Château Sociando-Mallet - Haut-Médoc 2008

Vinous

88 / 100

byNeal Martinthe3/15/2019

The 2008 Sociando-Mallet has a ripe, candied bouquet of lavish black cherry and boysenberry fruit, lacking a little definition but still attractive in a slightly obvious way. The palate is medium-bodied with succulent red berry fruit and a little saline in style. The sappy, slightly smudged finish needs to muster more delineation and focus. This might improve in bottle, so don’t be afraid to wait another couple of years. Tasted blind at Farr Vintners’ 10-Year On tasting. Drink 2020-2032.

Wine Advocate

90 / 100

byRobert Parkerthe5/31/2011

Performing far better from bottle than it did from cask, the full-bodied 2008 offers abundant notes of plums, blueberries and black raspberries interwoven with hints of white flowers, damp earth and background oak. This impressively endowed, muscular effort will benefit from 2-4 years of cellaring and should keep for two decades. Drink 2013-2033

TAST

18-19 / 20

the10/31/2009

Le cru dépasse 90ha et probablement ne s'agrandira plus. Il s'agit bien entendu d'un échantillon pris sur fût, mais incroyablement prometteur, sans doute le plus complet depuis 1995 et 2000 avec semble-t-il encore un supplément de caractère. Les sensations tactiles du tannin sont celles des plus grands crus. Il semble né pour épater le monde pendant un demi-siècle.

Jancis Robinson

17.50 / 20

byJancis Robinsonthe9/24/2009

Bright blackish crimson. Sweet, succulent start with things in good balance without exaggeration. very youthful indeed but no problems. Very fresh and correct. For the long term! Drink 2020-35

Falstaff

88-90 / 100

the6/30/2009

Dunkles Rubingranat, jugendliche Reflexe, zarter Wasserrand. In der Nase zarte florale Noten, Kirschen, zart nach Zitruszesten. Am Gaumen frisch, mittlere Textur, rotbeeriges Konfit, zitronige Nuancen, Weichseln im Nachhall, lebendiger, leichtfüßiger Stil.

Stephen Tanzer's International Wine Cellar

91-93 / 100

byStephen Tanzerthe5/28/2009

Medium-deep ruby with purple highlights. Knockout heady aromas of violet, smoky plum and spicy milk chocolate. Enters smooth and rich, with extremely fine tannins and harmonious acids giving backbone to the ripe black fruit and cocoa flavors. The long, suave finish is still dominated by the oak, suggesting that this will require some aging. An outstanding effort, and better than both the '07 and the '06 made here. Insiders know that Sociando-Mallet always does well in cooler years due to its unique riverside location, the only area where the Gironde describes a convex curve that allows the vines to receive maximal sunlight exposure. In fact, in a visit to Bordeaux last April, the vines here were at least ten days ahead of every other vineyard I saw. This is likely to be one of the stars of the vintage.

WeinWisser

17 / 20

byRené Gabrielthe5/6/2009

Dunkles Granat-Lila, rubinroter Rand. Intensives Black-Currant-und Brombeerbouquet, Trüffelnoten, Tabak, dunkle Hölzer, grüne Pfefferschote, sehr vielschichtig. Fester Gaumen, blaubeeriges Fruchtextrakt, gut stützendes Tanninund Säuregerüst, aromatisches Finale mit mittlerem Druck, angenehm adstringierend. 2017 – 2028

Wine Advocate

87-89 / 100

byRobert Parkerthe5/4/2009

An opaque deep ruby/purple color is followed by a seemingly still austere and angular wine with high tannin. It is another example of a 2008 that either finished malolactic very late, or is still going through it. An unfinished character suggests there is more to this wine, but it needs to flesh out and reveal more fruit depth. At present, it is somewhat of a gamble given its high tannic profile, but the concentration is there. 87-89+

La Revue du Vin de France

16-17 / 20

the4/29/2009

Toujours discret en primeur, Sociando-Mallet est un vin qui se construit durant l'évelage. Cette année, l'assemblage est simple : moitié merlot, moitié cabernet-sauvignon. Elévé en bois neuf, il présente une jolie structure de tanins et une grande expression de fruits rouges. Belle bouteille naissante.

TAST

17 / 20

the4/23/2009

La structure est magnifique, c'est un vin très long, de grand équilibre avec une remarquable finale.

Wine Advocate

87-89 / 100

byNeal Martinthe4/22/2009

This is a little introverted on the nose at first (although it is following the La Tour Carnet!) Blackberry, dark cherry and a touch of plum. Nice definition. With time in the glass there is a touch of marmalade coming forth. The palate is medium-bodied, a little austere on the entry but builds nicely on the palate. Black fruits, a touch of cedar and graphite with a lean but focused finish. Fine, but it needs time and it is rather foursquare overall. Tasted March 2009.

Jancis Robinson

16 / 20

byJancis Robinsonthe4/17/2009

Fragrant, lightly oaky nose, and a peppery note. Fine, pretty dry tannins and quite drying on the finish but there’s the fruit to fill it out in time. (JH) Drink 2013-18 16+