TN: 1996 Sociando Mallet

[JCNorthway]

This wine is a long time BWE favourite (one of the first), and I actually owe it to this site for putting me in touch with an east coast shop that had thE wine in stock. I purchased 6 bottles plus a mag. Last night I opened the last of the 750s. During dinner last night, I thought that this BWE darling was over the hill - slightly. It just seemed to be lacking the strong fruit and structure influences I had experienced with previous bottles. Tonight I finished this wine - last night was not a fair representation. Tonight this wine was everything that BWE'ers have experienced in the last decade or so. I guess it just needed 24 hours of air!

Seriously, this wine was at the top of its game on this second day. Perhaps I just should have opened it yesterday and waited. Based on day 2 of this bottle, I am inclined to hold my magnum for at least another 5 years. But if others have recent experience of mags of this wine, I'd appreciate perspectives.

[AKR]

Mine are great, in fact, I decided to put some of mine back into storage since they are holding so well.

At this point, provenance is an issue, so I'd be leery of buying something 19 yrs after the vintage.

S-M has other recent good vintages that do not cost an arm & leg.

[JimHow]

The very first BWE wine of the year.

[dstgolf]

It quaffed well out of plastic cups on the TGV Paris to Bordeaux provided by Tim. Would have loved this in a nice stem but this had no sign of falling off the map even out of plastic.