Red Wines    Bordeaux Red Blends    Medoc    France - Bordeaux   
Wine.com - Buy wines, wine clubs, gift baskets and more
My Rating (circle) :
Date Printed: 1/9/2009
(search item no. 94403)
The Wine Advocate rating: 89 points
PRICE ON 1/9/2009: $44.99

ratings pedigree (past vintages):
2004 Wine Spectator rating: 90 points
2004 The Wine Advocate rating: 90 points
2004 International Wine Cellar rating: 89 points
2003 The Wine Advocate rating: 94 points
2003 Wine Spectator rating: 92 points
1999 Wine Spectator rating: 90 points
1998 International Wine Cellar rating: 90 points
1989 Wine Spectator rating: 90 points

Winemaker's Notes:

"A striking minerality, copious quantities of black currants and plums, along with some dried herbs jump from the glass of this tannic, structured, somewhat severe but large-scaled, muscular wine that oozes testosterone. Virile, structured, and perhaps too tannic for its own good, but impressively built, pure, and a wine to admire (rather than possibly enjoy), this large-scaled 2002 requires 7-10 years of cellaring. Anticipated maturity: 2013-2025+?. One of the cru bourgeois estates that always performs at classified growth quality levels, Sociando Mallet has, for 20 years, been the insider’s choice for top quality wine that will easily withstand two decades of cellaring. Bottles of the 1970, 1975, and 1982 from my cellar are still youthful and evolving!"
-Wine Advocate

"Complex, slightly rustic aromas of black raspberry, mocha, smoke, game, leather and mint. Supple, sweet and rather easygoing, showing more of a merlot texture than a sample presented to me a year ago. Offers plenty of personality..."
-International Wine Cellar

My Notes:

About Château Sociando-Mallet:

Château Sociando-Mallet has been building its reputation since 1970, when Jean Gautreau raised standards to near Cru Classé quality. The quality of the wine continued to improve throughout the 1990s, when between 80 and 100 percent new oak became the norm.