2017 Sociando Mallet
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Tasting notes
Such an effortless sweet appeal to this wine, black fruits laced with cumin, star anise, sage, mint leaf. Not the structure for ageing as with the 2016, but delicious right now and over the next decade, finessed tannins with plenty to enjoy. Harvest September 13 to October 3. No fining, light filtration. Last year with Patrice Laugac as cellar master. 46hl/h yield 90% new oak for ageing, 77ha in production. Michel-Bernard Couasnon consultant.
Critic scores
Average Score
James Suckling
Jancis Robinson MW
More reviews and scores
50% Merlot , 45% Cabernet Sauvignon, 5% Cabernet Franc from vines with an average age of 35 years. The grapes are hand-picked, manually sorted and destemmed before a traditional vinification in temperature-controlled stainless-steel and lined concrete vats with pumping-over and rack and return. The vatting period is 30 days and malolactic fermentation takes place in the vats. 12 months' ageing in 100% new oak barrels for 12 months with racking after six months. Purity and purpose on the nose. Leafy characters, lead-pencil and mineral, cool and intense on the palate. There is an attractive sweetness to the fruit, with a touch of liquorice on the finish. Lighter mid palate but a very appealing 2017, fairly priced. (AWH)
Tasted blind. Deep ruby colour. Liquorice and leather on the nose. Mulling spices and savoury, earthy dark fruit at the core. The acid is very tangy, with a star-anise spice that lingers on a warm finish. (TP)