Chateau Sociando Mallet 2001

ANTONIO GALLONI: "The 2001 Sociando-Mallet is a blend of 55% Cabernet Sauvignon, 40% Merlot and 5% Cabernet Franc picked between September 26 and October 12. This vintage was highly rated, and I can understand why. It has a very open, expressive bouquet of blackberry, briar, sandalwood and a touch of wild fennel that keeps drawing you in. The youthful palate is medium-bodied with fine tannin, and the long, tender raspberry- and Chinese-five-spice-tinged finish is a treat. This is certainly one of the most elegant Sociando-Mallets. Enjoy it over the next decade. Tasted at the vertical tasting at Sociando-Mallet."

THE WINE CELLAR INSIDER: "This concentrated, full bodied, classically styled, tannic wine serves up a big helping of blackberry, cassis, fresh herbs, tobacco, leaf and earth, along with the structure to age and develop for years. This is one of the few Left Bank wines from this vintage that can use more bottle age."

THE WINEADVOCATE: "This Haut-Medoc performed spectacularly on the two occasions I tasted it from bottle, even eclipsing its impressive showing from cask. It looks to be every bit as powerful as the 2000 ... not an easy achievement. A fabulous sleeper of the vintage, it tastes more like a first-growth than an unclassified offering. Its inky/blue/purple color is accompanied by a spectacular bouquet of lead pencil shavings, ink, blackberries, cedar, and earth. Full-bodied, with terrific texture, fabulous concentration, and moderately high tannin, this massive, atypical 2001 must be tasted to be believed. A brilliant achievement! Anticipated maturity: 2008-2020+."

WEINWISSER: "Sehr tiefes, dunkles Weinrot, Granatschimmer. Warmes, reifendes Bouquet, Cabernet-Touch an einen ziemlich grossen Pauillac erinnernd, dabei Trüffelnoten im Untergrund zeigend, warm, pflaumig mit diversen Gewürzen. Fester Gaumen, fleischig, immer noch Rückhalt bietend, pfeffriges Extrakt, viel Rasse aufweisend, ab jetzt für rund zehn Jahre weiteren Genuss bietend."