Wine Region: Bordeaux - France
Grape: 40% Merlot, 55% Cabernet Sauvignon, 5% Cabernet Franc.
Tasting notes: "Wonderfully sweet, ripe tannins seem to be a rule of thumb from this great terroir just to the north of St.-Estephe’s Château Montrose. A beautiful deep ruby/purple color, decent acidity, medium to full-bodied mouthfeel and stunning fruit put this wine right in the midst of the best classified crus from the Médoc, yet it has never been classified. Go figure. Softer than I would have suspected (and I’ve been following and buying this wine since the mid-1970s), this wine will still age beautifully for 10-15+ years." Neal Martin, Wine Advocate
Expert Rating:
Decanter 90/100
James Suckling 93/100
Vinous 91/100
About the winery: Chateau Sociando-Mallet is an outperforming Cru Bourgeois property located in the commune of Saint-Seurin-de-Cadourne in the Haut-Medoc. Quality was inconsistent until the property was purchased by Jean Gautreau in 1969. It then consisted of only 7 hectares and in the last 30 years, Jean Gautreau has expanded the vineyards to 57 hectares.
The vineyards, which lie close to the Gironde Estuary, are planted with Cabernet Sauvignon (60%), Merlot (25%), Cabernet Franc (25%) and Petit Verdot (5%). The grapes are handpicked and then fermented in a combination of stainless steel and concrete tanks. The wines are matured in oak barrels (70-90% new) for 12-15 months. They are bottled unfined and unfiltered.
These are weighty, firm and well-structured clarets that are typically rich in fruit and have excellent ageing potential. As Jean Gautreau says: "I have a superb terroir which I want to express in the wine. I try to make a classic Medoc for long keeping."
Related Product Suggest for You
Sign up to get the latest on sales, new releases and more …
