $332

8. 1959 Chateau Talbot, St Julien, France

This fine wine has layers of savory earth, truffles, tobacco, with some leathery funk. Its mature red fruit flavors seamlessly come together on the nose and palate. The tasting note for this red wine is smooth with a tad bit of spice and a lovely graphite streak that lingers long after the finish.

Price of 1959 Chateau Talbot, St Julien, France: $385

9. 1961 Chateau Talbot, St Julien, France 

This medium-bodied wine with a smokey flavor has silky tannins. The 1961 vintage has a sweet undertone, with a hint of vanilla and smoked meat. The wine finishes with notes of chocolate.

Price of 1961 Chateau Talbot, St Julien, France: $557 

10. 1982 Château Talbot, St Julien, France

This well-balanced and powerful vintage is a perfect Saint Julien wine with smooth rounded tannin and notes of licorice, cassis, black fruits, and tobacco leaf.

Price of 1982 Chateau Talbot. St Julien, France: $284

Should You Invest In Chateau Talbot Wines?

Chateau Talbot wines have captured the attention of collectors and wine critics, especially after the 2003 vintage.These wines also started getting 90+ scores from critics in the early 2000s.

Robert Parker gave the 2019 vintage a score of 92 while the Wine Spectator gave the 2017  Chateau Talbot St Julien vintage a score of 93.

Guide Hachette des Vins awarded the 2010 vintage 2 Stars Coup De Coeur, while the International Wine Competition awarded the 2003 Talbot vintage a gold.

These Medoc wines become fully vibrant after 7-10 years of bottle age and reach peak maturity between 20 - 25 years offering a fantastic drinking experience. 

Moreover, the value of Chateau Talbot’s wines has been increasing slowly and steadily as they age. The price of the 1961 Chateau Talbot grew 32% to $518 in six months (August 2020 to March 2021). The 1965 Chateau Talbot grew 12% to $355 from February 2020 to January 2021.

So, how can you easily add a bottle of Chateau Talbot to your wine collection?

The smartest way to invest in fine wine like Talbot is to use a trusted online wine investment company like Vinovest.

Invest In Chateau Talbot and Other Wines Through Vinovest

Vinovest is an AI-based online platform that helps you buy, sell, authenticate, and store investment-grade wines from around the world with just a few clicks.This leading online wine investment company helps you get the most exclusive fine wines from Napa Valley or from Medoc’s oldest estates or anywhere else in the world!

How Does It Work?

It’s pretty simple. Just follow these four steps: 

1. Go to the Vinovest website and sign up with your name, email, and password.
2. Fill out a quick questionnaire to determine your risk appetite and investment style (balanced, aggressive, or conservative.)
3. Fund your account with a minimum amount of $1,000.
4. You can curate your portfolio or let Vinovest’s algorithm choose the best investment-grade wines for you. Watch it grow while enjoying a glass of wine!

Benefits

1. AI-Driven Technology For Easy Buying and Selling 

Vinovest’s AI-based platform makes it super simple to buy and sell great wines from all over the world with just the click of a button. 

2. Best Prices

Since all the wines are sourced directly from winemakers, wine merchants, and global wine exchanges - you can buy the finest and rarest wine bottles in the world at wholesale prices.  

3. Optimal Storage And Safety

Your wine bottles are safe in bonded Vinovest warehouses located near the world’s most famous wine regions. All storage facilities maintain optimal humidity, vibration, light, and temperature levels at all times.

The warehouses are also equipped with surveillance cameras and power backup generators to ensure the security of your bottles at all times.

4. Authenticity And Provenance

Buying a Screaming Eagle Cabernet Sauvignon or any other exotic fine wine online carries the risk of being sold a counterfeit bottle. But, Vinovest goes the extra mile to trace each bottle’s provenance. 

5. Easy Delivery

Want to try that bottle of Chateau Talbot you just bought? Or gift it to a friend? 

You just have to let Vinovest know about the shipping details and they will take care of everything.

6. Low Overall Costs

Vinovest charges only a 2.5% annual fee, reduced to 1.9% when your portfolio balance exceeds $50,000. This fee covers your wine buying, selling, storage, fraud detection, and portfolio management.

Also, you won’t incur any excise duty or VAT since the bonded warehouse facilities don’t charge them.

Add An Elegant Talbot To Your Cellar 

Made in one of Medoc’s oldest estates, Chateau Talbot is one of the most famous St Julien wines. The best wines from this imposing estate can evolve for years and will make for a wonderful addition to your cellar. 

Sign up to use the Vinovest platform and add authentic bottles of investment-grade wine to your portfolio.