2018 Chateau Sociando Mallet

Region	Haut-Medoc, Bordeaux
Varietal	Cab Sauv Merlot Cab Franc Peti
Size	750ml
Alcohol %	14.5%
Vintage	2018
Country	France

Sociando-Mallet has throned on the Butte de Baleyron, one of the finest gravelly terroirs in the Médoc since the 17th century. Situated in a very small commune north of Pauillac, the vineyard overlooks the Gironde estuary on a bend in the river. Sociando-Mallet's terroir consists of Günz gravel over a deep layer of clay-limestone soil. This terroir perfectly regulates water supply and enables Cabernet Sauvignon to ripen extremely well and Merlot to acquire depth and complexity. This terroir is Sociando's soul. It provides the wine with a complex structure, freshness, and elegance. The 57 hectares of vineyards are planted in 60% Cabernet Sauvignon, 25% Merlot, 25% Cabernet Franc and 5% Petit Verdot. Owned for the last 20 years by Jean Gautreau, the quality here has been on the up ever since he took the helm.

a virile, intensely fruited yet complex bouquet, with aromas of blackberries, wild raspberries, with bright, floral and violet notes, giving way to boysenberry, and mulberry fruits, wrapped in cedar and well-integrated toasty, oak nuances.

A vibrant, youthful wine with a fantastic purity of dark fruits, blackberries, ripe cassis, mulberry, and black plums. The palate is medium in body with supple tannins yet with a fluid concentration of fruit, that flows throughout. The finish is strong and engaging with forest floor and cigar box notes with tannins that give grip, almost slightly drying. Time in the bottle will create harmony, balance, and even more complexity.