Winemaker Notes
Blend: 54% Merlot, 44% Cabernet Sauvignon, 2% Cabernet Franc
Professional Ratings
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James Suckling
Mocha, terra-cotta, graphite and black fruit on the nose. Sleek and firm, nicely compact and focused, with a medium body and polished, very fine tannins. Lovely balance and length.
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Robert Parker's Wine Advocate
The 2021 Sociando-Mallet has turned out nicely in bottle, offering up aromas of dark berries and cassis mingled with hints of cigar wrapper and pencil lead. It is medium to full-bodied, fleshy and seamless, with impressive concentration for the vintage, sweet tannins, integrated acids and a penetrating finish.
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Decanter
Sweetly juicy and clear on the nose, so floral but clean. The purity is there on the nose and palate, succulent and easy to enjoy. I love the bright red fruits, the strawberry, raspberry and red cherry with these crushed stone edges giving the texture and flavour of minerality on the tongue and in the mouth. This has perfect elegance and finesse, all the elements presented so well. Just the right balance of push and drive along the palate - a great example this vintage, not trying too hard and presenting what 2021 gave.
Barrel Sample: 91
One of the world’s most classic and popular styles of red wine, Bordeaux-inspired blends have spread from their homeland in France to nearly every corner of the New World. Typically based on either Cabernet Sauvignon or Merlot and supported by Cabernet Franc, Malbec and Petit Verdot, the best of these are densely hued, fragrant, full of fruit and boast a structure that begs for cellar time. Somm Secret—Blends from Bordeaux are generally earthier compared to those from the New World, which tend to be fruit-dominant.
While it claims the same basic landscape as the Medoc—only every so slightly elevated above river level—the Haut Medoc is home to all of the magnificent chateaux of the Left Bank of Bordeaux, creating no lack of beautiful sites to see.
These chateaux, residing over the classed-growth cru in the villages of Margaux, Moulis, Listrac, St-Julien, Pauillac and St. Estephe are within the Haut Medoc appellation. Though within the confines of these villages, any classed-growth chateaux will most certainly claim village or cru status on their wine labels.
Interestingly, some classed-growth cru of the Haut Medoc fall outside of these more famous villages and can certainly be a source of some of the best values in Bordeaux. Deep in color, and concentrated in ripe fruit and tannins, these wines (typically Cabernet Sauvignon-based) often prove the same aging potential of the village classed-growths. Among these, the highest ranked chateaux are Chateau La Lagune and Chateau Cantemerle.