1982 Château Sociando-Mallet- France, Bordeaux, Médoc, Haut-Médoc (3/16/2013)
Alfert’s bottle. Great looking bottle shape. Pretty spiffy showing here, no evidence of tiredness in the bottle. Whether a good example, I have no idea as it is my only experience. Slow ox’d in bottle for 4 hours. Bit dry, tart, and grassy initially, but with volume and tannin, and boatloads of leatherbound book aged character. At one point, while following a pour off sample, I got a really strong savory/umami impression on the backpalate that was really impressive. Anyway by the time we were ready to drink, it was obvious this really needs food to peel back the layers. Everything brings out a different character in this wine, with the most common being a really deft floral lifted berry note on the midpalate, and a medium long finish where the texture gets really silky and savory (veal jus?). I don’t have any experience with aged bordeaux, so it’s hard to put into words the stature that the wine seems to convey aesthetically, which seems more important than any manner you could describe the taste. What I will say is that if I had some provencal herbed butter, olives, and a fresh baguette, this wine will be recalled, in amorous detail.
Wow, I’m aghast that I missed this post and note as I only check in on the site like a zillion times per day!
Kenny your description is wonderful and fairly representative of a mature Sociando, IMHO. I’m really thrilled this wine showed for you! I bought some mixed cases of 82s and 86s last year and my “hit” rate was very very high. Sociando, like a few other old world producers, has a special place for me. I hope my 05s, 09s and 10s show this way 15+ years from now.
Now time to go ride, as I left work a bit early today!
What a great Sociando this is! I didn’t get much green on this particular bottle, but i’ve never had a bad one…
1982 Château Sociando-Mallet- France, Bordeaux, Médoc, Haut-Médoc (12/23/2021)
Label in tatters, but great fill and cork. Presumably from a damp cellar.
Great color still… somewhere between garnet and mahogany.
Such a classic nose, pencil shavings, lead, dried herbs, dust, worn leather, and cassis (not a lot of pyrazines in this showing).
Beautiful palate of pure black fruits and nicely balancing acid and some dust. Has a bit of a wild side with a ferrous streak and just a touch of coarseness. Tannins are fully resolved, with perhaps a hint of drying.
I found a couple of bottles of 1982 recently and opened one last night:
Redcurrant and cranberry on the nose, with earth and leaves in the background, plus some meatiness that reminded me of an old Jamon Serrano. In the mouth, red cherries at first, then it takes off, with a rising middle section of blackberry, redcurrant and cranberry, still very fresh and intense. There’s a touch of rusticity which doesn’t detract at all, then a strong hint of old orange, before a long finish dominated again by red cherries. After a while, the finish becomes a little peppery and the fruit just hints at faded glory, but it held up very well over the course of the evening.
Opening any 1982 is a treat. It was my “first” vintage and I’ve never encountered the vintage characteristics again, that perfect blend of ripe fruit and gentle tannins, with just enough acidity and never too much alcohol. Drinking the SM reminded me of all that has changed since.
It’s not quite up there with the very best 82s, but it doesn’t cost as much either, and it’s a whole lot better than the large number of rather mediocre CCs. It’s an excellent example of what Jean Gautreau achieved here - not only did he equal many CCs, he surpassed them, especially in Margaux.
The 82 is not however as Margalais as some SMs - I would say it reminded me strongly of both Léoville-Barton and Montrose 82.