Château Sociando Mallet, Haut Médoc, 2010
Some believe that the gravelly terroir beneath Sociando Mallet is the same ridge that emerges under Latour and Leoville Las Cases; certainly, the wines have a wonderful mineral edge to them. The 2009 is very impressive, offering an extraordinary bouquet of liquid minerals, cigar box, heady hedgerow fruit, redcurrants, pencil shavings, high toned berries and molten rocks. Dense and very impressive, this was likened to Pichon Lalande by one of our team. It is exceptionally fine, polished and beautifully structured; a graceful Sociando Mallet.
critic reviews
Fennel, black chocolate, crushed roses, cassis, blackberry, will run and run, and is exceptional value, particularly in the context of the vintage. Tasted ex-retail, not ex-chateau. Harvest September 24 to October 12. 100% new oak for ageing, native yeast fermentation. One corked bottle, second tasted exceptional.
The 2010 Sociando Mallet has a well defined, pure bouquet with blackberry, bilberry and light estuarine scents that gently waft from the glass. The palate is medium-bodied with grainy tannins, a fine bead of acidity and good weight. It just needs more complexity and terroir expression on the finish. Give this another two or three years. This is one wine where I have encountered better bottles. Tasted blind at Farr Vintners 10-Year On Bordeaux horizontal.