Wine Advisor
Sociando Mallet 1985
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Description
Tasting notes
Reviewed by: Neal Martin
The 1985 Sociando-Mallet, picked between September 30 and October 18, has a very savory bouquet with scents of Italian cured meat, dry straw and a touch of black fruit that is usurped by strong black truffle and smoky scents. It is firmly into its secondary phase, but what I appreciate is that it is very “1985.” The palate is medium-bodied with fine tannin, more cohesive and with greater density than the 1983. It is focused and, despite the aromatics, feels vivacious and lively all the way through to the finish. Fact is, this is as good as the 1982 Sociando-Mallet and represents one of my favorite wines of the decade. Tasted at the vertical tasting at Sociando-Mallet.
About the Producer
Château Sociando-Mallet is located in the Haut-Medoc, a region rich in Cru Bourgeois, but it is not precisely a Cru Bourgeois, not because it is not qualified, but because the owners felt that its excellence did not need to be judged by outsiders. The Château did not take part in either the 1855 Grand Cru de Médoc or the 1932 Cru Bourgeois. But with the quality of its wines, Château Marly has a real chance of winning the Cru Bourgeois! The grapes are hand-harvested, fermented in large concrete vats, clarified with egg white and placed in oak barrels. The grapes are hand-harvested, fermented in large concrete vats, clarified with egg white and aged in oak barrels to absorb the oak and soften the tannins. The Chateau Sociando-Mallet is aged for three months in oak barrels, with 100% new oak. The secondary wine of Château Sociando-Mallet is "LaDemoiselle de Sociando-Mallet". Thanks to Jean Gautreau's meticulous winemaking and good management, Château Mallet is fast becoming a class apart from the Cru Bourgeois and even the Grand Cru. The wines have a good structure and firm tannins, with a long finish, a characteristic that is usually found only at the Grand Cru level and above, but Château Marly is so capable that it has been described as "one of the highest quality AOCs in the entire Médoc". In the better vintages of Château Marly, Robert Parker gave it a score of 90 points, commenting: "A classic nose with a mix of cassis, graphite, ore and earth, a medium depth of body, a concentrated structure and, as always, outstanding quality, Château Marly always produces long-lived wines capable of ageing for 20-30 years. Great wines."
1982(1)1983(1)
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