1995 Sociando Mallet
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Tasting notes
Colour is softened ruby, tawny around the edges, with chalky tannins. Mouthwatering edge of salinity with oyster shell, soy sauce, earth, loganberry, raspberry, cigar box and tobacco leaf, good quality and heading towards fully mature and ready to drink. Harvest September 14 to 26, 56ha in production, no fining but light filtration, 12 months in barrel and then a further 6 months in vats, so 18 months in total. 100% new oak. Michel-Bernard Couasnon consultant.
Critic scores
Average Score
Robert Parker
Robert Parker
More reviews and scores
The 1995 Sociando-Mallet is a blend of 53% Cabernet Sauvignon, 42% Merlot and 5% Petit Verdot and Cabernet Franc picked between September 14 and 26. It has a fragrant bouquet of thyme, sage, touches of black fruit, briar and black truffle, subtle at first but gaining intensity with aeration. The medium-bodied palate displays fine definition, crisp focus and good depth, and it seems to gain cohesion toward the finish. There is a sense of conservatism about this Sociando, and it does taper in a little, but I like the length here, and it continues to give a lot of pleasure. Tasted at the vertical tasting at Sociando-Mallet.
Harvest date 14-26 Sep; yield 54.2 hl/ha; vineyard area 56.55 ha Mid crimson. Pale rim. Well melded, very well behaved, polite nose. Still rather callow but all is in the right place for evolution even if there is no enormous intensity. A real diplomat. Meaning a little bit low key. Slightly chunky tannins at present. (JR)