Wine for a Casual Business Lunch: '99 Sociando Mallet.

Back in old favorite Je Suis Gourmand on the 14th July 2010, it was a work-related lunch with Aaron. He said he'd bring a red. Since it was a working lunch, I wanted to minimize drinking so brought no white and just started off with a glass of rosé.



Marc Aubry has an on-going fresh chanterelles promo. We skipped our usual appetizers (since we had no white anyway) and both ordered the Roasted Lamb Tenderloin with Fresh Chanterelles Risotto & Pesto, but the lamb tenderloin was replaced with no less than 5 lamb chops (which I personally prefer) per order. With this generously sized and excellent dish, we had...



1999 Château Sociando-Mallet - Aaron's bottle; from an under-appreciated vintage and one of the best cru bourgeoise châteaux in my opinion (and in those of many others). It also happens to be a favored producer of 6-term IWFS President and Wine Master Bernie Sim.

Slightly over medium-bodied, nicely concentrated, notably ripe for a '99 St-Estèphe, properly earthy cassis/blackcurrant, black cherry, cedar, bit of violets, subtle minerality and licorice, nicely integrated vanilla/oak notes. I liked the balance and the understated serious personality of this wine. Very proper and correct, it is yet further proof to me that Sociando Mallet punches a notch or few above its classification. Excellent for a lunch of roasted lamb chops and earthy chanterelle risotto.

I note that the size of the main course was quite substantial but I managed to finish it all. I would not have been able to if I had our usual appetizers of escargots à la bourguignonne and/or terrine of foie gras. At P960/order (appx. US$18.50), it's a steal in terms of both quality and quantity.

[David M. Bueker]

That sounds like a fantastic lunch. I am also a fan of Sociando Mallet, and agree that it regularly over delivers on its pedigree & cost. Sociando is also a wine that defies the common beliefs that low yields are the only way to make excellent wine. From what I have read/heard, the yields at Sociando are not outrageously high, but there is no use of the near ubiquitous green harvest.

1999 as a vintages is drinking very well right now. It's nice to have some, as most of hte surrounding vintages still need lots of time.

Have you had the opportunity to sample the 1996 Sociando Mallet lately? It is one of my favorite renditions of the wine along with the '86 (of vintages that can be drunk now).

The 99 is drinking well right now. Too bad I only have two bottles left. I buy Sociando in most of the vintages I buy Bdx but for some reason have none of the 1996. Any word on the 1995 as I have read it is taking forever to come around and since I only have a single I have been waiting for a better report.

[David M. Bueker]

I have not had the '95 in a long time. Given the general tendencies of both the vintage and Sociando I would keep my hands off of it if I were you.

Have you had the opportunity to sample the 1996 Sociando Mallet lately? It is one of my favorite renditions of the wine along with the '86 (of vintages that can be drunk now).

Hi, David.

To the best of my recollection (i.e., my notes - but I don't write about everything I have and, tragically, my wine memory isn't what it used to be), I had the '96 Sociando-Mallet over lunch on the 3rd September 2009 - alongside the 1990. My notes at the time were as follows:

1996 Château Sociando-Mallet - I've tasted this twice before, in two successive IWFS blind tasting dinners in 2006, so it was a nice to be able to see how this has come along. At 13 years after vintage, this minerally (with slight nuances of iron), earthy wine shows still a somewhat severe visage of cedar, leather, mushroom-flecked cassis, somber (hint of stemminess) dark fruit, ripe raspberry, slight dried herbs - a notably firm grip in this. Fair depth in this. This is not for those looking for fruit-forward, eager-to-please, modern Bdx rouge. This has a challenging, classically cut character. Right and proper rouge.

The 99 is drinking well right now. Too bad I only have two bottles left. I buy Sociando in most of the vintages I buy Bdx but for some reason have none of the 1996. Any word on the 1995 as I have read it is taking forever to come around and since I only have a single I have been waiting for a better report.

Hello, Brian.

I am sorry, I've not had the '95 Sociando-Mallet - or at least, I've no notes on having had any.

Best,

N