La Demoiselle de Sociando-Mallet Haut-Médoc 2020 - Second vin
Bordeaux
Red
Sold individually
Drink or Keep
92/100
James Suckling
-
90/100
The Wine Cellar Insider - Jeff Leve
-
89-90/100
Yves Beck
-
88/100
Vinous
"A second wine with character!"
"Intense bouquet combining freshness, fruit and breeding. Inviting notes of blackcurrant and mint. On the palate, the wine is dense, full-bodied and well supported by its tannins. It has character, a lively structure and a persistent fruity expression on the finish. A delicious, crisp, racy wine ". (Yves Beck - 2021)
Features
Estate
Château Sociando-Mallet
Cuvée
La Demoiselle
Vintage
2020
Designation
Haut-Médoc
Region
Bordeaux
Grape varieties
87% Merlot, 13% Cabernet Sauvignon
Terroirs
Gravel and clay on clay-limestone subsoil
Viticulture
HVE 3
Harvest
Manual in crates
Winemaking
Traditional in temperature-controlled cement and stainless steel vats, pumping over, delestage, 25-day vatting period
Breeding
12 months in barrels (30% new)
Alcohol content
14%
Tasting & pairing
Eye
Intense, brilliant crimson
Nose
Intense, juicy black fruit notes of blackcurrant and blueberry, enhanced by scents of cedar and menthol.
Mouth
Velvety and gripping, aromas of crunchy black fruit and dark chocolate, powerful tannins predicting good ageing potential, long finish, pleasantly spicy aftertaste.
Serve
AT 16-18°C
Open
1 hour before
Drink from
2024
Drink before
2033
Food and wine pairing
Enjoy with duck parmentier, mushroom risotto, baked Mont d'Or...
Château Sociando-Mallet
Haut-Médoc
Expert opinion
Bettane & Desseauve
Domain rated (2022 guide) 3*Stars (High-quality production, a benchmark in its sector)
About the domain :
A key figure in the Médoc, Jean Gautreau is one of the architects of the revival of its crus. Respected by his peers, he has raised Sociando-Mallet to the level of a Classified Growth, greatly enlarging the vineyard since his purchase in 1969. Today, of the property's 85 hectares, some 50 are at the level of a third or even second cru classé. Assisted by his daughter, Jean Gautreau is one of the few owners to supervise the vinification himself. These are benchmark wines, with an inimitable feel and identity. Médoc wines to the core, they are always full of finesse. The estate now has a gîte, Villa Sociando, at Port de la Maréchale, 3 kilometers from the property.
Guide Hachette des vins
Domain rated (guide 2022) Award-winning wines (The wines of this producer are regularly awarded by the guide)
About the domain :
In the 17th century, it was a noble land belonging to a Basque family, the Sossiando family. Confiscated during the French Revolution, it has had several owners. At the end of the last century, Jean Gautreau brought its potential to light. A broker with Miailhe, he set up his own company in the late 1950s to sell wines in the Benelux countries. A customer asked him to find an estate with a fine terroir. He discovered Sociando-Mallet: overlooking the estuary, a superb gravelly hilltop on a clay subsoil. When the customer didn't follow up, he bought it for himself in 1969, restructured it, enlarged it (originally 5 ha, now 82) and built a winery. Unclassified, it is one of the appellation's most important crus, now run by Sylvie, daughter of Jean Gautreau, who died in 2019.
Robert Parker - Wine Advocate
Domain rated Recommended (Wine producer recommended by Robert Parker - The Wine Advocate)
About the domain :
RVF - La Revue du Vin de France / Guide des Meilleurs Vins de France
Domaine rated (2023 guide) 1*Star (Stars in the making or quality winegrowers with a good level of production, you won't be disappointed when you taste the wines from these estates)
About the domain :
Sociando-Mallet is a brand with a strong reputation that has captured the hearts of true wine-lovers. Many of the vintages from this lovely property in the northern Médoc are equivalent to very good crus classés. Jean Gautreau, who spent half a century building Sociando-Mallet, passed away at the end of 2019, leaving the torch to his daughter Sylvie. Widely distributed in France and Belgium, the cru remains a safe bet and, above all, always offers optimal value for money. A vast replanting project was initiated some ten years ago, forcing the cru to produce more "merlot-like" wines. They have more roundness, but probably less breed. We no longer find the magical brilliance of 1982, 1990 or 1996, which remain benchmarks.
Vinous A. Galloni
Wine rated (2021 guide) 88/100
About the wine:
Demoiselle de Sociando Mallet 2020 has a very floral bouquet with scents of blackcurrant, blueberry and seaweed. The palate is medium-bodied, with crisp black fruits, and gripping on the palate. The slightly austere finish should become rounder as it matures. Very good. 2024-2032
James Suckling
Wine rated (2023 guide) 92/100
Rated Domaine (2021 guide) Recommended
About the wine:
A medium-bodied red with black fruits and notes of walnut, spicy chocolate and cedar. Firm, polished tannic structure and velvety mouthfeel. Persistent, chalky finish. Best from 2024.
Yves Beck
Wine rated (2021 guide) 89-90/100
About the wine:
Intense bouquet combining freshness, fruit and breeding. Inviting notes of blackcurrant and mint. On the palate, the wine is dense, full-bodied and well supported by its tannins. Temperamental, with a lively structure and a persistent fruity expression on the finish. A delicious, crisp, racy wine. 2024-2033
The Wine Cellar Insider - Jeff Leve
Wine rated (2021 guide) 90/100
About the wine:
Soft, round, lush, fruity and polished, the wine is straightforward, medium-bodied and already expressive with its notes of black red fruit, spices and tobacco. To be enjoyed while waiting for the Grand Vin to develop.
Customer reviews
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