Château Sociando-Mallet Haut-Médoc 2020
- jd94
- v93
Category | Red Wine |
Varietals | |
Brand | Château Sociando-Mallet |
Origin | France, Bordeaux, Haut-Médoc |
Château Sociando-Mallet first came into existence in 1633 when a Basque nobleman, Sossiondo, started the estate. Over the next 300 years, Sociando changed ownership a number of times, with some owners taking great care of the vineyard and wines, and others who did not. In 1969, Jean Gautreau purchased the dilapidated estate, and succeeded in turning around its fortunes and making it one of the top wines in the Haut-Médoc.
The vineyards of Sociando-Mallet are planted to 48% Cabernet Sauvignon, 47% Merlot and 5% Cabernet Franc on Günz gravel over clay-limestone soil, which regulates water supply and helps to deliver incredible richness and ripeness to the Merlot. All grapes are fermented with native yeasts in temperature-controlled steel and concrete vats. After fermentation, the wine is aged for 12 months in 100% new oak barrels, then a further 6 months in tank before bottling. The wines of Sociando-Mallet are some of the most consistent, pleasurable and easy to drink wines in the Haut-Médoc.
Jeb Dunnuck
- jd94
Every bit as good as the 2019, although in a slightly more concentrated, burly style, the 2020 Château Sociando-Mallet is close to an even split of Merlot and Cabernet Sauvignon, with a splash of Cabernet Franc, all from vines located just north of Saint-Estèphe. It brings lots of ripeness and richness, with darker currants, plums, leafy tobacco, chocolate, and graphite-like aromatics that build nicely with time in the glass. These all carry to a medium to full-bodied Haut-Médoc revealing a deep, layered mid-palate, ripe, sweet tannins, plenty of concentration, and a great finish. Where the 2019 is silky and elegant, this is more in your face and foursquare, and it's mostly potential at this stage, although it clearly offers pleasure even today with its wealth of fruit. It's going to hit maturity around a decade after the vintage and, I suspect, will keep for 2-3 decades.
Vinous
- v93
The 2020 Sociando Mallet has retained its impressive aromatics from its showing in barrel with beautifully defined blackberry and raspberry fruit, pressed violet and light cedar aromas. The palate is medium-bodied with firm backbone, a little powdery in texture, fine backbone with ample freshness and tension towards its graphite-infused finish. Bravo!