Sociando Mallet 2003, Charmail 2000

[Blanquito]

Sociando 2003
Wow. Impressive, brooding, black, big, structured, serious, minerally... Popped and poured this youngster, and it did nothing to change my opinion that this is an awesome SM. The bouquet was floral and expressive upon opening and some lovely, classic cassis fruit was on display, but after 30 minutes of air, this began to shut down. The tannins are "massive", but fleshy and soft, making the finish long yet pliant. I think I own more of this 2003 than any other wine, and I am pleased. This can be enjoyed now with red meat or but better cellared for another 20+ years. 92+++

Charmail 2000
Next to the SM, this is exotic and flashy with an uber expressive bouquet of over-ripe raisins, caramelly oak, night flowers, and Indian spices. This bottle is borderline garish, but still enjoyable. The palate is wide open and soft, despite some remaining tannins on the finish. I'd like to try another bottle to make sure this is representative, but if it is, it's another 2000 Cru bourgeois that would merit drinking sooner than later. 90 pts.

[Ramon_NYC]

Makes me wish I didn't sell all my 2003 Sociando last year. I hope I can reasonably revisit a bottle in the future. However, I did like the only bottle that I owned of Charmail 2000 ... like it much more than the 2003 Sociando.

[stefan]

Hmm, Patrick. I love Sociando Mallet, but I wonder whether 30 year old ones are really at their peak. Do you have examples? My impression is that SM is at its best in good vintages at age 15-25.

[Blanquito]

True, true, Stefan. I just enjoy the old school style of this wine, but being totally serious, I expect this SM to be drinking great in 10 years. Kinda like the wonderful 1990 Sociando, which is my favorite vintage of it (I've never had a good bottle of the 82 though).

Ramon, what didn't you like about the 2003 Sociando? It's 2003-ness?

[Blanquito]

Oh yeah, there was zero green/bell pepper on the Sociando.

[Bacchus]

The Charmail doesn't sound like my kind of wine, Blanquito, but you sure make the 03 SM sound tantalizing. How would you compare it with the 05, assuming you've tried it?

[Ramon_NYC]

Patrick,

I thought that, just as most SM that I've had, it would take very long, if ever, to integrate the components when I last drank the wine. I did get vegetable components when last drank (my notes here .... http://www.bordeauxwineenthusiasts.com/ ... ?f=4&t=877), and it was the only reason that I nailed this one during that blind tasting. I like the slight green pepper on most SM, but didn't find it meshing well with the 2003-ness of this particular bottle.

[Blanquito]

Interesting, Ramon. I've gotten some green on the 2003 Sociando before (including at our 2003 blind flight at Allegretti's), but it was really vegetal-free last week.

What do you think of the 1990 Sociando? I really like that vintage and I think the 2003 will develop along th same lines.

Bacchus, I own a few bottles of the 2005, but I've never tried it. I've had the 2000 and 2001 recently and while young, both have impressed though they are more structured and less ripe than the 2003 (not surprisingly). The 2000 Charmail was borderline unattractive, but it managed to hold it together. But some would dislike it just for that crazy bouquet.

[Ramon_NYC]

Patrick,

The 1990 SM is a classic ... and a brute. I remember it from the 1990 Brodeaux horizontal at Fabio's that Ian organized a couple of years ago. I liked it then. There was the vegetable stuff, but which was in tune with the rest of the wine. Perhaps, the 2003 can turn out to be along the same lines and, so far, your bottle seems to show same trajectory. I never had the 1990 when it was younger.

[Claudius2]

Guys
The top vintage of SM like 86, 89, 90, 96, 2000 etc require a long cellaring.
It rarely shows well young - maybe the 09 will be different - but I've made the mistake of drinking it too young on many occasions.

[johnz]

I have found the 1982 Sociando Mallet to be about the best vintage I have tasted, and still young when last tasted 18 months ago. It's not a very complex wine, but deep, strong and solid. I think it can last about as long as any bordeaux, including Latour.

Gary Rust

[pomilion]

... you sure make the 03 SM sound tantalizing. How would you compare it with the 05, assuming you've tried it?

I like the 03 quite a bit, but the 05 is a step up like so many 05s (even though 05 is only 2/19ths as good a bordeaux vintage as 09).