Tasted at a negociant. The Sociando '09 has an intense blackberry and briary scented nose, touches of black plum and a hint of fruitcake. The palate is immediate enjoyable: very well balanced, finer tannins than I was expecting, delineated and focused with some lovely black, tar/cedar fruit towards the finish. Good length and precision. This is a great Sociando for the vintage. Tasted March 2010.

Ferocious tannins are not unusual for Sociando Mallet, but I was surprised that in a vintage that produced exceptionally tannic, but ripe wines, the Sociando Mallet tannins were atypically austere. Nevertheless, the wine boasts huge concentration along with an inky/purple color, a full-bodied, powerful palate, and a long finish. Excellent purity, density, and minerality are present in this cuvee, and it is capable of lasting 30-40 years. This estate is situated on some of the finest terroir of the Haut-Medoc, near Calon-Segur in St.-Estephe. (Tasted two times.)

[55CS/40M/5CF] Fine nose of concentrated ripe red and black fruit, very mineral; lovely balance, an elegant, moderately concentrated middleweight, with fine tannin and no asperity; fresh and with a juicily ripe raspberry and blackcurrant fruit, not that concentrated, but classy and refined, long and even, gently aromatic and complex, with a lovely Médoc gravel element and excellent length. A beautiful flowing, refreshing, complete claret, with plenty to offer; an easy, refined beverage, not massive, but effortless and very good. A very natural feel to this, should be most gratifying. 2017-30