Château Talbot Connetable de Talbot 2023

Château Talbot is a long-established estate in Saint-Julien, in Bordeaux's Médoc, and the Connétable de Talbot is its second wine, drawn from younger vines and parcels of the same vineyards. The 2023 blends Merlot with Cabernet Sauvignon and a little Petit Verdot, planted on the gravel soils that define the left bank, where the deep stony beds drain well, store daytime heat and help the Cabernet ripen fully. The wine ages fifteen months in oak barrels, where slow oxygen exchange through the wood softens the tannins and adds spice and a measured oak frame, while the Merlot fills out the mid palate and the Petit Verdot lends colour and structure. The colour is deep, and the nose shows ripe plum and dark berries with cherry, tobacco and a touch of dark chocolate. The palate is medium to full bodied, with firm but ripe tannin and a savoury, cedary finish. Serve at 17C in a Bordeaux glass, decanting an hour ahead if drinking young. It is a classic match for roast lamb and beef.