The savoir-faire
The alchemy of grape varieties and terroirs
The Terroir
Château Talbot’s 110 hectares of vineyards stretch around the estate, right in the heart of the appellation.
Planted on a terroir of fine Günzian gravel on a clay base, forming draining hilltops, we find a majority of red vines (105 hectares) and a confidential area of white vines (5 hectares).
The management of the vineyard is among the most impeccable in the Médoc.
The wines, overseen by Nancy Bignon-Cordier with the valuable advice of oenologist Eric Boissenot, are generous and very elegant. Their velvety texture and silky tannins allow them to be appreciated young as well as after a long cellaring.
In red, Cabernet Sauvignon dominates, accounting for 70% of the area planted. It provides tannic structure and power. With 26% Merlot, the wines acquire roundness and smoothness.
To perfect this alchemy of grape varieties and terroirs, Petit Verdot (4%) comes in touches, like spices in cooking. He is particularly pampered at Talbot where Nancy Bignon-Cordier has a weakness for this enfant terrible.
In white, the grape variety is made up of 80% Sauvignon which brings freshness and aromatic complexity, and 20% Sémillon for its richness and length.
Château Talbot is certified High Environmental Value level 3.
The harvests
The harvests
The grapes are picked by hand. With no fewer than 120 harvesters, this crucial stage in the creation of a great wine is subject to rigorous selection. A first selection of grapes takes place in the vineyard, followed by a second when they are received in the vat room. Conveyed in bins, the grapes are destemmed, and only the irreproachable berries are then selected by optical sorting or a densimetric sorting machine.
This meticulous craftsmanship, coupled with rigorous plot-by-plot selection, yields wines of exceptional aromatic purity and precision.
The winemaking
The winemaking
The wooden and stainless-steel vats complement each other according to the terroirs to vinify the patiently ripened grapes to their fullest potential.
At Château Talbot, wine combines the past and the future; respect for traditions and technological evolution live in perfect harmony there.
The alliance of techniques, terroir and the men who work it with passion, will give birth
wines that are full of character, harmonious and complex, and promising longevity.
The barrel cellar
The barrel cellar
Completed in 2013, the Grand Chai immediately stands out among the most important wine-growing architectures of Bordeaux, particularly for its originality, whether in terms of its size or its aesthetics.
Completely unique in its design, and and thought out for optimal use by the teams,
the new Talbot winery, born from the work of Bordeaux architects Nairac and Vacheyrout, has nothing comparable in the region.
This monumental cellar can accommodate 1,800 barrels, where the wines are matured for 16 months at a temperature of 17°C. The choice of coopers, the duration of aging and the rhythm of racking vary depending on the style and evolution of the different batches. Regular wine tasting guides these choices.
The blend
The blend
After the harvest, this is the most delicate operation. It requires great sensitivity and a good memory of the vintage to understand the future evolution of the new wine. Blending is the symphony of many parameters: grape varieties, terroir, age of vines, vintage climatology…
With the help of oenologist Eric Boissenot, Nancy and Jean-Paul Bignon, along with their entire team, seek the greatest authenticity and harmony for Talbot wines.