Château Sociando-Mallet 2021

Delicately perfumed, fresh, cool, with depth. Slender palate, well-structured, pronounced tannins, shows precision and density, remains elegant, has breed. More finely structured than before, with good reserves.

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.

Juicy and lively, a nice buzz straight away, lifted and then controlled by quite prominent minerality that gives a salty undercurrent. Doesn’t quite carry much weight, but this is well balanced, carefully delivered with integrated tannins — just grainy and supportive — with a general feeling of energy, tanginess and freshness at the start and finish. A nice glass. Not big, but refined, elegant and well presented. Has some charm.

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. Drink from 2025.

The nose kicks off with dark red currants, cigar wrapper, cedar, spice, and peppery herbs. The wine is medium to full-bodied with a core of bright, chewy, lively red fruits, earth, and herbs, finishing with crisp red berries. This is a very good effort in this difficult vintage. The blend is 54% Cabernet Sauvignon, 44% Merlot, and 2% Cabernet Franc. Drink from 2025–2040. 89–91

Dark ruby core, purple reflections, subtle brightening on the rim. Ripe plums, fine blackberry confit and candied orange zest on the nose. The palate offers a fine herbal spiciness, concentrated dark cherries, fresh acidity, integrated tannins and an elegantly long, mineral finish. A delightful pairing with food.

Kunz barrel sample 2022: deep, dark bouquet, cassis, black cherries, noble woods, subtle licorice. Dense, velvety palate with dark fruit, plenty of fine tannins, a powerful, compact structure, intense aromatics, and a long, aromatic finish. Has room to improve further.

Deep, dark bouquet of cassis, black cherries, fine woods, subtle licorice. Dense, velvety palate with dark fruit, plenty of fine tannins, powerful, concentrated structure, intense aromatics, long, aromatic finish. Still has room to improve. 17/20 2029 - 2050

Sweetness on the first nose, and a fleshy welcome to the raspberry, blueberry and blackberry fruits. Has finesse, not overly concentrated but they have handled it well, ensuring energy and precision. The acidity rises on the finish, just so tough to avoid in 2021. Sylvie Gautreau is the 2nd generation owner of this well loved 77ha estate, 48hl/ha yield, Michel-Bernard Couanson consultant. Harvest September 27 to October 13.

The 2021 Sociando-Mallet is medium to deep garnet-purple in color. It opens with notes of wild sage and thyme, giving way to scents of Bing cherries, cedar, and graphite. The medium-bodied palate is crisp and vibrant, with a light chewiness to the texture and a bright, uncomplicated finish.

On the nose, slightly burnt notes of rubber and butterscotch. Generous on the palate, this is not a very distinctive Sociando Mallet.

Finesse and complexity set the tone of the wine from the very first aromas. Sociando has both an inviting and a conquering side, combining energy with charm. With good density, the wine has muscle thanks to a juicy acidic structure, while the tannins provide some breadth. A great success!

Beautiful deep red. Very aromatic nose with ripe fruit. Fruity palate with a supple body, compact at mid-palate, developing pleasantly into a discreet finish. Medium length. Blend: 54% merlot, 44% cabernet sauvignon, 2% cabernet franc. Alcohol: 13% - pH: 3.56. Yield: 48 hl/ha.

Deep and complex, showing a certain density, Sociando plays in its usual register of noble classicism, without exuberance. Everything is in place, tightly focused around a pure, sapid core, balanced by lovely freshness and a finely bred tannin grain. No tricks or swagger here: this is a wine that stands firmly on its own, true to the vintage.