Chateau Sociando Mallet 2003

ANTONIO GALLONI: "Good medium ruby-red color. More grilled on the nose than the 2004 or 2005: superripe black fruits and bitter chocolate. Then liqueur-like verging on confectionery in the mouth, but with surprisingly healthy acids giving shape to the dominant black fruit flavors. At once velvety and quite powerful, with the fine-grained tannins currently conveying a rather soft impression. This is deceptively drinkable right now but should evolve positively in bottle for the next 10 or 15 years. This has more power but the 2005 offers more finesse, notes Gautreau."

THE WINEADVOCATE: "This fresh Northern Medoc demonstrates how strong the 2003 vintage can be in this sector of Bordeaux. The tannins have softened considerably, and the wine reveals a youthful dense ruby/purple color. Notes of white flowers, blackberries and black currants are found in this still youthful, medium- to full-bodied, rich wine that is just approaching full maturity. It should provide plenty of pleasure over the next decade."

WEINWISSER: "Sehr dunkles, sattes Purpur. Ausuferndes Bouquet, nicht gerade Bordeaux-typischer Beginn, aber berauschend aufgrund der buttrigen Kandissüsse, Red-Currant-Noten, Cassis und Früchtetee. Im Gaumen opulent, wieder fast buttrig, dezent marmeladige Frucht, Rasse im Extrakt gleicht das wieder aus, erotisch, auch in ein Burgunderglas passend."