One of (too many) wines tasted at the Sir Willy Offline, held at the Grill at Meadowood Resort, Sunday, April 13th.


Still quite nice color, a clear red with somewhat brownish edges. Nose itself as sour, this is wine in it’s decline imo. Palate is soft and plush, with tannins fairly well faded, leading to a short finish. 86 points, drink now.

eric-normally talbot is not a long termer, yet when parker tasted it in 1997, he gave it 96 points and said drink thru 2020. your tasting notes indicate premature aging. do you think the bottle was in good shape?

ojeffso -

Most people seemed to like this wine much more than I did, so it is entirely possible I was starting to experience palate fatigue. The bottle seemed to be in perfect condition, and the color supported that, it just didn't move me.

It seems like the environment was not terribly conducive to appreciating a 17 year old Bordeaux especially one from a tannic year. With a bunch of big young many sweet fruited wines, Left Bank Bordeaux will not show well.

From everything I've read, I can't imagine this wine to be in decline. I was given one bottle as a gift and it will sleep for years. Drinking tannic Bordeaux too young is a felony in my house.

I think Jones hit the nail on the head, this is a wine to be savoured slowly over a fine meal, not lined up against the sorts of wines that dominated this tasting.

eric-your " brownish edges" made me think this wine may have been subject to heat or oxidation.

We had the 1986 Chateau Talbot last night. It was a medium-deep purple color with no browning. The wine had a beautiful nose of wet earth and spice- there was no mistaking this for California. On the palatem the wine was a litle bit austere but the tannins were softening. Deep dark fruit flavors blanced the tannins and, along with the acidity, indicate this wine is likely still improving. Complex, balanced, and the most ready-to-drink of any 1986 Bordeaux I've tasted. 91