TN: 2011 Sociando Mallet

I couldn’t resist this on a restaurant menu last night, especially with the elk steak in a huckleberry sauce. I fully expected it to be pretty lean, tannic and ungenerous. But after a hard decant (lots of splashing and shaking, trying to get as much air into it as possible), it ended up being really good!

Very dark in the glass, a bit of green and dark fruit on the nose, with a touch of leather and funk. Nice fruit on the palate. Manageable tannin, some funk and tobacco in the mouth. Certainly leaner than 2003 or 2004, but all in all, a solid and classic wine.

Has anyone else been drinking 2011 bordeaux? Might it be another of those vintages that don’t show well young but get better with some age?

Yes…def. some nice 2011…popped a 2011 Hortevie st.julien…everyone loved it…more new world style, fairly ripe

I only bought Pomerol in this vintage, but more than happy to try a Sociando on that note. Thanks for posting it.

I had a 2011 Joanin Becot over the last few days. It was ok. Other than some Sauternes, those might have been the only 2011 I bought.

I’ve been enjoying 2011 petite chateaux but was saving my S-M for a bit longer.

I would definitely hold if I had some in the cellar, at least for a few years.

which tiny houses stood out for you?

Castles not houses, Ted. Houses just buy castle’s dregs and label them their own.

Larose-Trintaudon has been very good. Also Lalande-Borie, La Tour de Bessan, Greysac, d’Arvigny, and Ch Guillou (Montagne St.-Emilion).
The bottle of Poujeaux I opened late last year was still too young, as was Ch. Moya.
A bottle of Ch Garraud opened last summer was excellent, although would have been better if held another year or so.

Thanks Chris. I’ll keep an eye open. Larose Trintaudon has always been a tasty bargain.

Larose T is great in some vintages

My father served that wine for our wedding rehearsal dinner 1996, which had a rather large group of about 75 people at a quaint French restaurant. I cannot recall what vintage it was, 1990, 1989 or something like that, but it was quite a hit for a party wine. How are more recent vintages? I just grabbed a few mature bottles from WineBid, but don’t think that I have had another since 2004 or 05.

I find it to be very good to excellent, retaining a consistent house style across all vintages. Not overextracted, judicious use of oak and not Parkerized.
Based on Cellartracker data, 1987 was the last bad vintage.
Biodynamic and sustainable.

These are the vintages I’ve experienced:
'06 and '07 are fully mature and very good.
'09 is in full stride now. Ripe but restrained.
'11 is a little lighter and drinking well now, similar to the '07 but not as mature.
'10 is excellent but the tannins are still forward. It really needs more time.
'12 is in a good place already. Fuller bodied than the '11 but not as tannic as the '10 and not as ripe as the '09. I bought 3 cases and it’s now in my regular rotation of cellar defenders.

I never saw the '08.
'14 is available in some areas but not widely distributed yet. I’m waiting for it to show up locally so I can compare to other sub $20 Haut-Medocs of the vintage.

Wow, thanks Chris. Very helpful information.

I have the hardest time with Sociando. I don’t think I’ve ever had one which really wowed me- they’ve all seemed a little thin and mean to me. In general I prefer a classically-styled claret, which by all accounts Sociando-Mallet should be, but there’s a difference between classically-styled and devoid of character.

What am I doing wrong? What Sociando is at its apogee right now? I want to believe…

1982, 1990, 2003

The 2004 was excellent in 2010, especially for the price-$15

I´d add
1989 - excellent now
1985 - fully mature, but not my fav.vintage (acidity showing …)
1994 - not a great vintage, but an enjoyable wine
1997 - nice mature wine from a mean vintage
1986 - can be enjoyed with considerable (!) aeration
(2003 is still a bit primary for me)

2004 :LT was killing it old school
…lots of damp stale basement and leather…pure joy