Deep ruby colour with tight garnet rim. It opens up fine with some complexity, mainly from using four varieties, with 83% Cabernet Sauvignon, 15% Merlot, and 2% Cabernet Franc. The first nose is filled with maturity-classy and complex tones, delicate woods, black(red) currant, cherries, prune, and black tea. The palate reflects the nose and is accessible, soft, medium-bodied, easy to drink, not particularly powerful and a little less robust than Barton can be, but already very accessible, with integrated tannins and a fresh acid structure. Medium length in the finish and balanced in itself. Not a great vintage but a great drinking pleasure.
The score is consistently high, for example:
WE 94–96. Barrel sample. Firmly tannic, this wine is dry and extracted. There's potential for this powerful, impressive wine to bear its very dry character with the weight of its fruit. Edited.
VertdeVIn 95. The nose is fruity and fresh and offers some minerality and good definition. There are notes of crunchy blackberry, crushed strawberry and more slightly crushed raspberry combined with touches of blueberry, delicate hints of liquorice, and cardamom, as well as discreet hints of vanilla and almost sweet blond tobacco. The palate is fruity, well-balanced, stretched out, and precise and offers suppleness, good definition, a certain gourmandise, power with delicacy, harmony and an acidic structure. On the palate, this wine expresses juicy/acidic blackberry, crunchy redcurrant and slightly fresh plum notes with a touch of fresh violet, delicate vanilla/vanilla bean, zan and a subtle, almost sappy edge (in the background) and a discreet hint of chocolate. Nice acidity and ripe/acidic, juicy fruit. Edited.
Deep glowing ruby with a tight rim, this bottle is elegantly dark-fruited with sophistication. The profile is towards the terroir-based—a near 5th Growth quality with traditional, St Estephe structure, firm backbone, earthy, mineral, barnyard with tamed, still dusty tannins. The palate is gripping with texture leading to a dry, medium finish. Relatively fresh and clean.
Some customers and critics(including JS) would want more fruit. Unfortunately, most Medocs do not have round, ripe fruit. However, the team thinks this wish is stylish and unique. Appropriate food and fresh blueberry will add much to its appreciation.
Consistent scores.
Many tasters like the wine, including RP, who is 2012 for once accorded it 93 Points. The latest score is from Decanter. Awarding it 93 points, Decanter wrote, " Medium-bodied 48% Cabernet Sauvignon, 47% Merlot and 5% Cabernet Franc blend from Bordeaux, France. 13.0% ABV. This is one of the most must-try wines in this lineup because it stands next to these Pauillac classified properties and delivers so much enjoyment about the 1996 vintage. Crème de cassis, chocolate and rich black fruits with finely-bonded open tannins. At its plateau, with tertiary notes of undergrowth and tobacco leaf, this easily has another decade ahead of it and is a signature Médoc Cabernet." 93/100 points from Jane Anson at Decanter Magazine. Decanter continued, "Jean Gautreau purchased the estate in 1969, and it outperformed most Cru Bourgeois. Château Sociando Mallet has expanded to a 57-ha estate from its 7ha under the 30 years ownership of Gautreau, who is aware of his superb terroir and trying to make exceptional Clarets for long keeping; and succeeded!" Edited.
Updated: Jul 29, 2024
After our previous review, we did not have the opportunity to taste the 2015 Talbot, but we rely on expert ratings for this vintage. The 2015 vintage holds significance in Talbot's history and is known for its exceptional quality and potential for ageing. Talbot is always velvety, and 2015 is riper and more structured. It has a balanced structure in terms of acidity and tannin texture, and in that sense, it is not as silky as other older vintages, but will eventually be in 5 years plus time. The nose is slightly suppressed for now and will express even more if you have the slight patience to wait for some moments in the glass.
The 2015 Talbot displays remarkable complexity and is showing much better now than just a year ago. It has a more intense bouquet compared to Gruaud Larose and Lagrange. Initial blackberry and bilberry scents and cedar and subtle mint aromas provide complexity as they sit in the glass. The palate is medium-bodied with grippy tannins on entry and a fine bead of acidity and layers of graphite-infused black fruit. The precision and superb persistence of the finish are impressive. This assessment was made blind at the Southwold 2015 Bordeaux tasting.
In July 2019, Neal Martin of vinous.com rated it RP93. This is a robust, full-bodied wine for St. Julien, demonstrating impressive concentration.
It carries plenty of spicy and toasty oak notes, a testament to its strength. The tannins will require some time to soften, but the elegant finish suggests that from 2020, this wine should make a strong impression. - 94 points, James Suckling, JamesSuckling.com, February 2018.
