I had the pleasure of tasting this wine at home over the weekend, and as so often happens, the wine completely surprised me. 1982 was a remarkable vintage, one which I thought was overall long ready to drink, being so famously ripe and rich and almost 30 years old. Uh-uh. Not this wine. The color was true dark red, with only a hint of fading at the rim. The scent was chocolaty and smoky, with a hint of graphite and earth overlaying concentrated red fruit. The palate was fine-grained and long, firm and still fresh, so resolutely balanced between fruit and tannin, silky texture and dry finish, that I cannot honestly say when it will begin to change into anything approaching old age. No rush on this wine – it remained largely unchanged over several hours. A real claret in the British sense of the word, good company at the dinner table, and a very classy unclassed growth that reminded me sternly but kindly that assumptions are always dangerous with wine.
We went looking for more information on Sociando Mallet, and found an excellent article in The World of Fine Wine Issue 28. We were not seeking an echo, but were delighted to read their notes on the 1982 and find their experience matched ours.
"This was the vintage that really launched Sociando-Mallet, and it is still going strong today. Deep ruby color. Impressive dpeth of fruit (even with yields at 71hl/ha!). Smoky, mineral, black-currant, and blackberry aromas. The palate is ripe and round but concentrated and intense. Powerful tannic frame. Accessible but still with great aging potential. Drink to 2018? 18"
