Wine Advisor
Sociando Mallet 2001
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Description
Tasting notes
Reviewed by: Robert M. Parker, Jr.
A complete effort, the dense blue/purple-colored 2001 reveals classic, pure notes of creme de cassis, minerals, and subtle new oak. Layered, voluminous, and expansive, with enough acidity to provide vibrancy, and high but sweet tannin, it is a long-lived classic from the superb, northern Medoc estate of Sociando-Mallet. Anticipated maturity: 2009-2022.
Reviewed by: Neal Martin
A very attractive nose of cassis, blueberry and iodine: pure and refined with a touch of rusty nails developing in the glass. The palate has a smooth entry with a lot of new oak (as expected from Sociando). Well-integrated tannins though for me, a bit gaudy and excessively sweet on the finish, a wine that has tried too hard. Tasted November 2001.
Reviewed by: Robert M. Parker, Jr.
This dense blue/purple-colored complete 2001 reveals classic, pure notes of creme de cassis, minerals, and subtle new oak. The wine is layered, voluminous, and expansive, with enough acidity to provide vibrancy, and high but sweet tannin. This is a long-lived classic from the superb, northern Medoc estate of Sociando-Mallet. Anticipated maturity: 2009-2022.
Reviewed by: Neal Martin
Tasted at the chateau. The nose is fresh with strong tobacco and cigar box aromas. Good definition, very “classic” in style, with scents of dried herbs coming through: rosemary, sage and thyme. The palate is medium-bodied with fine tannins, firm grip, very fresh and tightly knit. Perhaps closing down a little as it was apparently much rounder and generous last year, but a fine Sociando-Mallet. Drink now-2018+ Tasted October 2010.
Reviewed by: Robert M. Parker, Jr.
This Haut-Medoc performed spectacularly on the two occasions I tasted it from bottle, even eclipsing its impressive showing from cask. It looks to be every bit as powerful as the 2000 ... not an easy achievement. A fabulous sleeper of the vintage, it tastes more like a first-growth than an unclassified offering. Its inky/blue/purple color is accompanied by a spectacular bouquet of lead pencil shavings, ink, blackberries, cedar, and earth. Full-bodied, with terrific texture, fabulous concentration, and moderately high tannin, this massive, atypical 2001 must be tasted to be believed. A brilliant achievement! Anticipated maturity: 2008-2020+.
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."
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