A great St-Julien that reflects the estate more than the vintage - a definite compliment to the winemaking team as well as those 50-year-old (on average) vines that are less swayed by climatic changes. This is full of blackberry and bilberry, with a touch of tobacco on the nose. There`s good sweetness to the fruit, and although it`s not quite as punchy, deep or concentrated as some, this means that it has a beautifully balanced appellation signature. 45hl/ha yield. 60% new oak. 94 points

66% Cabernet Sauvignon, 29% Merlot, 5% Petit Verdot; 60% new oak. Now made by Jean-Michel Laporte. Deepest black-cherry colour. Sweet cassis and blueberry fruit. Smooth and juicy on the palate, much more apparently approachable than many but there’s a deep core of ripe tannin hiding behind the juicy fruit. Thickly textured on the finish yet promising. 16.5 points

Deep garnet-purple in color, the 2018 Talbot is just a little reduced to begin, opening out to reveal notions of warm red and black currants, baked plums and mulberries with touches of sautéed herbs, tilled soil, fallen leaves and unsmoked cigars. Medium to full-bodied, it has commendably ripe, fine-grained tannins and restrained, earthy layers on offer in the mouth with an herbal lift on the finish. 91-93 points

The blend is 66% Cabernet Sauvignon, 29% Merlot and 5% Petit Verdot, and the declared alcohol is 14%. The yields were 45 hl/ha. This feels a little reductive and matchsticky on the nose, and it is a little difficult to get through to the fruit. The palate is very fresh and confident though, with a rich bed of dark tannins, complemented by a wealth of black bean, liquorice, coffee bean too, the palate clearly more talkative than the nose. The palate is rich in polished structure, grippy and broad, and it also feels contemporary and clean. This is a huge success for Talbot. Well done. The élevage will be in 60% new oak and 40% second-fill oak. 9 5-97 points