This is a great Talbot, a real success for the château. Subtle and deft touches throughout, from the smoked turmeric notes that lace the black fruits to the finessed aromatics that accompany the body of the wine. Balance and freshness, and a saline edge to the finish that is extremely moreish. Three years with Jean-Michel Laporte as director and he is doing great work.

Exuberant, with generous plum sauce, licorice root, blackberry compote and apple wood notes vying for attention, as graphite and cast iron accents drive along underneath. Reveals a little flash of exotic toast that snazzes up the finish. Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot and Petit Verdot. Best from 2030 through 2040. — J.M.

Focused and composed with notes of currants, truffles, dried leaves, dark chocolate and graphite. It’s full-bodied, with firm, fine tannins giving sturdy support throughout. Savory and austere at the moment. Needs some time to open up. Try after 2026.

Coffee bean and smoked tobacco edging as I found with the Connetable 2020, followed up by precision-cut black cherry and cassis fruits. Great balance, gunsmoke and tomato leaf, an excellent follow up to the 2019, reflecting the intense work happening in the vineyard at this point. As you sit with this the generosity of the first moments takes a back seat to the grip and savoury St Julien balance, take you time and enjoy the crayon and slate on the finish. 60% new oak for ageing, Jean-Michel Laporte director.

Another gorgeous 2020, the 2020 Château Talbot has an almost Pauillac-like sense of graphite and lead pencil as well as ripe blackcurrant fruit, medium to full body, and abundant notes of smoked tobacco, leather, and dried herbs. It shows the more focused, almost austere, yet still ripe style of the vintage and has terrific mid-palate depth, ripe, polished tannins, and a great finish. There's an almost old school Bordeaux-like vibe in this beauty, but it's not rustic in any way, the balance is spot on, and it has loads of character. I'd be thrilled with bottles in the cellar. It's going to evolve nicely for two decades or more.

The 2020 Talbot was corked on the first bottle. The second has a refined and focused bouquet, with more black fruit than its peers. Cedar and light minty notes impart a Pauillac-like personality. The palate is medium-bodied with sappy black fruit, fine delineation, lovely poise and a sorbet-fresh, high-toned finish. This appears to have meliorated since I tasted it just after bottling, hence the higher score. Tasted blind at the annual Southwold tasting. -- Neal Martin

Classy and classic, the wine pops with aromatics consisting of flowers, tobacco leaf, currants, spearmint and peppery blackberries. On the palate, the wine is medium/full-bodied, lively and loaded with layers of sweet, juicy, fresh black and red currants, savory herbs, wet earth, and dark cocoa. Give it just a few years in the bottle and it will offer over 2 decades of pleasure. Things continue improving here under the direction of Jean-Michel Laporte. Drink from 2025-2050. Read more at:https://www.thewinecellarinsider.com/search-wine-tasting-notes/?szSearch=2020%20Talbot

(90-92 points) Deep purple-black colored, the 2020 Talbot storms out of the glass with powerful blackcurrants, raspberry leaves and baked plums scents, followed by suggestions of dried Mediterranean herbs, tobacco leaf and graphite. The medium-bodied palate delivers lovely freshness and an approachable chewiness, nicely framing the herb-laced black fruits, finishing savory.- LPB