Confirming that this is a very good wine in the context of this vintage. Still youthful, lots of ripe cassis fruit. Low acidity but enough lift to give it lift and focus and the tannins are well in check. Now or over the next couple of decades.
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Tasting profile is as per previous note from a year ago. Once again the finish is the barrier to a higher rating, being clipped and with very faint bitter notes. I am starting to suspect that this should be consumed over the next 5 years to enjoy it at its best.
Cassis and black berries, green bell pepper, cigar leafs, lots of blood / iron; on the palate gravel, earth, "dusty" texture, slightly drying, clearly old school bordeaux. Again lovely and a really successful 2003; no heat, nothing overdone, proper claret. 17.5/20
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W veal chop from grill on Sunday night. Very good bordeaux. But expected a bit more oomph. Great nose, color, balance. I would say that this is not getting better so you may as well drink.
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Slow ox 2h. bought on release. Tannins are fine and secondary notes have clearly emerged from the wine at this point but some light fruit tones remain with medium finish. A mature elegant wine. I think it will hold here for five years or so, but I wouldn't push much past that. Pretty amazing for a cru bourgeois twenty+ year old wine.
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Still deep ruby red/purple color. Blackberries, black raspberries, currants, and hints of tobacco, licorice and floral in the nose. Lots of black fruits in the flavor, blackberries, black currants, black cherries and spice notes in the flavor. An elegant wine with nice depth and complexity. Medium to full bodied, well balanced and a long finish. Impressive, several years left in this bottle. 93/94
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It's just OK...but nothing remarkable. Have owned and been well cellared since release. Fruit and terroir are still there now but no evidence yet of nice secondary flavors going. Not sure it will either. The oak seems to be overtaking the fruit in an astringent way unfortunately. I'd either drink now if looking for more fruit or try again in 10 years to see if it was able to mature more gracefully.
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Although not a bad wine, this took a clear last place as being somewhat rustic and just not interesting (esp compared to Latour and Lafite). EWG retrospective tasting dinner at Conrad's
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Tasted a 2003 magnum that is “in the zone” and drinking about as well as it will. Vibrant purple color with a nose that is a bit dusty and invokes stewed fruit but good lively acidity supporting a rather generic plummy fruit and well integrated tannins
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55% C.Sauvignon, 40% Merlot et 5% C.Franc Bouchon non entamé
Robe : Noire, très légèrement orangée au niveau du disque. A l'agitation, de belles larmes se font jour. Nez : Sur les fruits noirs, le café, les épices et une petite pointe de poivron rouge. Bouche : On retrouve, les fruits noirs. La matière est bien présente, les tanins commencent à se fondre. Belle longueur en bouche. Beaucoup de plaisir, comme d'habitude ! Très bien +
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Part of a 2020-1995 Verticale. Center court play, spot on maturity. In a "canicule" year the conservative SM approach clearly paid off, yielding a charming yet balanced SM, with lush fruit, chocolate, tobacco, fig and port notes. Drink now and over the coming 5 years.
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Medium-bodied wine with excellent balance and complexity. Very concentrated nose opening as fig, cassis and spice. Initially still cellar-cold, but developed secondary aromas of mint and herbs. Drinking well now with fruit, acidity and tannins in synch. I would drink the rest of my stash sooner rather than later.
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First from a case just taken out of store. In youthful condition. Little fading. Nice nose with cassis and a hint of menthol and cumin. To taste, blackcurrant fruit, still young. Nice, one dimension, tannic and low acid profile. Still has plenty of upside. Should continue to improve for another decade yet.
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Pleasure to revisit this vintage after 2 years, still at a development stage. With structure it is showing it should be singing for another 10+ years. Made from a blend of 55% CS, 40% Merlot & 5% CF. Intense fragrant and complex aroma of plums, cassis, vanilla, toasted herbs, dry figs, dry leaves, tobacco, strawberry, incense and green pepper hints. Medium+ body, lively and juicy structure, pleasantly tangy, earthy dried fruit flavours, toasty & chocolaty hints, med+ acidity, medium+ structured fine tannins.
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{bought on release; first of 12 bottles in wood. Sound cork, perfect fill} Mix of red and black fruits, some balsam, tobacco, earth; Medoc fruit on nose, lots of ripe mulberries, somewhat granular tannins, still some unresolved tannins; good length, savory. This bottle without the more herbal notes others have commented on. Lovely with complex lamb and cheeses.
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I agree with those saying that this is in a great spot right now. Fruit is still prominent (not roasted) with some secondary notes poking through on the finish. Still slightly tannic but I like how everything is playing together really well. I'd say drink over the next 3 to 5 years and enjoy!
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15th of 36, pnp, perfect cork and level, as Feb bottle, more thuggish, mat and burly than super elegant Haut-Bailly 2000 on same night, upside, 20+ years. F (17.5).
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Drinking really well. Red fruit, cherry, bell pepper, herbs and leather. Delicious with our herb-encrusted, roast rack of American lamb. And on its own. We didn't decant and didn't seem to need to. Drink now.
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Decanted for 2+ hours. That was less than was the case with the last two bottles......but that did not seem to make much of a difference. Classic Haut-Medoc. Drinking well right now. I noticed that this wine now has auction values somewhat above its release price. So, the marketplace has noticed where this wine is right now.
Decanted in AM and poured tasting amounts into our glasses an hour before sitting down. Curious what we would find given the conflicting reviews. I noted Jeff Leve panning it as un-integrated, compared to what he likes and I can’t afford. This was a quality Bordeaux nevertheless. Residual sharp tannins quickly resolved and tasted no more as the wine elevated the dinner.
Tasted multiple times, this is still going strong and probably is one of the contenders for the best value 20 year old Bordeaux's on the market. As noted previously, this is not overly fruited in spite of the hot vintage, but it has been accessible at an earlier age than usual. It does benefit from a few hours in the decanter, and really bursts into life after 30 minutes in the glass. Depth and balance are first rate, but the finish does not quite match the rest of the experience. That said, as a Cru Bourgeois this punches way above its weight, and kicks a lot of growth wines into touch. Highly recommended.
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Young at 20 years of age, just as my elder son for whose birthday dinner I opened this bottle. No formal note, but a little more wood than I remember from other vintages, and a little too much for my taste. But I still like it, for its pencil shavings and relatively cool fruit on the nose (despite the hot vintage), and the balance and good structure in the mouth.
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Another impressive showing of this wine. Has to be one of the best bargains in aged Bordeaux. Very dark red, beautiful, mineral nose, and very soft, feminine pretty red fruits in the mouth. This is perfectly mature and unlike my first bottle of this wine shows no sign of decline. No, it is not a blockbuster, but it is very enjoyable, a wine that few would find objectionable in any way. 5-13-17-8: 93/100.
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Tastes like ripe Sociando Mallet. Classic, mellow and complete. Ready to drink but not going anywhere. Nice cigar/cedar note along with the plummy fruit.
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Popped and poured. This is worlds better than the last bottle I had of this wine. Maybe it was bottle shock last time, I don't know. What I do know is this bottle is drinking at peak: tannins gone, full, rich flavor, nothing off. Now, for the deep dive: Dark red and browning, with red tears on the bowl of the glass. Really lovely red fruit in the nose, with a bit of iodine and mineral. VERY nice. Super smooth, lovely, rich palate, with just lovely, beautiful flavors; rich cocoa and milk chocolate. Wow. This is almost certainly at the end of its peak, but still on the plateau and very pretty. Amazing how one bottle can vary from the next. This is wildly great, while the last bottle was very tired. TODAY: 5-13-18-9: 95/100.
Aagrawal’s note in April describes this well. I enjoyed this quite a bit, and it was my favorite wine of the evening. Youthful for its age, and not showing any over ripeness from the vintage. Slight herbaceous notes, but not objectionable, and what you might expect from this producer. I’d be curious to see how this continues to evolve over the next 10 years or so.
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Popped and poured. This is quite nice; a 20-year old from the sweet, ripe 2003 vintage. This is not too sweet, it is rather nicely restrained and has nice balance. Very dark color with only a touch of browning at the rim. Nice soft red fruit in the nose, with hints of cocoa. Medium body in the mouth, smooth, ripe, with good fruit. I wouldn't call it a "star" of the vintage, but I do believe this has aged very well. This can still be purhased for $80; pretty amazing when you consider its age. Nice find for me in 2023. 4-12-16-7: 89/100
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Popped and poured. As expected, a bit austere at first. Perhaps because it was too cold when I opened it. However, as I drank it over the ensuing two hours, It definitely loosened up and drank much better. It is still plenty alive. has good color, and the nose is fruity and flashy, showing off the warm vintage. It is not incredibly complex, but it is a nice mouth full of juice. good length on the finish. Certainly seems capable of another five years at least. 5-12-16-8: 91/100.
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Coravin. 55% Cab Sauvignon, 40% Merlot, 5% Cab Franc. Deep ruby-purple with slight bricking, youthful for its age; aromatic, green bell pepper, pronounced and pure blackcurrant (probably the closest I've ever smelled to the "Le Nez du Vin" blackcurrant sample), excellent intensity of aromatics; palate is medium-full bodied, elegant medium balanced acidity, medium (13%) alcohol, definitely some pyrazines/bell pepper, fruit is present but more in the background; medium length finish. Classic Sociando Mallet, would be difficult to guess as 2003 given its restraint and its pyrazines. Showing much less vanilla and youth compared to my last bottle in 2014, and this is a solid quality bordeaux ready for drinking now and over the next decade. 91 6 hours in a thin decanter. Aromatics still pretty and largely the same; palate is starting to integrate even better but still seems like it has a ways to go. No rush on these... there is a slight bitterness on the finish that I think will integrate with another 5-10 years. Remainder of the bottle opened: Good tannin, acidity, and alcohol balance. Lovely wine, seems like it will continue to evolve positively for a decade based on my tasting of this over time.
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Really really nice! Coravin, then I opened the bottle a couple of nights later. Very powerful. A hint of characteristic bell pepper, but in a good way. Decent finish. Fun to drink.
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Generous fruit but fading away; probably not going to last much longer. Dark as hell with scents of leather, tobacco and oak; rich red fruit flavors; mostly cherry and cranberry. This would pair nicely with many beefy dishes and any Nicaraguan cigar.
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3 years since my last sound bottle, and 20 years in, this is really hitting its prime drinking window. Nose is sweet and alluring, perfumed in an almost Margaux way, along with deeper blackcurrant and leather notes. Palate is saturated with black plum fruit and cassis, verging into green pepper/menthol territory, with nice inner mouth perfume fanning out into cedar, blonde tobacco, and resolving tannins. Long finish. Nothing roasted here, but definitely a riper vintage for S-M
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A really delicious and decently priced 2003, from a terroir just above Montrose in St Estephe. This bottle of Medoc was brilliant, and the acidity was remarkably fresh, giving the wine many layers to its dense core of fruit. The characteristic pleasant herbal character of Sociando Mallet is still present, just with more gloss and chew to the mid palate, and the wine comes off as plenty youthful still. The prime positioning of the estate seems to have moderated successfully the threat of overripeness we so often hear about this vintage. This is classic Medoc. Delicious.
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My WOTN at the tasting event. True to Sociando's aromatic signature, with light cloves, some cherry ( the light red ones), and herbs, thyme in particular, fresh acidity and medium length supported by nicely integrated tanins. It has a nice and mouthwatering minerality and seems in its prime window right now, and will be probably another 5-10 years. Wonderful.
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Lush red fruit, cedar and tobacco, well framed by mediterranen herbs, ink and menthol freshness. Most typical SM, although a bit more "herby" than the last bottle. But don't hesitate to open now and for another 3 years.
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13th of 36, decanted 90 minutes, perfect cork and level, as December bottle, clear upside as it leaves adolescence and gains (hopefully) nuance, 25+ years. F (17.5).
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Les tanins sont encore présents. Sur le fruit, les arômes tertiaires commencent à faire leur apparition. Très bien. Mais je m'attendais à mieux Mais je pense que le meilleur est à venir
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Decanted for 2.5 hours. Only a hint of bricking at the outer rim. Aromas of cedar, grilled herbs, and hoisin. @Ian_A used the term rustic, and that to me is the perfect descriptor for the wine right now. The fruit is no longer primary but has melded with the chewy, finely grained tannins. At first pour this was a bit all over the map, but had much better harmony with another couple hours of air. It never lost that rustic edge, which I didn't mind. Tough to see where the wine goes from here, my guess is that it hangs on rather than improves.
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Seems mature. Wonderful black fruited bdx with teriary notes of tobacco leaf and smoke. Hints of mint on the nose. Plump lush fruit profile with rather clunky tannins on the finish. Solid mature bdx. Drinks above its pedigree.
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Impressive fruit restraint and balance for the vintage. No roasted fruit markers whatsoever. Early peak with nice ripe plum fruit and emerging pencil shavings and bell pepper. Tannins are still prickly, though approachable enough with food.
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4th Saturday Group (S&J's): Double blind. Notes of black fruit and roasted red bell pepper. Hints of earth underneath. The palate follows the bouquet. Full-bodied with soft tannins and a nice finish.
Drinking very well right now. (R&D)
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Overall: quality wine showing very well at this age, this wine grew in the glass and decanter over three hours and really is something special when you consider the price.
Color: reddish purple, showing some age but not really bricking in any significant way. Still very dark and opaque.
Nose: initially very closed and decanting was necessary. Over the next three hours the nose went from very closed with some mushroomy notes, to a mix of fruity and green pepper, to finally dark fruit like blackberries underpinned with leather, earth, green herbs, and what I would describe as “forest floor” and cigar box/tobacco notes.
Palate: very integrated, balanced wine that may be something of an “aha” moment for me as far as aged Bordeaux goes. Dark fruit is present, but mixed in with more savory notes like leather. Acid is in balance, tannins are soft and pleasant.
Finish: drying, acid is refreshing, makes me really want to go back for another sip and this wine is dissappearing faster than I want it to
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Dark purple in color. No bricking. Nose was restrained, some dark fruit. Palate showed mostly dark fruits with a little bit of red fruit if you looked for it. Also showed some gravel and pencil shavings. Medium mouth feel. Tannins are fully integrated. There's more acidity than tannins. The acidity stuck out during the finish. Otherwise, this is a well integrated wine. The fruit and acidity may help it reach more mature notes but it's nice at present.
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12th of 36, decanted an hour, perfect cork and level, full and round, still primary, fine energy to fruit, most compelling Sociando of many to date, upside, 25+ years. F (17.5)........interesting comparison with lighter but more elegant Branaire 03.
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CORKED! Little is more frustrating than coddling a bottle for 16 years only to find it tainted. What other items do we put up with such frequent failure with absolutely no ramifications for the maker of the product?
95 points may seem like a lot, but this Cru Bourgeois earned every one. Recently picked up 4 bottles of the '03 after being blown away by an '03 Ducru Beaucaillou. Seriously, that stuff stopped me in my tracks.
Anyway, I sought some 2003s because the vintage has a reputation for being hot and dry and fruit-forward. This bottle lived up to the hype.
Decanted for sediment but poured immediately. The nose was other-worldly without delay. Leaping out of the glass were scents of blueberry, plum, cassis, blackberry bramble, Spanish cedar, leather, and graham cracker. A slight fig scent, but not pruning--still showing too young for that.
Palate is a showstopper. Chock full of black fruit, dark chocolate, leather. Sweet, chewy tannins that could use more time to settle but this is frankly incredible right now. Acidity is perfectly balanced--providing life but not converting this into a sour-red-fruit ordeal.
Decanted for sediment. Medium+ intensity on the nose, showing cassis, black cherry, sage, earth, and tobacco. A little funkiness also emerged with time. Fruit seems to have faded more than last year, giving way to tertiary notes. Medium acidity, and tannins have all disappeared. It could probably hold for another 5 years, but I would suggest drinking soon if you like some fruit.
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Last tasted 17 months ago and it mirrors my last note. It actually still needs 3 hours in the decanter to really deliver. To reiterate previous notes you would be hard pushed to find a better value wine. The heat of 2003 tempered the harsher notes of a normally austere wine and this punches way above its cru bourgeois status and is possibly the best ever produced by the estate. 94+
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2 hour decant. Tablespoon of sediment. Dark ruby color, no bricking. I suspect the grapes were picked early in this ultra hot year. Alcohol is a very pleasant 13%. All the fruits had a slight sour element to them which was refreshing and made the wine a bit more interesting. Blackberries dominated, but also some blueberries and raspberries. Minimal Oak. Touches of green pepper.
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Showing much younger and with a higher amount of extract than the Saint-Pierre we had against it. This can age for another ten years without issue. The fruit is still alive and kicking, the tannin is substantial and there's more density on the palate. Almost no tertiaries yet. Very good but will get better with a bit of patience.
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Still dark. No premature ageing (in magnum). Ripe but not over-ripe nose. Even some typically Sociando green notes. Mid-weight. The tannins have resolved nicely. Not short or hard cf many 2003's. A real triumph.
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I bought a case in 2005, and they were so good that I foolishly drank them all. I've now found six bottles at auction and we had the first one tonight.
Very nice. All the tobacco and cedar that I remember. The berries have faded a bit, but still there. Nicely smooth by now and drinking well.
Decanted 2.5 hours.
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Not impressed with this particular bottle at all! A stewed nightmare scenario of what you fear from 2003. One of the few that have met the vintage stereotype so far. The underlying wine was sweet, and more meat driven than earthy, with big elements of fleshy steeped plum and some prune. More like an old Malbec...Anyway, I am pretty sure this was bottle damage, so I will not rate. But let this note float, for my next episode.... Try again
*I bought a magnum yesterday. That should show fresh...TBC
A well matured, spotless 2003, built on velvet, mature red fruit, cedar and tobacco, well framed by mediterranean herbs, ink and menthol freshness. Most typical SM.
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Really enjoyable bottle. Opened an hour before drinking and it opened up quickly. Good fruit, light tannins, good nose. Definitely has a few more good years
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Drank next to the 01 & 05 versions. This was the sluttiest of them. I intentionally opened it before dinner and 3 of us (OD, Mike, me) killed most of it just sitting outside waiting for the tenderloin to cook. Tasted the most like a Napa cab though not as overtly sweet as that. A bit on the softer side though it still has not fallen apart by any means. Probably the best on its own but the worst with food of the 3 vintages we drank. Drink now.
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2nd bottle in a month but different case/source. This had a solid core of black fruits. This was quite vibrant and youthful, but missing the herbacious leafy layer that adds complexity. Still strong.
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Give this a couple hours air and it’s a wonderfully mature bdx. No overripe flavors just mature balck fruits, tobaccoand cedar notes. Hints of leafy herbal notes add complexity.
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Tasted over two evenings. During the first one, despite five hours in a decanter, the wine failed to open, stubbornly refusing to show any fruit at all. The following evening, it was quite different - a fresh and inviting bouquet of ripe blackberry, blackcurrant and plum with a hint of cigar box, then a well-rounded mouthful of blackberry and plum, the blackcurrant coming on the finish with a little dark raspberry.
Atypical for the vintage, this has no trace of over-cooked fruit whatsoever, but it is however still a little pinched and compact. Very enjoyable but it lacks the cool suavity of a top SM vintage.
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Promisingly open bouquet of clean earth and red fruit, the mouthwatering palate is filled with ripe fruit but no overripe cooked feel, rich round flauvors of cassis, plums, hints of tobacco, green tones you might get in Sociando, clean dark earth. Presence of purple fruit which adds a slight Right Bank feel. Tannins and acidity support the ample fruit component and make this nicely harmonious. An exceptionally good 2003 Left Banker which is now on the top of its game.
Initially quite tannic and bitter, it opened up beautifully with a three-hour decant. Rich blackberry fruit with green pepper, leather, cedar, herbal notes. Not especially complex, but harmonious and balanced with potential to develop further and plenty of years ahead of it.
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Man Sociando nailed it in ‘03. The fruit is dark and ripe but fresh with no overdone notes. There some pyrazines and herbal lady notes well woven in the frantic of a wonderful bdx—smooth but with some rustic edges. Aromatic with a. Captivating nose of green pepper and leather notes. Speaks of place and vintage. Wonderful
11th of 36, opened 45 minutes, perfect cork and level, back to usual form of last November's bottle with May's an outlier, upside and long life ahead. F (17.5).
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Decanted and followed for about four hours. Took three hours to open and gain some weight. Nose of green pepper foliage, cassis, and sandalwood. Palate much the same with a beautiful undertone of sweet black raspberry. Melting tannin and a lengthy, sweet finish. Really nice bottle. Delicate complexity better expressed on its own than with food.
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Such a beautiful transition over 4 hours. Medium+ ruby colour. Intense aroma enveloped with blackberries, violets, earth and toasted sandalwood hints, with aeration it got extra layers of dense cassis, tobacco, pepper hints. Medium body, it commenced with surprising energy, slightly spicy attack braced with youthfulness and vibrancy, well structured tannins providing substantial grip. With time it got softer and rounder, showing smooth elegance and winding up with lengthy smoke tinged black fruit finish.
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This has forced me to be kinder to 2003 and restrain my prejudice. A delicious claret, that if not entirely classical, has those elements dialled up in a 2009-like style. Certainly belies its age, with plenty of intense blackcurrant fruit and with sandalwood and violet perfume. Creamy and dense on the palate, there is quite a grip here, with plenty of power and structure. Definitely has further to go, but a pleasant youthful maturity now.
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13% alcohol. Very good long cork with no wine penetration. Decanted an hour ahead. The colour is deep with minimal thinning and no bricking at the edge of the rim. Very full nose with dark fruit and some inky aromas (in a pleasant way). The mouth is satisfyingly juicy with good grip in spite of the resolved tannins; more red fruited than the nose, with even some ripe red pepper if you look hard for it. Certainly nothing remotely cooked or raisiny here. Maybe what is missing is a bit of extra length (and this is where yesterday's Ducru-B would score). Very good overall.
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Strong fruit core. I think it's still a bit awkward and should resolve further. Nice to drink now though and there's a chance I'm wrong about resolution, in which case it should have been drunk already! I guess we'll find out, 6 to go.....
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Decanted for 3 hours, and that was not enough. It improved through the evening. I cannot believe how "hard" this wine is.....particularly 18 years into the game. It ultimately delivered a good experience, but was not ready after the 3 hours. This wine pairs up very well with spicy/hot dishes.
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Very dark saturated ink. Drank over 3 days. Day 1: Complex nose of black tar and black fruits, cigar box. Powerful palate, deep and complex blackened flavors. Very long. Day 2: Same with more complexity, salinity emerging, aromas of wet gravels. Mouth is more refined and with perfect balance and longer finish. Day 3: floral aromas on the nose, very fine. Leaner, still showing the depth of flavors and lenght, but ending with dry mouth coating tannins. Terrific intensity of flavors and lenght day 1 to 3 ! This beauty could compete in blind tasting with any Medoc 2nd growth or 1st growth. Needs 10 yrs of cellaring or 18 hours of decant. In very hot years, Sociando like some St Estephe, can be really stunning.
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The ripest and most port-like bottle of this I’ve had so far. Perfect cork, but perhaps inevitable that there’s some bottle variation. Some green leafy tobacco and Graves-like minerality, but a bit ripe for what I was looking for. Still, enjoyable to drink with Flannery hanger steak. Actually, curiously lacking fruit… no overt mustiness but perhaps slightly corked.
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Crazy raspberry and strawberry aroma at decant that came through on the palate but with air there was a deeper fruit and greater fullness on palate. These sll have a refreshing palate cleansing nature but this one had less of the greeness and capsicum I have noticed
thoroughly enjoyed it
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Still going strong. Dark fruits, a bit of earthy flavor, still has good acidity and a medium plus length finish. 18 years old and still tasting great! But I’m drinking my last bottle. 😩 interesting that it went through different phases, and my first bottle (2014) and last bottle (2021), of six, were the best.
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Wineapolooza in Atlanta; 5/21/2021-5/23/2021 (My house): Well, considering I pulled the wrong wine and had no clue we weren’t drinking the Chateau Lascombes as planned, we did pretty well here. This was a classic Bordeaux profile with a sneaky acid and tannin profile—they are there and build up. Some backbone to last awhile. Dark cherries, tobacco, leather, cassis, and a hint of savory green tomatoes.
3rd day of the '21 Wine-o-palooza.....only 4 contestants left. Jen opened this one from her cellar as a birth year wine since she is the birthing person for her 18 yo....
A little bit of an odd nose on the pnp but over 3-4 hours in the decanter it evens out and over 2+ hours more it grows on you and struts its stuff. Competes fairly and squarely with the '03 Cos d' Estournel that I brought for the occasion til about the 7th hour of decant when the Cos pulls ever so slightly ahead.......soft cherry fruit, leather, tobacco and cassis. As time wears on, sneaky tannins start to show up late to the party, low to moderate intensity, but integrating well with the fruit and the acidity. A little tart cherry initially it evolves into more dark red/black fruit later. Maybe a little pine needle late, too? I think DJHammond covers this wine perfectly in his note from the other day. A screaming buy at this price.
This just keeps getting better and without doubt is the best Sociando-Mallet drinking and possibly the best of all time from the estate. The hot vintage really suited it and took away the rougher rustic edges usually associated with the wine. The nose is deeply fruited with red cherry, blackcurrant, and plum. The tannin does remind you what you are drinking, but it is perfectly integrated with the fruit. The finish is excellent and gently nudges past the 30 seconds point with perfect balance and depth. I find it difficult to find a better value wine in the market at present with probably at least another decade at this level ahead of it. 94+
Delicious wine probably near its peak. PnP’ed and it was very much ready for business. Balanced nose of blackcurrant, forest floor, and cedar. On the palate, it had well-integrated tannins and pleasant acidity, with a bready finish typical of Bordeaux.
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I was pleasantly surprised how this turned out. This would need a 2-3 hour decant minimum at this time. I drank it over two days without any decant and the second day was much superior than the first. The fruit was reticent on the first and was quite earthy. Still good wine maybe deserves 90 as a score. The second day it unfurled its core fruit with picking some vanilla notes and a lively acidic backbone to support it all. This would be perfect in maybe 4-5 years but drinking just great now.
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10th of 36 opened an hour, apparently perfect cork and level, not obviously corked but somehow stripped of fruit, attractive weight and structure, bit odd and an exception from usual v fine bottles. Merely G+ (15.5).
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13% alcohol. Good cork, not that long but very dense with very few defects and showing no wine penetration at all. I took a glass and a half out of the bottle yesterday and I stuck the recorked bottle in the fridge; as a result, I felt that the wine did not require further exposure to air, so no decanting. Fairly dark with limited thinning at the edge. The nose is classy with vivid blackcurrant and just a hint of ripe bell pepper. The mouth is similarly satisfying with a winning juicy quality, fresh currants, menthol in the finish and excellent grip. Nothing green here, and equally nothing overripe; a perfect balance for those who do not seek opulence. It is worth noting that yesterday's stolen glass, coming after largely un-oaked wines, felt quite oaky by comparison (bordering on excessive). No such feeling today on its own. This reinforces my view that tasting a string of bottles is unfair to the individual wines as it overemphasises the difference between successive samples to the detriment of neighbouring ones. End of rant. A superb Médoc (an honorary St Estèphe in my book) which requires and rewards patience. The late Jean Gautreau knew his onions for sure, and I am raising the last glass to his memory.
Now in a really nice phase starting to hit the plateau of maturity. The bouquet convinces with some tobacco, cassis, cedar and some bell pepper. Medium bodied and not hot at all, one would not think of 2003. The tannins are nicely integrated, overall an excellent bordeaux which should stay at this level for at least another decade.
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Popped and enjoyed over two days. Whiffs of green pepper and marked by tannin on day one. A touch rustic for my taste. I put the cork in the top put the bottle in the cellar. The wine emerged more suave with classic Bordeaux cedar on the nose along with integrated cassis fruit on the palate. A classic wine that surpasses the vintage. I will try to wait 5 more years for my next bottle as I believe this wine will continue to improve and integrate in the bottle.
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Gorgeous bouquet of cassis, fresh tobacco leafs, black berries and green pepper. The palate is round and extremely fresh, the aromatic clarity, transparence and also intensity quite impressive. No heat here despite the vintage. Still very young with years of life in it. 17.5+/20
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Very nice wine, hitting its stride now. This is rich, if you want rich. This is definitely Bordeaux, if you want Bordeaux. This wine was intriguing on release. Bottles a few years ago were a bit underwhelming. Now, it's ready. Good balance, not something you would necessarily say came of a freak year. No harsh tannins. Rich and warming. Drink in winter months, this will last a decade or more.
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From a magnum. Opened four hours earlier it started very tight. Put in a decanter for an hour and it was then ready for business. Sweet nose with some earth, cedar, red fruits and green olive. The wine was nicely ripe, fresh, medium bodied. Tannins were mostly resolved, finish was a bit short, but really, a very enjoyable claret. Purchased en primeur @$60, it was an excellent QPR as well
Nearly pristine cork. Incredibly rich nose of cassis, cigar, and forest floor at first, but palate was a bit tightly wound so I decanted for a couple hours. Unfurled over that time, showing classic tomacco, leather sofa, and cedar notes, wrapped around a small core of cassis, plum and blue fruit. Powdery tannins lead to a resonant finish. Savory and Rich, with more heft and depth than other more classic years, but otherwise no signs of ‘03 heat.
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55% C.Sauvignon, 40% Merlot et 5% C.Franc Bouchon non entamé
Robe : Noire, très légèrement orangée au niveau du disque. A l'agitation, de belles larmes se font jour. Nez : Sur les fruits noirs, le café, les épices et une petite pointe de poivron rouge. Bouche : On retrouve, les fruits noirs. La matière est bien présente, les tanins commencent à se fondre. Belle longueur en bouche. Beaucoup de plaisir, comme d'habitude ! Très bien +
1 An plus-tard, c'est toujours aussi bon !
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9th of 36, decanted 80 minutes, perfect cork and level, as Jan bottle, classy assertive and broad shouldered with opulence of fruit hiding underlying tannic structure, barely ready and built for the long haul, surely the best Sociando to date, considerable upside. F (17.5).
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13% alcohol. Good long cork with no wine penetration at all. Decanted an hour ahead. Dark colour with minimal fading at the edge of the rim. Very vivid nose with vibrant blackcurrant aromas following an initial powdery sensation (not in a bad way). The mouth is equally impressive, incredibly fresh and nimble; refreshing in a way that Bordeaux rarely is. The wine has good grip without any bitter tannins. Very good length. I do not know the grape mix, but this screams high quality CS to me (probably with minor unobtrusive M addition). A great success, and capable of long further ageing.
PS: looking back at my previous notes, I see that I quoted the grape mix as CS 55%, M 40%, CF 5%; the high dose of M surprises me. Maybe the 5% CF helps with the freshness beyond what the figure announces.
Pristine bottle and cork. Had over 2 days: Nose: Classic claret. Some brett, green tobacco, graphite, bell pepper, cassis, plum, cedar and a noticeable "flintyness" some would describe as mineral. Can't say I find any overripe fruit, but a surprisingly fresh nose and mouth given the vintage. Medium body, would like a little higher concentration and better balance in the finish, but quite good for what it is. Needs meat at the moment.
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Drank immediately after opening and then over the next 3-4 hours. It started with a bit of tannin and earthy flavor but opened up to more fruit and a polished aftertaste. Very enjoyable
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60 minutes decant. A full tablespoon of sediment. Waves of overripe black and blue fruits, some graphite, sweet Oak and cedar with touch of red currant. A wonderful value wine. Better than last bottle by a noticeable amount.
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I have had a very good experience with this wine. I decanted this bottle 3+ hours......a little longer than with prior bottles.......and believe the added time helped the drinking experience.
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Opened and aired 2 hours before dinner. Cork was pretty soft. Needed to use the Durand on this. Very dark and opaque. Chocolate and very ripe black berries on the nose, but a classic cedar/pencil shavings Bordeaux beneath that. Very soft. Structure provided by the acidity which it has in adequate measure. Black tea, tobacco, a little leathery. Fruit is fading. Quite dry, but not in any way austere. A touch over medium-bodied. Good length. Perhaps a bit past prime. But then again, maybe not the best example due to the problematic cork. From this bottle, best to drink up.
Decanted for 1.5 hours. In hindsight, 20 minutes in the glass would likely have sufficed. Nice black and blue fruits with some red fruits underneath. A soft and smooth wine with some nice dried herbs and Oak. It screams of a classic claret from the 1980s both in style and with its very modest 13% alcohol. Taking this wine down a point for me was that it got a little thin after mid palate and did not have as long a finish as you'd expect.
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This is such a wonderfully consistent wine, and with a few hours of aeration is fully approachable. The hot vintage really brought to life the wine earlier than normal, and I find it by far the best Sociando-Mallet drinking. This is a great wine and such tremendous value for money, and should continue to develop over the next couple of years and stay at its peak for a decade or more.
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Disappointing showing given the other reviews. Fruit nearly gone. Almost all secondary, with excessive cedar. Maybe a bad bottle, but stored since purchased en primeur.
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Fabulous and in a wonderful spot. A hint of green pepper, which seems to be a hallmark of this winery, as I have picked it up on other vintages also. Mid bodied, a little light on mid palate but very satisfying. I dont think it is going to improve any more, but I wouldn't anticipate any sharp decline so should be plenty of years left in it.
Sociando-Mallet does wonderfully in ripe vintages, and this 2003 is no exception. Deep, brooding, tobacco-laden, ripe cassis, mineral and rather fresh acidity on a deeply fruited and powerful frame. This is still embryonic but delicious. Lots of knees and elbows, still waiting to integrate, yet pure, powerful, forceful and delicious.
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Prachtige 2003 die zeer mooi en fijn geëvolueerd is Intense volle aanzet van donker rood fruit , peperkoek , tabac en zachte sigaar aroma’s Mondvullend , perfekt in evenwicht met zalvende tannines en mooie fraicheur Afdronk 10 sec Beste Sociando dat ik ooit proefde
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13% alcohol. CS 55%, M 40%, CF 5%. The cork is above average in length and superbly dense. No wine penetration at all; some tartrate deposits on the cork and in the neck. Decanted for an hour. The colour is deep with some thinning but hardly any fading at the edge of the rim (I am a little bit cagey here because I am not using my usual (GG) glass following a breakage). Very good bright fruity nose dominated by blackcurrant. The mouth is equally impressive, very vivid and with good grip. Silky mouthfeel. There is a slightly bitter kick in the finish, and that may put some people off, but I don't mind it as it comes late, it gives structure to the wine, and it is a reminder that S-M is an honorary St Estèphe. At the same time, there is something sweet here (not sugary). An unusual combination. A very good wine for those who can put up with a bit of spine. Nothing soupy here. Looks like it is at the start of its life. Could take a longer decant perhaps.
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BBQ early June 2020: decanted for approx. 1 hour; dark rubin red color; bouquet of cassis, cherry, coffee, dark chocolate and vanilla; balanced, slightly acidic palate accompained with a decent adstringency and a tannic backbone; medium/full body. 91-92/100.
Left a glass of wine in the closed bottle at room temperature overnight. Tasted approx. 18 h after bottle opening: the bouquet stayed largely intact while the wine got much smoother on the palate, the acid significantly disappeared and the tannins melted away.
While already good approchable the development of the 2003 Sociando-Mallet is not finished yet. However, it's not easy to predict that longer cellaring will improve the current excellent quality level significantly.
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Who said that 2003 would not age well? A wonderfully matured Bordeaux, built on velvet, mature red fruit, cedar and tobacco, well framed by mediterranean herbs, ink and menthol freshness.
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With impeccable gravel over clay and clay limestone terroir that “sees the river” to better temper weather extremes, this fine estate in the northern Médoc fared very well in the heatwave 2003 vintage, which had very early picking dates for most estates. While some wines can taste jammy and/or superficially ripe, this “Montrose of the Haut Médoc” kicked ass. The tone and color reveal “normal” evolution. The wine exudes ripe fruit and a hint of jam, but hardly overbearing. Nearly 16 years in bottle, one senses pleasing tertiary notes of Cuban cigar and creosote but also primary (and juicy) black fruit. The tannins are already well integrated if still thankfully present to lend structure, and the long finish is marked by freshness, indeed rather tangy: A major plus for this vintage. It lacks the peerless balance of the 2005 vintage, but it is excellent and can stay on this plateau for many more years in your cellar. Kudos to the former owner, the late Jean Gautreau, who died in October last year and had invested many years since acquiring the estate in 1969. He and his team made excellent wines year in, year out. Not that it needs it commercially, because it has a deservedly strong brand, but if any Haut Médoc has long merited promotion to the 1855 classification, then Sociando is it. Nice match with grilled steak and mushrooms.
Really nice but took hours to finally peak. When first opened: tar and light-bodied. After 1-2 hours, a robust cassis, tar, underbrush, leather. Full-bodied and still some tannins. A nice nose and decent finish.
Refrigerated and finished 2 days later- after another hour of breathing: creamy, cherry, really nice nose and finish.
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Nice cabernet nose of mint, cassis, cedar. Pleasant attack of grapey and sweet-tart fruits, integrated structure, good finish of with bit of tannic grip. In a nice place, not green at all by my standards. Nice sweetness on the palate with plenty of brightness. Almost a pretty wine by the norms of this chateau. Good and ready in a mid-maturity stage. 90-91 pts.
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As per previous note from 5 months ago, this is ready to drink with a couple of hours in the decanter. For myself this is the best Sociando-Mallet drinking by far. Climatically 2003 was a challenge to some wines, but it softened the rougher edges that is typical of the estate. The nose is ripe with blackcurrant, plum and cedar, and it is smooth on the palate with a perfectly balanced finish of 30 seconds plus. This should stay at this level for the next decade at least.
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Covid takeout from Petit Bistro. We both had a beef dish. Pulled this bottle in honor of friend Charles in london who had an milestone b-day. (He had a 2014 Gaja Barbaresco over in the UK). The fruit jumped from the bottle, the color was attractive (not too dark). Nose developed great but restraint. On palate pure Bdx, fresh, fruit, tannins and length. Just very good! This will live longer but is great now. Happy Bday Charles!!!
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Decanted for about an hour, but might have only needed a splash decant. From memory, so no formal tasting notes, but this was spectacular... can't imagine this bottle being anywhere other than smack in the middle of it's prime drinking window. Plenty of dark, complex fruit, but with well developed secondary flavors belying Medoc origin. Highly recommended and would drink now and over the next few years.
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very nice wine after brief decant of 30-60 minutes. Slight characteristic green but good fruit, not too heavy and well balanced...really a very nice wine and all the more so for the price then and even now.
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Previous bottle was 2017 This wine is coming around very nicely. The nose blossoms and the taste is more integrated and tannins are melting nicely. Next bottle in 3-5 years. Potential is still there.
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Nez bien typé bordeaux, sur les fruits noirs et le poivron bien mûr. Bouche équilibrée,suave et concentrée, sans le côté cuit du millésime. L'ensemble est un peu prosaïque et terrien, bien dans l'esprit de St-Estéphe. Superbe maintenant mais devrait tenir 10-15 ans facilement.
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8th of 36, opened 45 minutes, perfect cork and level, another super bottle very much on the fruit at present, a bit simple as yet maybe, but high pleasure factor, significant upgrade possible if greater layering emerges. F (17.5).
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The climate of the vintage did not suit all wines, but it conspired to create the greatest Sociando Mallet of the past few decades. This is a powerhouse of a wine and is just entering its peak drinking window. The nose is opulent with blackcurrant, plum, and cedar with aromas that linger. The palate does still display some typical characteristics of the estate with robust tannin, but it is resolved and in perfect balance. There is good depth and secondary notes. I do concur with other reviews regarding the finish, and it is in contrast with the rest of the wine typically austere. However, that said it is lengthy and balanced. This should stay here for the next decade or more, and should continue to develop over the next couple of years.
I still prefer the 2001, but this has improved considerably since the last bottle, gaining in dusty freshness which acts as a counterpoint now for the spicy fruit. The finish is still very slightly astringent but this is a really classy number which will improve further in a couple more years. Powerful and suave.
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Multiple bottles from multiple sources. This was a good one. Nice course of ripe dark fruit mixed with a fine leafy hearbal element. Tannins a bit coarse, but otherwise this is outstanding. Doesn’t show any over ripeness or other notes of heat stress. Drinking very well. (Consistent note from last year. I always write my notes before checking old notes.)
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Tasting dinner, so brief note. Uber classic Bordeaux, very well done despite the hot vintage, lots of secondary and tertiary notes, should be excellent with food. Strong buy at the price.
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An impressive wine; the heat of 2003 was more than many could cope with, but this is an exemplar of adaptation to the conditions. Very dark colour still, classic Bordeaux nose of graphite, leather, plum and cedar. Wonderful balance now on the palate; rich fruit, touch of sweetness but the firm backbone characteristic of this Chateau is there. Finish is not quite as convincing as I would have hoped for, but overall a very satisfying bottle. Needs strongly flavoured food at this stage and there is scope for further development: it drinks well now after a short aeration, but should hold well for another 5-7 years.
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Decanted for two hours but opened up after only 30 minutes. Powerful aromas of cough drops and roasted green peppers. Fragrant dark cherries in the mouth with some residual heat. Still primary for the most part but secondary characteristics of smoke and leather starting to emerge. Will need more time to develop fully though very drinkable now.
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Next to the '83 this was a youthful and dense buck. I love that the bell pepper notes don't get lost in the ripe, but not at all roasted, fruit. Fun now but this will be better in 10+ years as it matures and sheds some of the fruit richness.
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Hard to believe this is almost 16 years old. It's so dark and young and still together, it could be a newly released wine. It's still tannic too. Very much in the old style. Dark berry, forest floor, earth, funk, tannins, and zero apologies. And a great price to boot. The 2003 heat wave did make this a bruiser though, it is more masculine than even usual. I love this chateau and I hope they never stray from their style.
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55% C.Sauvignon, 40% Merlot et 5% C.Franc 4 ans depuis la première Bouchon entamé de 20%
Robe : Noire, très légèrement orangé au niveau du disque. A l'agitation, de belles larmes se font jour. Nez : Sur les fruits noirs, le café, les épices et une petite pointe de poivron rouge. Bouche : On retrouve, les fruits noirs. La matière est bien présente, les tanins commencent à se fondre. Belle longueur en bouche. Beaucoup de plaisir Très bien
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Richly fragrant with dark berry and forest notes. Mid-palate is med-full with earthy dark berry, tobacco and hints of herb. Seamless finish with finely integrated tannin and oak. Very enjoyable. Last of my stash
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Decanting for 1 hour : Colour was dark red with no sign off a 16 years old wine . Nose was nice , dark fruity like black berries and blue berries . Some freshness like eucaliptic , but also some little dark roasted cherries , which i don´t want to have in a classical bdx nose . Taste was nice with some dark berries but similar with the nose some roasted fruit tones and some overripe . Acid is well integrated , more sweet tones during drinking and tannics well integrated , too . For my opinium it is not a bad wine , but for a very classic bdx chateau like Sociando , its not what i really prefer . I had this wine some years ago during a Sociando vertical tasting and from remembering i seemd , that these bottle was much better than this one . Drink this wine now or untill the next 5 till 10 years . But i don´t think , that the wine is getting better . 17 points
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An der Nase schwarze Johannisbeere, Tabakkiste, Schoko- und Würznoten, Leder und Holz; am Gaumen sehr trinkiger Wein mit beginnenden Sekundärnoten, weichem Tannin, sehr langem und eleganten Abgang. Schön entwickelt!
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I bought a few cases back in the day, and it is starting to feel like an absolute bargain and, indeed is still great value for money and for myself the best Sociando Mallet drinking. This has really come to life in the last year, and is entering its prime drinking window, and age seems to have ironed out some initial clumsiness. The nose is now expressive and possesses a good bouquet of blackcurrant, plum and cedar. The palate is demonstrating secondary characteristics, and the tannin is more muted, but in perfect balance. I never thought the wine would shrug off its tannic profile, but it is almost uncharacteristically smooth for the estate. The finish has transformed completely over the last year and is now 30 seconds plus and in total harmony with an exceptional depth.
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Cool, expressive nose with distinct notes of herbs, green peppercorns and brassica. Leafy, minty, swiss chard attack with a lovely sweeter finish. Shows a nice core of plummy fruit. Medium bodied with nice acids for an 03. Svelte and smooth by Sociando’s standards with a tangy citric finish. A touch of wood tannin still, but hard to see the new oak here despite the high amount employed. Definitely plusher than most vintages here, eschewing the austerity that this wine often shows. I really dig this, but not everyone’s cuppa to be sure. Summary: sweeter, richer and softer than many vintages of Sociando, but still showing that distinct greenery. Just past early maturity and drinking great, but with time to spare. 92-93+ pts.
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4th Saturday Brown Bagger (T&L's): Double blind. Notes of dark fruit and graphite, with undelying plum, spice and cigar box notes. The palate mirrors the bouquet. Really nice fruit; good length on the finish. Medium tannins. Guessed Bordeaux.
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Great wine and a perfect QPR. The nose show dark berries, dried plums, forest floor and oriental spices. On the palate this full bodied wine is perfectly balanced and fully opened right after pulling the cork. It offers pleasure over 2 days w/o signs of fading. To me, the only negative is the vintage typical power which covers complexity and freshness. Anyway a great wine and one of the best performances from this property. Drink now or over the next 5+ years.
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Very dark. Fresh, in itself but especially considering the vintage. Long aftertaste. The Merlot is very present. Right bank character, too much for my taste but will sit super well with merlot enthusiasts.
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Take one of the most traditionally made Medoc wines from superb terroir generally regarded as being able to produce wines of the equal of many Classified Growths in one of the coolest, most northerly parts of the Haut Medoc in a warm year and what do you get? One of the wines of the vintage. The best Sociando Mallet for drinking at the moment. Cool palate, yet full bodied and plush textured with flavours of dark berries, pencil lead, cedar oak. No heat whatsoever. No jamminess at all. Tasted blind, you'd never pick this as a 2003. Magnificent. 5-10 years in the tank at least. Wow!
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45+ minute decant, but needs more like 2 hours for some of the harshness to dissipate. Mild nose with more fruit than the terroir I was expecting. Wine lacks depth and character. That being said it goes down like velvet and has a medium plus finish. The early harshness is a turn off and I think my expectations were too high. Not bad, but probably won’t try again.
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Punched way above its weight, and it is in a very good place right now. Good fruit, noticeable herb or green veggie, balanced finish, built to match with food.
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Drank next to the 1990 and 2015 over two days. Closed and tight showing nothing on the nose and little on the palette day one. The wine came to life on day two with powerful floral and ripe red fruit filling the room, highlighted by gravel and iron. Medium bodied with good structure and a crisp bite of acidity. Sour cherries, graphite, iron and a touch of bell pepper. None of the barnyard mustiness that was showing in the 1990. This wine is still youthful and vibrant with a lot of fruit, the only thing holding it back is the short finish. It really opened up on day two, and should continue to get better over the next few years.
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Last bottle 9/17. What a great Medoc wine at a beautiful point in its evolution. Pyrazines have disappeared and nose has opened. Completely agree with other recent reviews. I think this will continue to improve for a few more years. Paired delightfully with a simple roast chicken, anson mills grits, glazed carrots and an arugula salad.
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Simply put: textbook Bordeaux, lead pencil shavings, flowers, black fruits, spices, some vanilla still, ripe, no sign of age, a glorious bottle and probably the best Sociando I've had so far. And this tells something as I am following this estate since 1985. Amazing wine. Wish I bought cases more of this. (note: I increased my score versus the previous note as now the wine is displaying an intense multidimensional nose that literally jumps from the glass.
W beefstew/pasta. Roosje and JH in Rhinebeck. Next to the 2004. This was clearly better but needs some more time (2 years?). 2+ hour decant. Very typical bdx, deep red color, great nose of fruit, tobacco other musky scents. Palate had good fruit, decent tannins, but still a bit tight. Great wine though!!
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6th of 36, decanted an hour, better integrated tannin and more nuance since my August bottle, early maturity. F (17.5)….potentially the best Sociando yet!
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Feel like this never hit its potential. Still very grippy with pencil lead and black truffles. Good but just doesn’t have the depth you would hope for. Bit one dimensional.
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This has suddenly moved forward in the last 8 months and is starting to shed some of its more abrasive tannin. The nose is still a little tight, but with lots of dark berry, cherry, and plum. It is on the palate the wine has developed, and the tannin no longer inhibits the experience. The subtleties and complexity of the flavours can now be fully appreciated. The finish is on the medium to short side, and prevents a higher rating. This can start to really be enjoyed now with 6+ hours in the decanter. Great value for money.
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Pretty awesome. Dark fruited with a leafy herbal character. Not a hint of roasted fruit. This is well built and structured for the long haul, but enjoyable now.
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13% alcohol. CS 55%, M 40%, CF 5%. Good long cork with no wine penetration (not bad after 15 years). Decanted an hour ahead. The first whiff out of the neck of the bottle before decanting is promisingly fruity. Dark colour with no sign of ageing. Very good nose of ripe (but most certainly not cooked or raisiny) dark berries. The mouth is very pleasing in a refreshing mode, with very good fresh berries again. The fruit is exuberant enough to remind you of the new world. Not the most intense of wines, bordering on fluidity in fact, and slightly frustrating as a result. Tannins are not fully resolved, but the slight note of bitterness in the finish is not unpleasant Not at maturity yet, but certainly drinkable now for those who can cope with a bit of structure. I like this wine but I still feel that there is something lacking, at least at this stage. I will wait a few years before opening the next bottle. The repeat purchase question does not really arise because of the long lead-in time of this wine (although things may be different now that the Merlot proportion has increased). PS: looking back at my previous note (25 Feb 18), I see that I liked it much better then, and that the decanting time was longer; hmm, food for thought.
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Dark, dense, full of tabocco leaf and cassis and blackberry and gravel. Excellent with good lift, young, hardly any tertiaries, doing very well, tasting great but I would wait 5 years to get more complexity. GCC
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5th of 36, opened 3 weeks earlier and recorked then decanted 80 minutes, perfect cork and level, tannins slightly more obtrusive, otherwise as last note in June, would expect this wine to merit a higher rating when fully mature in 10 to 15 years. Currently F (17.5) in spite of burliness.
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Dark garnet, reticent nose of black currant, tobacco, eucalyptus and lead pencil shavings, tight and spicy on the attack with bitter black plum, juicy acidity and still rather strong tannins, long but dry finish with powdery dark fruit and heat
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Ne me semble pas aussi bonne que la bouteille bue en 2012, quand à l'aveugle ce vin avait dépassé Pontet-Canet 2004. Nez typique médoc: graphite, cassis,cigares, etc. 1res gorgées marquées par l'acidité et un fruit en arrière-plan. N'a pas vraiment développé de notes tertiaires; difficile d'entrevoir comment ce vin pourrait s'améliorer avec le temps excepté si on apprécie les vins avec un fruit très mince. Longueur moyenne, finale sur l'amertume, structure encore bien présente mais policée. En mangeant ce vin prend toute son ampleur (il accompagne très bien le magret de canard sauce au cassis); sans bouffe, l'amertume est un peu trop envahissante. Aucune perception de végétale contrairement à d'autres millésimes dégustés, mais une impression de sous-maturité (13% d'alcool pour une année caniculaire, c'est un peu étrange). Le producteur a eu l'intelligence de récolter ses raison avant qu'ils ne cuisent, mais on ne peut outrepasser les limitations de ce millésime. 90-91
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W burger from grill. Very good! As per my previous note from 10 yrs ago this is very approachable, no typical SM tightness. Great dark fruit, balance and length. Medium weight limited tannins. Yummy!
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Opened for a hour and decanted for 1 1/2 to 2 hours. It drank well after that. This is the second bottle of a case. The first bottle (from a good while back) was a great drinking experience, but took an over the top decant. Will look to drink this one more frequently now.
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A year since my last bottle, and it’s still fairly young. Pnp, and enjoyed over 4 hours. Savory & burly up front, with soy, tobacco, cedar and leather. A spine of nervy acid that feels more integrated starting about hour 2, when a bit of black and blue fruit starts to emerge - plum, black cherry, black currant. 91
Day 2: the fruit has started to come in focus - blueberry, cassis, plum. It feels more focused and alive, emphasizing its youth despite the abundance of secondary notes. 92
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This is good. Needs at least a 1-2 hr decant to bring out its real personality. Muted nose initially gives way to lovely but restrained nose. Colour intense, dark and somewhat brooding. Palate after some decant time showed lovely intergrated fruit with soft tannins. Elegant for a 2003. I don’t think it will improve.
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In the early going, quite a lot of Bell pepper on the palate. With about an hour, the wine’s more pleasant characteristics emerge, with the Cabernet Sauvignon playing more prominently than in my first bottle. Dark fruits, leather, wood, chocolate, more. I believe with ample air — 2-3 hours — I would’ve gotten even more out of the wine. Still plenty of life here.
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Inviting, expressive nose with earthy notes, subtle wood, plum and perfectly mature black fruit. Intense palate, perfectly matured, blending mature fruit, plum, chocolate, caramel, roasted coffee, herbs. Well balanced, with ample minerality and a long finish this wine proves yet again that in spite of the many challenges of this vintage it was possible to achieve great results.
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The wine has medium acidity. It smells like black currant (cassis), mushroom, cedar, raisin, forest floor, game, bark, black pepper, alcohol/hot and light toast. The wine finishes medium. It tastes like oak, black currant (cassis), mushroom, medium toast, black pepper, forest floor, bark and alcohol/hot. The legs are fast. There is moderate sediment in the bottle. The wine has round texture.
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Excellent with lamb shoulder. A melting pot rather than a salad of dark fruit and earth tones with just the right heft. Integrated and blended at 55 cab, 40 merlot, and 5 cab franc and drinking in a great place -2024.
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Very dark crimson color. Nose is shy. Palate is showing dark berries, hints of herbs and cedar, getting some cola and a slight green note. Pretty closed up. Long, deep, and structured. Well done, but this will need some time. Tasted over a period of 2 days. 91+
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{2nd of 24 bottles, cellared since purchase, perfect fill, decanted - see note from day before, 23 March 2018} Decided to try a duplicate. This bottle, drunk just 1 night after last note, had a touch more red fruits and just an hint of the liquerishness described by others. "Firm tannins" is completely on the mark, more sandalwood than tobacco for me.
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first glass dominated with earth notes and red licorice. earthy tannins. after an hour decanting, the tannins mellowed out and some softer fruits came out. still mild but firm tannins. this beauty still has more tie in the bottle to get even better.
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{1st of 24 bottles, perfect fill, decanted and immediately tried} Still medium to full red color, no brown on rim. Nose is very Medoc, black currenty nose and palate attack (initially)without red fruits; this bottle does not have the tobacco or sandalwood others describe, while it does have delicious depth. Still has tannins that coat the mouth just a bit, so you end up with nice tensions between the fruit, tannins, very balanced acidity. Good but not very good length. At an hour more of the red fruits are evident. The liqueur-like palate, richness etc. described by Tanzer's early reviews need more time to reappear but are detectable at an hour. This is a long-distance runner and (based on this bottle) has barely developed secondary elements. Another super Sociando-Mallet punching above its weight. With another 23 bottles I can open one every 4-6 months but for anyone with just a couple of bottles, would feel no pressure to open for at least another couple of years.
The nose is rich, with cassis and tobacco featuring, before a similarly rich, dense attack of mainly cassis which is initially quite harsh on the edges, also a tad green, then a fascinating second layer of intense fruit, on the bottom of the palate, which uncurls around the teeth and slides down the throat. Sounds horrible but it's very impressive. Over the course of the evening, the second wave become increasingly prominent and more identifiable as a mixture of blueberry and black cherry. All, in all an imposing wine, like a mixture between a St.Estephe, a Pauillac and a Haut-Médoc.
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3rd of 36, decanted 90 minutes, perfect cork and level, tad more expressive than December bottles, hence upgrade, impressive grippy fruit masking slightly dry tannins, decent balance suggests long evolution and potential for further upgrades! F (17.5).
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Not decanted, followed over 3.5 hours w only minor degradation. Dark berry flavored tobacco and faint spice on the nose. Seems to be in the latter years of its life but it’s also moved cross-country twice and only travelled reefer most recently. Very enjoyable on its own, even better w tonight’s moo cow.
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From a perfectly stored bottle. Nice dark ruby colour. Wine is still very young showing a fresh nose with cherries, leather, wood, spices and hint of mint. Tannins are resolved and the wine is very enjoyable. Requires a considerable amount of time to open up. Full, ripe chewy tannins, with blue and red fruits and a long, mineral aftertaste. Wonderful balance and one of my favourite vintages from this chateau.
13% alcohol. CS 55%, M 40%, CF 5%. The cork is one of the shortest that I have ever seen on a quality Bordeaux, but it shows no significant wine penetration. Decanted 90mn ahead. The colour is dark right up to the edge of the rim. Rich classic nose of Médoc, with dark berries and some tobacco. The mouth is just as good, combining bright fruit (mostly blackcurrant), a juicy character and a smooth finish. Excellent balance and no sign of austerity here. No oak taste and no protruding tannins, although the wine does not lack grip. A splendid Médoc in its optimal drinking window (good for another five years, I would say); this bottle seems to me to be even better than the famed 1990 (of which I have had my fair share). I feel that there is something unique here as the opulence of the vintage fights against the tendency towards austerity of the cru to produce something close to a perfect balance. An outstanding success, and a repeat purchase in ripe years.
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Last tasted 6 months ago, the wine is moving forward at a glacial pace. In many ways it is very untypical for a left bank of the vintage with none of the opulence and richness of many of its contemporaries. It is drinking and very enjoyable, but possesses the typical austerity of the vineyard with crunchy old fashioned tannin. It seems whatever the year (even the 2003), you can't take the "sociando mallet" out of the wine and it is a testament to its character and identity. This will continue to improve but will always retain its essential profile.
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An interesting wine. Flamboyant and expressive upon opening, after several hours seemed more resolved with acidity to the front and increasingly disjointed. Shows some plushness of the vintage but no over ripeness or raisin flavors. Black fruit, fine tannin and acidity. Seems like it’s asking for more time.
2 hour decant. Medium+ ruby. Dried herbs, forest floor, bell pepper, wet gravel, graphite with a touch of red fruits. Chewy tanins, real grippy but balanced. Old world all the way. Slight lack of concentration/complexity but real nice. As noted in previous reviews, a Chinon bordeaux.
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2nd of 36, decanted an hour, perfect cork and level, as Thursday's bottle but drunk against the 86 and 96; although the 86 was WOTN and the unready 96 showed the qualities of a truly great vintage, I think this wine has the potential to be the best of the three, as the winemaking seems to be a step up on even the 96. It will be interesting in a couple of years to broach the as yet unready 2000 in this company! Currently VGI (17).
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1st of 36, opened an hour, perfect cork and level - dark garnet, youthful and dense; cassis and plum, touch of earth, tobacco and vanilla, quite rich and attractive, if simple; fullish, long and persistent, chunky and rich, lovely sweet core, balanced, tannins integrating nicely, very attractive if in a slightly burly way, needs more complexity and grace to develop for F. Currently VGI (17).
Nose offers up sea air, damp wood, smoked tobacco and some saddle leather. All hints of good things to come. But no… tannic palate brings olive brine, salted meats and some veggies. Fruit is extinct. In its place is a vacuum in space acting as the mid palate. The finish is cut off at the knees, the wine just evaporates. Quirky and unsatisfying
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Decanted with lots of chunky sediment. Nose: animale, leather glove, hay, tobacco, tomato leaf. Palate has tons to offer, and very little of it is fruit. Tobacco, leather, soy, tomato leaf, blueberry, and a bit of cranberry and blackcurrant pastille at the end. Manly but not without grace. Good concentration, supple texture, mouthwatering acidity and well integrated tannins. Not the longest finish. Definitely a Bordeaux for Chinon lovers - hard to believe it has 40% merlot and just 5% cab franc.
Day 2, after vacuum pumped and put in the fridge. Funkiness has receded, and crunchy red fruit to the fore. Tannins a bit more noticeable without the funk.
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A star of the vintage. Dark plums on the nose. The palate also showed tobacco, mushrooms, deep and dark with fairly stern tannins, no rush on this, but it was my last bottle.
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Decanted about two hours before dinner, finished about five hours later. Black raspberry, earth, cigar box, and green pepper herbaceousness on the nose. Nice sweet black raspberry on the palate evolving to a chocolately finish with drying tannins. Tannins are still a bit prominent and drying. Last glass was the best- needs more time. Worked fabulously with herb pesto roasted chicken.
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Absolutely lovely, with earth, dried cassis, coffee tobacco and celery seed. The tannins are fine grained and accessible. Just a hint of green to add complexity. As others have mentioned, there is no roasted 2003 vintage character, as the balance is excellent. Drinking very well, but can still hold.
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On the nose nice melange of black fruits, tobacco, spices and only a hint of the typical SM green bell pepper smell. Good concentration and despite of 2003 no heat. Still slight rustic tannic edges, but rather giving character than being disturbing.
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Same magnum as collector below. Decanted 4 hours. Dark garnet, juicy dark fruit but lacks a bit concentration (and complexity) on the mid palate for a higher score, no heat or burned notes, and for once a Sociando without any green notes. Not at the level of the excellent 03 Duhart and Pontet Canet, but very well done and nice QPR
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From Magnum. Tatsed blind. Dark crimson, quite dark, some garnet at the rim but still dense color. Nose of dark fruit, torrefaction. I was oscillating between Super Tuscan and Right Bank Bordeaux. Rich and ripe palate, generous fruit, not too hot. Tannins could be a bit finer but then again we are in Cru Burgois land. A good showing for this wine.
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Drinking now and not having really evolved any further in the last year, the wine still has some tannin to shed. The nose is full of dark berry fruits and plum, with hefty tannins on the palate. These really need to evolve further to improve the wine as there is great depth lurking and potential complexity, in addition to a good finish.
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750ml bottle. Moderately deep. A hint of browning. Nose of oak and bell pepper--but attractively so , in my view. Medium weight. Tannins of pretty good ripeness. Remains a most convincing 2003 and only better in magnum.
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fresh nose with black fruits and some toasted wood, in the mouth this wine shows as a classical Sociando-Mallet : spicy, black fruits, coffee and considering the hot vintage this is rather elegant without the typical overripe 2003 fruit
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Sweet dark fruit on the nose with a bell pepper note. Rich mouth feel, deep, dark, a little spicy. Moderate tannin. Acidity holding it together. Good finish. This wine is more power than finesse and I'm ok with that. Probably improves for another 5 years, but I have no idea what happens after that (as with most of the 2003s)
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Herbs, black fruit, still powerful. Classical bordeaux profile. Typical paprika touch becomes apparent after some time. 90/91 Nicely done for the vintage.
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Solid opaque dark ruby. Not showing much age. Great viscosity to boot. Deeply fruited, ripe, with blackberry and cassis at the fore in the nose, along with lead pencil. Palate has mineral-laden fruit, and is full-bodied and rich. Other than a barely detectable hollowness onn the finish, there is no sign of decline whatsoever, it seems to still be in plateau with plenty of pleasure to provide in coming years, with some tannin lurking to provide good structure and balance. Better than I anticipated and fresher than expected after reading reviews on CT and pro reviews. This is, at once, round, supple, and intense. Glad I bought two bottles. 5-12-16-8: 91/100.
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Stored in a temperature controlled cellar since purchase upon release. Based on the recommendation of other tasters, we decanted for 2-3 hours before drinking, and this indeed proved important. At first, the nose was completely closed, with very little in the mouth (it was a tad harsh as well). But at the 2-3 hour mark, lovely aromas of cedar, underbrush, graphite, and chocolate emerged, with spice and rose pedal noted with further time. In the mouth, flavors of dark fruits, licorice, spice, dark chocolate, and a subtle roasted note flow to a solid finish. It's not the most massive wine, but there's certainly a good deal of substance and concentration. Very enjoyable, but only after a good decant - it really started to sing at the 5 hour mark. We sensed no signs of anything fading, although it might be possible to misinterpret this if consumed too quickly without decanting. If I had more, I'd hold another 4-5 years, but keep a close eye on what other tasters are reporting.
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Open night 1 not decanted but left to sit in the glass for an hour. Ok but lacking interest and depth. Day 2 a different wine. Weight, complexity, freshness (nice core of fruit) and elegance. Not what I was expecting given 2003. Recommend decanting if the wine is to be drunk in one session.
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An even better showing than the bottle I had a year or so ago. A core of rich red and dark berried fruit framed by earth, cedar, tobacco, and faint herbal notes - the Sociando green character isn't as vivid here, but this is really classic, elegant Bordeaux showing none of the signs of overripeness/heat/etc I'd expect from many 03s. There's a surprisingly bright spine of acidity beneath alongside the grainy tannin, and this is drinking very nicely with some time in the decanter, although with lots of time ahead.
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Beautiful nose of red fruit, pencil, leather, and green pepper with the green pepper especially emerging with air. Fairly rich, with plums, red berries, pencil, and beautiful darker fruit sourness that persists. Medium gritty, coating tannin, medium acid. Rich, sweet fruit, but not at all affected by the heat or "roasted." Very good. Drink now or hold for quite a while. 91-92.
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Monthly tasting club "The Tasting Club" 2016-?; Bordeaux 2003 and 2004 (@ My place): Opened yesterday and now in my glass again. Day one the bouquet was locked and not very expressive. Now ripe black forest fruits, graphite and some licorice and good oak. On the palate dark forest fruits, minerals, licorice, firm acidity and still powerful and sticky tannin. This wine needs more time in the bottle. Until 2024+ will be no problem at all. Day one I scored the wine 90. Day two 92+
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I have scored this slightly less than 6 months ago but I feel this is down to bad food pairing on my behalf. Certainly in its drinking window, it does need a few hours in the decanter. The wine is very typical of the left bank 2003's with a big cherry bouquet but tempered by a hint of leather. The tannin is mostly resolved and gives great balance on the palate with a good satisfying finish. What separates it from the really great 2003's is a lack of depth mid palate. Initially the depth is there but suddenly dissipates However, a great wine and great value for money.
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Many thanks to Alex for giving me this bottle; he does have a real talent for unearthing wines that hugely outperform their classification viz the Liger-Belair Cotes de Nuits -09 and the Clementin '05. This was a real delight. The colour was deep red with no real signs of age at the rim and the nose was very expressive from the outset with eucalyptus, violets, graphite, black fruits and some earthy tones. The palate belied the colour as the tannins seemed to have melted in completely leaving a smooth harmonious texture; some very clean, fresh and pronounced cassis fruit with a good zing of acidity to keep it wonderfully balanced: very elegant and light on its feet. There is a reasonable amount of fruit/life still in it. Very well made. Right at its peak with enough balance, acidity and fruit to drink well for a number of years, but it is such good juice and as it is going down singing hymns at the moment, why wait? Classed growth standard without a doubt - better than the Talbot 2003's I have just finished and enjoyed hugely and only bettered in terms of the 03's I have had by the Pontet-Canet which obviously has more concentration and complexity and is still developing.
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When first opened, dominant flavor was very dark fruits and earthy notes. With a couple of hours in the decanter and with food, the taste profile evolved in a nice way. Black currants, black berries were still there, forest floor, with some interesting spices, and a finish that had, according to my wife, hints of maple syrup -- I would say a hint of caramel. In any event, a very nice wine, just at its peak.
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Deep dark center, red rim with signs of age. Sweet, briar, cassis, pan grille, great depth, a little lime, rubbed rosemary, oiled black olives. Smooth, black raspberries, plum compote, good acidity, still some tannin, some greenness (good), intense cassis on the finish, great length. Excellent Bordeaux from a tough year, doesn't show the heat, delivers classic nose and flavor, has another 5 years or more.
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Producer over vintage, in this instance. I get the classic Sociando notes throughout despite a more ripe fruit profile, which is held in check. Aromatics lead with the classic bell pepper, tobacco leaf and herb, with ripe plum fruit following, and ending with spice. The palate is round with concentrated fruit that is sufficiently fresh and even bright. Suave tannin is melting into the fruit. This is delicious, and more forward given vintage, but still dead true to Sociando.
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decanted for 2 hours dark opaque red-purple dark ripe-earthy fruits nose with lot of toasted-oak and dark bitter chocolate notes full bodied, crisp tannins, rich dark fruits flavours, rustic style, oak-vanilla, smoky toasted oak and bitter chocolate, some tobacco and liquorice, very Merlot influence, good "farm-style" macho wine, lacks elegance and finesse, but quite enjoyable, especially with warm meaty dishes.
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This has really opened up in the last few months (last tasted January). It is has entered its drinking plateau and is a big wine full of ripe fruit but balanced by resolved tannins. Finishing with a long finish this is a great wine and great value for money
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from 375ml, drinking quite nice, rich, round and good berry flavors, not overly complex but may get there. In this format the 30 min. in the glass showed quite well and I wouldn't hesitate to drink now.
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From magnum, decanted for about 30 minutes (probably needed a lot more time). Fill level appeared to have not changed at all since original purchase. Wine was fresh and youthful with a medium body, nice balance, a typically bordeaux-like lean texture and a medium finish. Classic bordeaux flavors of cassis, dark berry and earth with decent depth. Not quite as rich or complex as I had hoped, but overall a solid wine.
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This has turned out nicely. Plenty of sweet ripe fruit, spice, stems and funk. Rich yet fresh with good acid and still a bit of tannin. Drinking great now and good for another ten. Really surprised how good this was. Decanted two hours. Amazing PQR.
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Decanted for 2 hours and drank by itself (which was wonderful), then a glass and a half with lamb shanks, which was exquisite. Great wine and a great QPR compared with other Bordeauxs!
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A deep colour; this has quite rich, ripe fruit with some tannin hidden by a thick texture; attractive now, but should keep well. Rather a modern, fruit heavy style and lacking nuance, but quite enjoyable.
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Brought to a dinner with friends. Popped and poured. Very good showing, rich, clean, complex, good finish. No danger of imminent decline, but clearly on its peak drinking plateau for me.
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Personally I like the 2004 Sociando more because it has more finesse and freshness. But this is full of ripe fruit, jammy and tasty. Still quite tannic. A good wine.
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Perhaps my prior bottle was a particularly good one and perhaps this one was in a low percentile, but either way it didn't have the vigor and verve of the other bottle I had in 2013. This was more obviously a wine from a hot-vintage, a bit over-ripe and walking the line between Bordeaux and Napa.
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Plenty of expensive toasted oak, coffee, spices, earth, a touch of cabernet bell pepper, blueberries, light touch of barnyard, cigar box, perfumed herbs and dusty gravel.
Dry, Medium+ acidity, medium+ tannins with a bit of oaky bitternes to them. Medium+ intensity and medium+ finish.
I like the very dry, almost dusty feeling on the palate and given some time the nose comes around as well. Will probably do good with a few more years in the cellar, but didn't feel like the fruit was there for the long haul.
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Decanted for a few hours. Deep purple colour with no sign of ageing. A lots of sediment. On the nose, mostly herbal aromas of green bell pepper and asparagus, then cherry, red fruits, tobacco, and liquorice very Cabernet bouquet. Nice mouthfeel, lovely balance and clarity, juicy, cedar, blackberry, velvety tannins, medium acidity, full body, medium+ aftertaste. Very good wine with nice future ahead. This will improve. Drink 2017 - 2020
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Opened and let breath in the bottle for 8 hours. drank over the next two days
Dark red color.
Nose reticent at first and then opened up with dark cherry and graphite
Tannic and slightly astringent palate. Very dry. Blackberry, red cherry, graphite along with the typical Sociando-Mallet green bell pepper on the palate. This will be an interesting wine to follow over the next few years. It was definitely better on day 2. Should improve and hold for a long time to come.
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DnP. Rather dark red, red rim, 5.5. Really fine mature left bank bouquet, ripe fruit, blackcurrant, pencil. The palate is well balanced and the tannins almost fully resolved. Drink now-2020. Opened up 1-1.5h after decanting. This is getting better and better over the years and becoming more and more harmonious.
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KARL_EK's note below describes this wine very well. Took a little while to open. Cranberry, red cherries and a bit of leather. Medium body, clean though not especially long finish.
Nice wine, ready to drink with some air. I'll probably finish my bottles in the next few years, since I do not sense that this will improve much from here. No danger of imminent decline, but I don't see a lot of upside. YMMV
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Developing nose with a medium intensity. Started off rather tight but opened up slowly and had came together real nice at the end of the evening. Aromas of sour cherry, dried strawberry, prune, dried herbs, gravel dust, spice box, dried flowers and cold coffee.
Bone dry on the palate with a medium acidity, medium(+) body and medium(+), chewy, tannins. Lots of sour cherry, cranberry, pine tree, leather, oak and gravel dust. Medium(+) intensity a finish.
Those sour cherry and dusty components got me way off on this wine right from the start. After the bottle was revealed and the wine given some air I found more and more Bdx-markers. However, the wine is quite good but a bit austere on the palate. Drinking fine with some decanting and will certainly keep for another 5 years in a cellar. 2003 seems to be a weird vintage...
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This was far less mature than I had expected, likely a reflection of the Magnum format, and that it's been in cellar since release. The flavor reminded me of a 2008 Keenan Cabernet I tasted a few years ago that was yet to integrate the tannins and oak. Additionally, aromatics of the fruit was still primarily fresh, like it was just bottled a couple of years ago.
Dinner at McDave's; 12/1/2015-12/2/2015: Popped and slow oxed for 12 hours before dinner. Based on other 2003 Bordeaux experiences I've had it's hard to believe that Sociando pulled off 13% alcohol and superb balance this vintage. This wine is densely packed with earth and cedar flavors and balanced with rich cassis fruit. The only sign of the vintage is that this vintage lacks the telltale Sociando rusticity. This wine in ready to drink now with fine tannin but is still gaining complexity and could get better over the next five years. Well done.
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Nothing about this wine says 2003. There's a core of fresh red and dark fruited flavours accented by tobacco and graphite notes, though the signature Sociando green streak isn't really noticeable here. The flavours are all classic Bordeaux though with nothing roasted/overripe here, and though the acidity's a touch low, it's still very nicely balanced and easy to drink, if finishing a touch thin.
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Initially (after 1 hour of decanting), this comes across not at all like one might expect from a 2003. Graphite, dark cherry, and ripe black fruit, with a slight bit of roasted, smoky fruit on the palate. Light tannin and reasonable acid. Very enjoyable. Started to fade after another hour, though, with a more clipped finish; not sure why.
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Cedar and bell pepper nose. Despite the warm vintage this shows some greenness. Mature and very pleasant and generous with clear leather and tobacco traits. Long dry finish with tobacco.
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The best bottle of the case by far. After a one hour decant offered up black cherry, licorice, dark chocolate, cigar box, and lead pencil. Smooth tannins with a medium finish.
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The nose somewhat eclipses the palate. Nose of black cherry, wood, vanilla, green pepper and anise in that order for me. In the mouth it is good but not great - somewhat grippy tannins still exist and they tend to hide the fruit, making the midpalate sort of hollow. Medium short finish. I don't get a stewy-pruney experience, which is good given the vintage.
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An expressive nose of black cherry, licorice, cedar, tobacco with a touch of stewed plums. It is a very good wine and not as overripe as I was expecting from the vintage. The tannin is more drying than I would have liked, but not sure time in the cellar will resolve it. Drink now and enjoy. Decant for 1 hour.
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Medium to full colour; quite soft, plummy fruit, not particularly concentrated but with reasonable length and some savoury notes. Some dryness on the finish. Not the best bottle of this that we have had, but decent enough.
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Delicious and more balanced than expected given the year. Of course it was drunk next to a 2004 Harlan Maiden and blew it away. Not the leanest Sociando but a great 03
I like the slightly burnt scent. On the palate it's too much and typically '03. Hot, alcoholic and a little sharp. I personally liked the '04 more than this vintage.
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1 hr decant. Red purple. Olives and black cherry nose. Black cherry, lead pencil, cigar box, and a bit of bell pepper. Medium finish. There is considerable bottle variability from the other bottles I've drunk.
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Dried cherries and nice cedar notes on the nose. Cherries, earth, and vegetal notes on the palate. The tannins are still quite firm, even with 2+ hours in the decanter. This seems like it's waking up from a dumb phase. The nose is much nicer than the palate. I will wait four or five years before opening another bottle in hopes the palate comes together more.
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Not as much depth and seemingly much more closed than my last bottle 3yrs ago. Black fruits, with smoke, with a plush feel. But strong coarse tannins in the background that are drying on the finish. Missing the nuance of the past bottles. Maybe bottle variation or in a funny place.
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a lovely line and graceful, between cherry / blackberry and metal tones, very fine tannins that now have almost fully resolved. Can't help being swayed published reviews saying this was an over-extracted vintage, there is a hint of turn and fruity sourness towards the end that took the best part of an afternoon to fade into the background. Probably best with meats and cheeses so mask this small glint in an otherwise well-storied line of wines.
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I'm drinking the 03 S-M tonight from 375... Lovely stuff, quite expressive, but for my tastes this has plenty left in the tank. Some grape soda, a lovely top note of lavender, and a whiff of caramel which says "2003". Plenty of brightness to go with the ripe fruit. It won't be the longest lived S-M by any means, but there's lots of gritty tannin to resolve and I see upside. So it comes down to how you like your claret, and I prefer my mine longer in the tooth.
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High toned fruit, hint of acetone, tart acid, fairly ripe fruit, red fruit driven, cedar, fresh cut green tobacco and leather.....this wine has a ton of character, loving this right here....feels like I am drinking a little cab franc action from Loire
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Very interesting drink at the moment. Really enjoyed the current richness, not sure if it can get any better. Give the wines some time (15-30 minutes) to unfold to its full potential.
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Dark garnet with a hint of lightening at the rim. Nose is dark fruit -- plum and cassis -- with spice, tobacco,leaf, and cedar. On the palate, dark fruit at the fore with notes of charred wood and a hint of tobacco. A bit short on the finish and not as good on day 2.
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Consumed this over two days with most of it being on the first. This bottle showed significantly better than the one I opened in April 2014. This was decanted and did not to show well or open until the two hour mark. Dark fruit, tobacco, cedar, some black current. A wonderful wine. Ten more bottles left in this case and, perhaps, we'll do at a pace of one per year.
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D1h. Dark red, yellow rim, 5.5. Mature complex bouquet, classic Medoc elements but alo more sunny notes. Harmonious palate, still some tannins, long finish. Drink now-2020. This wine is maturing really fine. Expecting higher score from here :-)
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Moving along at a glacial pace. From a 375, opened on Friday, the wine was tight, fully structured with rich fruit that I had to battle the tannins to get to. Half the bottle was recoeked, put in the fridge till Staurday afternoon. I got it out to drink later that day, got busy, and finally went back to it Sunday night. It had blossomed!! Rich cassis, black fruits with no hint of the "green pepper" taste some SM have. A beautiful wine.
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Dégusté lors d'une verticale regroupant les millésimes 2010, 2008, 2007, 2006, 2005, 2003, 2001, 2000, 1998 et 1996. Grenat de bonne intensité, légèrement tuilé. On retrouve des notes d'olive, de poivron vert, métalliques, d'eucalyptus, de cuir et de cerise au nez. La bouche, assez intense, suit le nez. Encore tannique mais sans astringence, et de bonne longueur, on pourra l'attendre encore quelques années.
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Bouchon pas du tout entamé Robe : noire, profonde, couleur encre. Nez : discret, sur l'humus, puis évolue sur le café, la vanille, le sous-bois. En bouche : on retrouve les mêmes arômes, c'est large, long C'est encore très jeune, vin en devenir, très masculin avec de la matière Très bien. Les autres attendrons encore quelque temps ! Je pense que le vin aurait mérité d'être carafé une heure à l'avance pour être à son optimum plus rapidement.
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Huge nose of ripe black cassis, menthol, hint of vanilla, cedar wood... concentrated ripe green pepers, black fruit, nice acidity, very silky tannins, nice lenght!
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Coravin 12/10/14: Deep purple youthful color; good nose with intense black fruits, some blackcurrant, cedar, slight vanilla, youthful; palate is full bodied, initially comes across as a bit watery in flavor but picks up density and velvety tannins on the midpalate; medium length finish. It's almost odd how watery the palate is at first; I've never seen that before in a wine. The nose is excellent 92+, but the palate drags the wine down. Maybe closed? Time will tell if it develops density and more depth on the palate. Today still enjoyable and approachable, but I will wait on the rest of my bottles. This was so close to being much better than the 03 Troplong Mondot. 90 30 minutes air: The nose loses some of its wonderful blackcurrant fruit in favor of more red cherry, but the palate makes up for it with a bit more density. Hopefully these bottles just need time. Next one in 5+ years.
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Drinking perfectly. Very smooth with subtle red fruit. It nose is cherry and blackberry. The body is medium. The wine has satin-like texture. The wine finishes long.
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This was a bottle we brought up to MA for Thanksgiving, didn't drink, and brought home; so it might have suffered from travel shock. Very good, but a bit below the best bottles of this we've had. Dark red. Mix of red and black fruit. Not roasted. A little leather. Smooth. Clean, lingering finish. Nice.
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1 hour decant. Red purple to clear rim. Big impression of graphite up front with blackberry, cassis, and cedar notes. None of the bell pepper noted in previous bottles was evident in this one. Just reinforces my impression of significant bottle variability.
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At a nice stage. Not at all what I expected from 03 - nice ripe fruit but also acid, a bit of bell pepper, a cab franc type flavour. Medium length and complexity. Not a great wine but a very good one ready for drinking.
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Popped and poured at BYO, suboptimal glasses. Nice nose of mostly red but some black fruit, leather and BDX funk. Medium bodies, elegant, nice finish. The hot vintage has brought earlier than normal maturity, but nothing roasted. Drinking very well now, P 94.
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Popped and poured. Open for business, purple at the rim. Nice nose, blueberry, licorice, plummy. Still primary but very enjoyable, smooth and lush palate. Should improve over the next 10 years. Began to shut down after two hours. This bottle was much better than a previous one. Showed no heat. Drink or hold
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Two hour decant. Tannins have smoothed out compared with previous bottles. Ccassis, red fruit, saddle leather, graphite, and a bit of oriental spice. Mid dry finish. It's a bit surprising how much bottle variability there is as I work my way through a case of this wine.
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Clearly different than the other Sociando we have had, a spiciness to this, an edge, hate to say it because of the year but a hot wine. I have to drink this blinded next time
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DnP. Deep garnet red, yellow rim, 6. Generous mature complex bouquet showing ripe fruit and spicy stuff, pencil notes lirking behind and is becoming more pronounced during the evening. Harmonious palate reflecting the bouquet, tannins still somewhat upfront but together with food it is perfect. Drink now or wait for tannins to soften.
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A deep colour. Quite a dense wine, with a thick texture; rich, slightly sweet blackcurrant fruit, with a touch of mint and eucalyptus. Still some tannin, but this is now starting to become attractive to drink. Should still improve as the tannins soften.
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Strange... So many people seem to like this wine. It's the 6th bottle I have opened over the last three years, and although it seems to improve by age, I do not get wiser. To me it lacks personality. Is it because of the difficult vintage or because I am an ignorant? For sure I know much more exciting reds at much lower prices.
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A good bottle of wine to open and start enjoying this evening. The overall impression with two glasses is this is in a fine drinking window, but should stay enjoyable for another decade. The bottle fill was lower neck with no signs of leaking cork.
Aroma - On the nose this has penetrating scents of cedar that are primary. There is a secondary note of plum and cassis.
Palate - Similar to the aromas, there is a strong presence of cedar, tobacco, and cassis that are very fresh and balanced. There is no trace of heat, and in the mid palate the tannins turn very dry with a bit of minerality peeking through. The acidity on this is balanced on the entry, and then is overtaken mid-palate with the dryness of the tannins. There is a very dry finish on this, and I would have scored this higher but my mouth felt like the desert after a glass with the tannins.
Overall, this is a fine claret in a good drinking window. A good performer that was held back by the tannic dryness. Don't let that stop you from enjoying this wine however.
Day 2 - Consumed the remaining two glasses from the 750 opened the evening before. The wine did not hold up well overnight. Score 84 on day 2.
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Youthful dark ruby in the glass. Big, generous nose of tobacco, cassis and mineral. Palate has medium body - fruit shows no sign of over-ripeness or roasted qualities. Balanced with power and elegance. Young, but in a fine and pleasurable drinking window.
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PNP and while would have benefited from the respect of airtime a very good wine, complex, with some length, none of the slightly odd notes of other 2003s
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Dark crimson in color with no signs of bricking. 13% ABV. Awesome nose of graphite, leather, cedar and tobacco. Fresh and medium in body with great minerality. The palate is laser like and shows cherries, black currants, cassis, and herbs. Drying, somewhat rustic tannins on an exceptionally long finish. This wine has a long live ahead of it. I'll check in on another bottle in 2016 and suspect the wine will age well for another 5-8 years. To my taste this wine showed none of the ill effects of the 2003 vintage. It is not prematurely aging and in fact still seems to be on the upside. A glass set aside for 24 hours was absolutely gorgeous.
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Tuesday Night Double Blind $50+ (Bin 75): Very dark core with thin garnet rim; smoky, cassis, pepper, green pepper, anise, black licorice, blackberry, cobwebs?; still hard on the palate, fruit is in line with the non-fruit descriptors; good.
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Tobacco and cassis nose. Leather, cassis and graphite notes. As it opened, the evident tannins calmed a bit and some sweet red fruit entered the picture.
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surprisingly tannic at first (PNP), but this opened with time. ALways a good fairly classic nose and still deep purple. Good legs and density...eventually very nice and years to go
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I see a good bit of potential in this wine. This was the first bottle of a case (my first futures purchase ever [thanks Leo and Lonny]) and I intend to string it out. Initially on the nose there was pencil lead and some cedar. With decanting in a 375 decanter I picked up juicy blackberry on the palate and occasional flashes of cherry, smoke, and pepper. After an hour or so the tannins started to show and demonstrate that this wine has many years yet to go. We had this with NY strip.
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An off bottle. Not undrinkable, but not showing much either. Starting to brick a bit at the rim. Graphite, a bit uf plum, and a big leather note, but really muted.
This wine really hit its stride after about 1hr and half. Great aromas of classical Bordeaux, including barnyard, earth, black licorice, some subtle fruit action. Great mouth feel, with notes of tobacco, green pepper, asparagus, more earth, then some of the ripe black fruits, black licorice. Complex wine, that is well balanced, and impressively rich mid-palate that followed into a mouth staining inky finish which I enjoyed quite a bit. The finish also contained a hefty amount of earth, soil, barnyard action. Great tannins, and I think this wine is really superb right now, could easily hold for more years, but I like this where its at. Very different from a lot of others from this hot vintage in 03', this is much more classic in style, but still a fresh and nice little turbo charged mid palate.
Thanks to fellow CT contributor Sevencircles for this recommendation (can't quit give it the score of the 03' Cos, but much closer than I expected and great QPR - excellent recommendation, loved it).
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A Long Wine Night (Various locations): Tasted blind. Apparently Davyd had already opened this a few hours before for dinner and this was the remaining half of the bottle. Appearance is clear, deep intensity, ruby colour. Nose is clean, medium+ intensity, with aromas of green bell peppers, dark fruits, and earth. On the palate, medium+ acidity, high dry tannins, full body, long finish. Flavours of green bell peppers, black cherries, earth and tobacco. I guessed a 10 year old Left Bank Bordeaux.
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I thought banana smell in wine was for poor Beaujolais only? This blew of, and gave way for a nice, albeit still tannic Sociando. To my taste this is not up to the level of the '96, but of course it is younger and from a hotter vintage. Glad to have two bottles left, but also happy that I did not buy a case of this.
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Still fresh, with good dark cherry, cassis fruit. Hint of green pepper. Tannins balanced after an hour and a half. Velvety on tongue. We drank over three and a half hours. The nose kept getting better and better- floral, dark- until the three hour mark. Then some oxidation on the nose- a half hour latter the fruit was gone, the nose was gone, and the wine was flat. But the first three hours were memorable.
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Popped and poured, drunk alongside a 03 Malescot. The good news: both wines drank very well. The bad news: 2 fine Bordeaux drank well at age 11. This vintage is evolving very rapidly. Not falling apart yet, but needs to be drunk sooner rather than later, next 5 years or so.
This wine was medium bodied, smooth, with red and black fruits with some pleasing funk. Good wine, best of this yet, but will not make old bones IMO.
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Minneapolis Wine Club - Tuscany Featuring Super Tuscans & a Few More (Tracy's, Mpls): Purple red color. 90 minute decant. Drank a 2 oz pour over 30 minutes plus. This is still dense, dark, full bodied, black fruits, firm tannins, tart, dry, tart cherry, still rather oaky. Very little change over almost 4 years. I don't think this will improve much, but I look for more integratiion and softer experience in another 5(?) years.
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First bottle of 6. Earth, green pepper and dark fruits on the nose. Tannic spine but covered by rich black fruits, dark chocolate and licorice. Beautiful structure and impressive ripeness very early maturity. Solid 92 points
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Wine was properly stored from purchase (futures) until consumed. Paired with maigret. Stunning bouquet upon opening. Fresh fruit, well balanced. Classic cassis first. After 10 minutes, berries, walnuts, bananas, vanilla, cherries, blackberries, quince. This wine has layers, each sniff presents a different scent. After 30 minutes, fully open and luscious. A full fruit medley. Pear joins in. boysenberry. Plums. A touch of black pepper. After 60 minutes, jammy. Perfume emerges. A hint of chocolate to let one know it is getting to the end. Beautiful wine, perfect to drink now. Not sure how it could improve.
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3hrs double decant was perfect. Initially medium bodied this became very full bodied with air. Nice mouthfeel, very plush. Good to drink already although will improve with more age. More notes on taste/nose to come when I don't have a heavy cold.
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From a 375, singing right now. Long life ahead of it, noticible sediment. Really a great QPR. Will have to crack a few of the 375's for a tasting soon.
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Drinking nicely, still some bite - will keep. beautifully integrated and polished across the palate - black fruit cassisy notes - the excellent finish is still marked by some dryness. I find the taste/flavor of this wine really in my ballpark - may not be in yours. Likely not up to Sociando-Mallot in better vintages like 2000 and 2005, but particularly given its ranking, a show stopper in 2003. Does like many 2003's have that acidic note on the tip of the tongue that I have always associated with acidification, but I'm fine with it given the really wonderful fruit/extract trade off.
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The drying tannins, jammy berries and herbal notes are not the best combination for a wine. Fans of this estate will probably enjoy this wine much more than I did.
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Big and brawny with power but a bit of an edge. Can use a few more years. Drank well on the 2nd night, so if drunk now could use some extended decanting.
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Served along side the Pontet Canet in the flight 2003s. Easily as good as the Pontet Canet, but a little more structured, dark-fruited, tannic, and dusty. Better depth, too. Fine to drink now, but this will mature more slowly than the Pontet Canet. Not as good as the Sociando-Mallet 2000, in my opinion.
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Dark and brooding but classic despite the vintage. Very well done for the vintage. Cassis and cedar with pencil shavings on a dark fruit palate. Low acidity but enough to frame the wine. Long finish.
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1 hour decant. Firmlynstructured with evident but fine tannins. Cedar, saddle leather, tar, black fruit, a bit of oriental spice, and graphite. A hint of bell pepper sneaks into the finish.
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Great 2003 Bordeaux (Wine Road Tel-Aviv): blind tasting dark transparent purple-brown nose: old-leather, dark fruit jam, eucalyptus notes palate: still closed, tight, full bodied, integrated tannins, too woody, tannic and minty notes finish.
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Jean Gautreau, you wonderful man. To get handed the 2003 vintage and make something out of it like this is talent. This is classic cedar and coal claret underpinned by pencil lead and plush dark fruit. A little volatile liqueur component adds a touch of vintage character without coming off as baked or jammy. Coming into its window, this can be drunk now or held for another 15-20.
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Needed a decant and a solid hour before loosening its grip. When tannins backed off it showed some finesse and velvet. Could easily sit for several more years.
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Occasional dinner group; Bordeaux 2003 plus some extras.: In the bouquet beautiful and ripe black forest fruits as well as beautiful oak. Also licorice and graphite. On the palate the same impressions. Good acidity and supple tannin at first, but with some air time the tannin became a little bit harsh. With more air time also blackberry and blue berry was there. And although still very powerful, some oxidation and green impressions appeared as well. I need to lower my score from the first 95 to 93.
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Rijp en vol, dik zwart fruit, maar voldoende frisheid, waardoor goed in balans. Stevige, goed geïntegreerde tannines. Een hele fraaie, volle Sociando, zonder de zo kenmerkende groene tonen.
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From a 375, amazing how these have come along. have dropped alot of the "green pepper" notes and tannins and have developed into a very nice Bordeaux. Quite suprising, a real treat.
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A deep colour, and a wine with plenty of extract; thick, concentrated fruit (blackcurrant, blackberry), but the finish is rather dry. Perhaps in time it will open out more, but it may just dry out. Too early to say.
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Sunday Brown Bag Tasting: 2003 Bordeaux (Mike & Judi's): Deep color. Notes of tobacco, plum, currants, dark fruit and clay. Medium-bodied with flavors of plum, dark fruit and herbs. Medium finish. Tannins are integrating nicely. Develops a roasted bell pepper note and a chalky feel to the tannins.
My #3, Domino's #8 Group #7, 63 pts
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10 years after Nose of black fruit, cedar and some tobacco. On the palate the wine is still quite young and tannic. Pretty fullbodied due too the vintage bot no real hotness or burned characteristics. Should hold for at least 2 more decades.
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2003 Bordeaux Horizontal (San Antonio, TX): Lots of black fruit, earth, camphor on nose. Palate had raspberries, minerals, smoke, with touch of greenness. Slightly hard, dry finish, no surprise for this producer. Very solid.
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2003 seems to be a huge problem as far as expression of terroir. To me practically every wine in Bordeaux seems the same right now.
This wine was wonderful when I had it a few years ago. Now the nose is potent and porty, much the same as a million other 2003s I have had recently. Perhaps a little more concentrated, but certainly lacking a unique character. It has lost all the silkiness it possessed in its youth. Reasonable palate but an astonishingly short finish for a Sociando.
For the vintage, it's above average. However this is shaping up to be one of the worst Bordeaux vintages for 20 years in my opinion. Drink up.
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Ready to go right now, although for the first 15 minutes it was hard as nails on pop and pour. You should decant it anyway as it needs filtering with its ton of fine sediment. Rich cassis, cedar box, smoky coffee, and leather. Really tasty. 91-92
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SM wines typically take a long time to be approachable and, then, last forever. This one is no exception, but can be drunk and enjoyed now. This was the first bottle from a case (which I have been looking at for about 7 years). I decanted for two and a half hours, and that was enough, at least for me. I have a few bottles left of the 1989 and 1995. This is a far better wine than those. Deep dark purple with nose of dark berries.....blackberries came through the most for me. I took a little taste about every half hour from when I opened and decanted. I have never taken a sip of a wine that tasted worse when first opened. It exhibited an interesting evolution over the two and a half hours until it opened up. This wine will evolve and improve, but there is no reason not to get a bottle out every now and then over the next few years. This wine is a classic and demonstrates how one can acquire extremely good Bordeaux without breaking the bank.
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I thought this was very good, just starting to develop a nice soft cedary graphite profile. Quite full and plush but it has a good enough structure holding it all together. Great result for the vintage, certainly not overdone and plenty of time left in it yet.
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I was hesitant to try this. My only other experience with SM is the 1986 vintage. It seemed to take 20 years for the wines to open up and be approachable. I opened way too many young bottles that were very disappointing. The 2003 is much different and relatively open for business. While good, it still seems young and primary to me. Should evolve for years.
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Powerful and super ripe nose of black fruit, cedar, leather, spices... Mega concentrated silky tannins, sappy acidity, very nice lenght, still primary, no sign of evolution... even a bit sweetness in the tannins and fruit... I love it!!
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Equilibre quoique compact. Ne s'est jamais pleinement ouvert, mais n'a jamais ete agressant non plus. Dominance de fruits noirs. Tout a fait encore sur les aromes primaires.
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I was in the mood for a Bordeaux and at the 10-year mark decided to decant and drink this '03. Even the first sip prior to decanting was good marked by smooth tannins and fruit. We then consumed this over the evening, prior, during and after dinner and it delivered that classic mature BdX with the leather, cigar box notes on the nose and dried fruit and spice on the palate with a medium finish. No harshness at all and while it seems like it could stay at this level for a long while not sure it would improve any.
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Nose: Wow! Wonderful nose of black fruits, but in equal measure also cedar, scorched earth, wet stone, herbs, pencil lead and inky hints. Palate: Still fresh acidity with softened tannins and the black fruits. Secondary qualities of smoked meat and vanilla hints. Medium finish. Balanced yet still full of life this is drinking great right now and at peak IMO. Last bottle (notes on 8/29/10) was young but this is perfect. Last bottle of two and timed perfectly. Drink up if you have any. Really great stuff that almost makes me think Pauillac not Haut-Medoc.
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Opened for NYD party, stole a glass which was a good thing because it was gone by the time I came back for more. Opened up with time, but I think that it could still have used another year+.
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Weekly tasting group #053; 4 x 3 red 2003 (@ VD): Dark red with a slightly carmine rim. Deep bouquet with dark fruits, graphite and good oak. On the palate mostly dark, but also some red forest fruits, bell pepper, minerals like graphite, firm acidity and tannin. Full bodied and concentrated, adolescent stage now, better in a few years and fully mature around 2018+(?) 89+
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Super smooth and drinking well at the moment. Plush up-front flavors from the Merlot makes for a pleasant introduction. Soft tannins, subtle power. Good with lamb.
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Certainly not mature but very pleasant to drink. Slow oxed on Friday but never drank b/c had to get to the opera. back to fridge and then drunk Sunday and Monday nights with dinners. Lovely fruit, no real green notes and "barnyard" noted by wife who could not believe that this was Bdx. Not much pencil, cedar or tobacco but more ripe but balanced fruit...very nice
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Early Oct 2012, degustation evening "Chateau Sociando Mallet", organized by Panos Kakaviatos at restaurant "Döpfner's": deep dark red color; started with no aromas/flavors; after a while very restrained red and black fruit; full body; lush, satin-like texture; smooth tannins; long finish.
Clearly this 2003 Sociando was opened in a very reductive and closed phase of his consumption live. Better leave your bottles another 3-5 years in your cellars.
However, the wine shows huge potential and should eventually reach an extraordinary rating (>94 points). Will he be better than the 2009 or 2010? I don't bet, but he clearly plays in the same league.
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deep dark red, ripe plummy fruit with little development, in the mouth powerful yet smooth, sweet for a medoc, long taste with ripe fruit, has to develop more complexity in the coming 5 years
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Opened the night before and my wife had a small glass- put cork in and into the refrigerator- took to dinner the next night and the wine was absolutely lovely. Nose was gorgeous perfume of cassis and blackberry and the wine drank like soft luxurious velvet as it caresses the mid palate.
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Splash deceanted. Really needed a couple hours to open up. Nice savory edge to the fruit, with cedar spice, and plum and currants. Developing a mature element to the fruit, especially compared to the young Cali cab. Still very tannic. Drinking well enough now but will continue to evolve though unsure if it will improve.
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Still somewhat closed, acid pronounced, but the fruit has emerged considerably. Cassissy cabernet and remarkably so. A wonderfully precise and incisive example of pure cabernet flavors. This is easily better than many of the more highly ranked estates of the upper Medoc in 2003. And to me, almost the proverbial textbook example of what highly skewed cabernet Bordeaux tastes like. As distinctive in its way as say Rausan Segla in its way. I'm sure I'll be rating this higher in the future.
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EWG Dinner at Noir (Noir Food + Wine): Deep and brooding with anise; cassis puree, and a touch musty; full tannins and a bit overextracted, this is a burly Haut-Medoc that is quite good, but elegance is not its strong point. Try again in 5 years.
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Better than last time as the fruit settled down enough that the structure is showing. Dark garnet color, nose of sweet currant. Medium body and a little fat. Plummy flavors with a notiiceable mineral edge. Finish is short-medium, with noticeable heat. On the simple side.
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Wow. Impressive, brooding, black, big, structured, serious, minerally... Popped and poured this youngster, and it did nothing to change my opinion that this is an awesome SM. The bouquet was floral and expressive upon opening and some lovely, classic cassis fruit was on display, but after 30 minutes of air, this began to shut down. The tannins are "massive", but fleshy and soft, making the finish long yet pliant. I think I own more of this 2003 than any other wine, and I am pleased. This can be enjoyed now with red meat or but better cellared for another 20+ years. 92+++
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Very dark still. Berry, tobacco, capsicum, cherry, anise nose. Sharply structured and very young palate with tons of licorice. Seems more promising for the future.
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Very nice after decanting for 2 hours, still improving in the glass over the next 2 hours -- also nice on the following evening. Fruity, strong tannins but nicely balanced -- intense and good character. Next I would drink in 2 years.
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Had tonight with filet. It went really well. I could taste the fruit - cherry, blackberry. But. the wine is one dimensional. Nice color. Wine had nice legs.
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Full flavoured, ripe, plummy fruit, with a slight hardness. It could do with a bit more acidity for freshness. Should still keep well, but it may not have the balance for a long life.
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Deep almost opaque red/black - smoky, oaky, savoury, cedar nose - palate is big, extracted, but still focused and tasty - nice berry fruit, a bit drying but tasty - Bordeaux, v ripe, but within acceptable boundaries - showing its northerly locale in this vintage.
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San Antonio Wine Geeks do Bordeaux for Veterans Day (Home of Mike and Sandra O.): My blind, guesses all over the map though some astute bdx drinkers guess Haut-Medoc and '03, though not the same person. Shy nose, with very dark fruit and coffee and black pepper. Palate was smooth, lush and vibrant, showing blackberries and chunky tannins. A little funk coming through in a medium fruit styled finish. Still rather monolithic, and lacking complexity compared to the competition, but so delicious. No green this year.
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Velvety tannins. Has a good depth of fruit, not that much complexity developed yet, but really came across as a delicious bottle of wine, with none of the tightness. Kept this for two days, even after left over night, it has no sign of aging. I think this drinks better than the majority of Bordeauxs that I've had in the 2000s.
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let breathe for 2 hours - opened up with dark fruit of dark cherries, blackberries and currants, trace of herbs and subtle green pepper, distinctive and not displeasing. medium to full bodied, balanced tannins and flavorful - neither rustic nor overripe. well worth it.
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This is full of fresh, ripe, even sweet, blackcurrant fruit. Very easy drinking and well rounded, but lacking in complexity. Enjoyable, but not profound.
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I like this wine, the steadiness and consistent high quality never disappoint me. The vanilla, chocolate and plum aromas were expressive showing its youth, the tannins were firm and silky. This wine will win over the majority of 1855 GCC in the same vintage.
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dark, rich and plummy. very sweet. good example where the vintage's ripeness becoming a little overpowering with notes of burnt rubber. fair amount of grip on the palate.
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A mouth full of wine. Cherries, cassis, earthy impressions and a lot of green paprika. Very tight wine with a lot of tannin in the finish. Difficult wine and at this point young and juicy, but harsh. I hope it will ever integrate and mature nicely. Will be an interesting wine to follow. No score.
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Double decanted 1h in advance. Dark red 6. At first, pebbery and not Bdx like. Later classic Medoc pencil and cedar nose. Rather massive (for a Bdx) taste with quite a portion of tannins, good tanins. Drink 2015 onwards, could be a long term wine.
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Ripe, rich and full of flavour, but with decent acidity and good balance; quite a bit better than Clos des Quatre Vents 2003, drunk recently. One of the better 2003s.
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The nose is a little closed but there is plenty going on, black fruit, licorice and lots of earth, leather and mushrooms. This is bold yet elegant with a medium plus body and ample tannins. It is alive with flavor from the grapes, skins, stems, soil and oak. A little rough and green at this point but it'll likely continue to improve for another 5 years and hold for a while past that.
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Nice half bottle of wine. It sort of has the typical nose for Bordeaux and is very pleasant. The taste for me had blueberries and some raspberries and had a long finish.
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Notes from a magnum bottle, I bought from London. Very deep ruby color, (almost black), with some gray hues. Mute nose at the beginning, dominated by scents of cooked meats, earth and mushrooms. After aeration reveals aromas of black forest fruits and vanilla. Full bodied with well integrated tannins, and flavors of wild cherries, maraschino, cedar, chocolate, meats, and spices. Very persistent aftertaste. Impressive wine, ready to drink now, or to keep it for at least 10 more years.
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I'm prepared to stick with my first note 6 months ago. This is a hedonists wine. Crazy nose, from which one could pick all manner of descriptors--tonight I'd say blueberries and camphor-definitely both berry fruit and lifted spice. Not at all "cooked"--quite the opposite impression. Since the pleasure is now, I'd perhaps temper the drinking window to 5+ years from my previous 10, as it's anybody's guess when the inevitable shortcomings of the vintage, which show on the palate, start to get the upper hand.
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Black purple! Very Opaque. Initially not giving anything on the nose but opening up somewhat over 3 hrs. Pepper and underbrush. Immense tannins... in fact only slightly less than when I last tasted this about 2 yrs ago. Still, almost mouth puckering, belying its 7 year age. Weighty in the mouth and with sufficient acidity. Leather, earth and toast. Slightly hollow mid palate and a mild uplift at the end. I suspect that this is still funky. I'm sure that this will round out with time. Next bottle in 2 to 3 years. For now 89.
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I love Sociando-Mallet. I can't remember ever having a bottle I wasn't impressed by. This was no exception. Very elegant and smooth; subtle and refined. Almost Margaux-ish. A wine to savour over a long meal- paired well with lamb in this instance.
I suspect this needs a bit more time to come out of its shell, but it's definitely not going to disappoint if drunk now, providing it has a little time in the decanter.
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What to eat with short ribs - this wine was a perfect match. The nose was all dark fruit and tobacco. The palate was more of that fruit, especially at the finish, and espresso. The tannins show some grip at the end.
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Bordeaux Tasting (Edina Country Club): Cherry, forest floor, toast, and blackberries. Not a heavy wine but solid overall structure. Should age for five more years.
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Bordeaux at the Edina CC (Edina Country Club): This wine was tightly wound and not really showing its wares. firm tannins are a bit gripping on the palate still. Darker fruit, and a bit of loam, and game. It opened up some over the evening, 90pts.
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Horizontale Bordeaux 2003: Horizontale 2003 Nez fermé, avec un peu de cerises et du poivron très discret. La bouche est très dense, large et pleine, mais moins fine que les deux précédents, avec une bonne longueur. il m’évoque rapidement Sociando. Avec l’aération, le poivron me semble de plus en plus proéminent, c’est pourquoi je suis surpris que si peu l’aient reconnu. Un très beau vin mais sans la distinction des autres. 91 pts
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13% alcohol. decanted. 54% cab, 45% merlot + PV/CF. no component rises to an outstanding level. firm, rustic structure, and dirty tannins on the finish. i don't think this will ever flesh out. softened a bit overnight.
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From my cool cellar, this still looks deep blue with no browning. The nose was fresh, beguiling, and showing no burnt character. It seemed sweet and full initially and it was only after several sips that the full charge of tannins made their presence. Yes, the tannins might be a tad over-weight, but the wine is still in sufficient balance as there is little obvious acidity, though it must be present judging from the colour. Being only so-so about the 03's this has to be amongst my favourites along with Fourtet and Pontet (haven't yet breeched the St Estephe contenders). A delightful surprise. Good another 10 years?
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Decanted for two hours. Dark and almost black in colour, with a clear rim. A brooding and ripe nose of raisin, blackberry, lillies, and toasted oak. There's a wonderful balance on the palate. Velvety and soft tannins. Complex and refined. This Medoc is on the verge of jammy, yet it retains its freshness, elegance and balance. Drinking rather nicely at this point. A very "'03 Bordeaux" in evry sense. Drink now - 2025.
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It's a very dark purple color with the typical Sociando mint and pepper aroma. The palate has earthy dark currant fruit, a hint of green pepper, but it's deep and rich, still tannic, clearly young, but drinking well.
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Dark cherries, vanilla, earth and BBQ sauce. Good nose. Chalky red fruit on the attack with an earthy/woodiness on the mid palate. The finish has the same metallic bitterness I find in a lot of 2003 Bordeaux, but it's not as pronounced. Decent wine.
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Already approachable, this slightly rustic, big, old styled Bordeaux lacks elegance and has a bitter note in the finish I find off putting. Others that are fond of this style will probably enjoy it.
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Dusty, black fruit and forest aromas. Sharp currant, sour berry, pencil, malt and a touch of saline through medium body. Finishes tight with dry tannin. Slighty better on day 2. 89+
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Drinking well right now, but seems like it will benefit nicely with a few more years. Really opened up after about 90 minutes. Very fruit driven but not over the top, expressive acidity, decent finish. Highly rec commend if you can get this around $40. I will probably wait another year before I try this again.
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Served alongside 03 Barton and Clerc. Not super typical Sociando, lacking that streaky some may call vegetal balance I tend to really like in its best itterations, which also offers a unique expression of tabac and pencil driven earthiness. This wine was well balanced, well crafted but a touch less vibrant than the ensuing two. Wafting notes of cedar and blackberry, but nothing too exotic.
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Great aromatic nose here, showing some fine, iron-tinged fruit. A nice palate showing gobs of sweet blackberry fruit. Underneath there is a ripe structure, fresh acids too. Inky color and penetrating power. Finishes typical Estephe tight with tongue-dusting tannins and a peppery elements. Will only get better in time.
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San Antonio Wine Geeks (Turquoise): Decanted prior. Shy nose of blackberry, black cherry, and toast. Lush low acidity palate, but never flabby, and with impressive concentration. Fine plush tannin backbone. Plenty of dark fruit flavors with some cassis highlights and a refined focused finish with cedar and a touch of coffee. Well made and focused, and a great contrast to the massive fruit driven wines at the tasting. Just starting to integrate prominent but unobtrusive oak elements and gaining some mature notes. Weight and density hint of improvement with time, certainly enjoyable now.
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Hmm, I think this has shut down. I'm giving it the same score as the last bottle I had two years ago, because I can't fault the wine for having gone dormant. It's still got power and complexity. The elements of a fine wine are there just hidden and reticent. I look forward to following the rest of the case over the next twenty or so years.
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BWE does Manhattan: a 1996 & 2003 Bordeaux Retrospective: WINE #1: Tasted single blind in a flight of three with the 2003 Duhart-Milon and Pontet-Canet... I was nearly positive this was the Sociando. Dark, brooding, and great chewy depth, the telltale green pepper notes give this away as the Sociando. The biggest wine of the flight, on this night at least. My 2nd favorite.
Well, for the record, we all thought all of these 2003s were really outstanding and best of all, none of them displayed any freakish praline or roasted character. The Sociando can be enjoyed now given its great fleshy mid-palate, but it needs decades. After the dry 1996s, the riper sweeter nature of these 2003s was really engaging.
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A very deep colour; intense, sweet, very ripe fruit (blackcurrants and plums), with a very soft, succulent texture. Vigorous, fresh and very attractive now.
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Very dark red, slim red rim, 6. Initially very closed nose, opened up a bit after ½-1 hour showing typical pencil and cedar notes as well as new oak although still not generous. Surprisingly massive in the mouth, almost like a Rhône wine! Loads of tannin but also fruit. This is a long time runner, when more mature it will get higher score if it fullfills the potential. I am a little in doubt! Drink 2014 - onwards
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several hours of air for this one to open. a little dark plum on the nose,graphite and dark cherry and bitterness on the midpalate.plum,chocolate finish.this one needs time.their might be some style issues but it easy to see what this would be like with long aging. parker has some sociando mallet in his cellar from the 70's and 80's that are still not ready to drink.
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Intense dark berries on the nose. The palate is ripe yet well-structured, and this is a sleeker, less jammy wine than I tasted in mid-2006. Secondary flavors of ash/smoke and coffee. Some new oak in evidence, which grew more pronounced after an hour or so in the glass. Very good acidity. Ripe tannins on the finish. Approachable with some air, this has the stuffing to go many more years.
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Exhilarating wine. Would love to have another case of this. No formal notes taken, but must say I remember that very distinctive Sociando nose of green pepper and paprika, with loads of tobacco and damp forest aromas. Delicious velvet mouthfeel, nearly impregnable fruit and, oddly (for the vintage), a healthy wallop of acidity. Great balance, verve and nuance. Again, 6 more bottles would be perfect, but probably still not enough.
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Soft blackcurrant and plum fruit, but there is still some tannin and it is perhaps not fully ready yet (although the wine was still cool when we opened it). This has the potential to be better than it appeared on this occasion.
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Caroline Wine Shop - Bordeaux 2001 to 2005 (Carolines Wine Shop): Deep ruby red, the nose is rather stalky with green notes, leafy and herbaceous. The entry combines stalky green notes and jam, suggesting bipolar ripening. The tannins are blocky and foursquare; there is richness with meaty, earthy notes. It lacks charm and finishes with a twist of acid. Blend of 55 CS 45 Merlot
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Very closed and tannic at first, but wine opened up beautifully after about three hours in the decanter. After four hours it was rich and elegant, dark fruit and stone dominate the palatte. Young, but can be enjoyed with patience. Decanting essential. Not a blockbuster, but lovely wine. Will improve with age.
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Initially tight, this opened up beautifully over the course of 3 hours in a decanter. Interesting nose, displaying black raspberry fruit, a mineral/iron/earthy element and even a floral note. Firm backbone, but the fruit was the highlight here, which was helped by a nice lift from the acidity. Nothing is worse than a ripe, heavy wine - while full-bodied and jammed with black and dark red fruit, the acidic lift is very pleasing. Great finish.
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Not much of a note here... except to say... watch out for this wine. I haven't had it in about a year, but wow, this bottle blew me away. Huge ripeness, concentration, length, mid-palate depth, you name it. It is really sweet while having an underlying minerality (iodine, tar, iron) that makes it awesome now, and oh so promising for the future. This one should come around sooner than most Sociando's, but it has plenty of tannin to integrate for the time being. Forget the 2005, look for more the 2003.
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Opened in the midst of two 2004 Bordeaux, this seemed so much more open and giving, with lots of deep black fruit and none of that interesting green tobacco that so many young Sociandos seem to have (and I like). Not at all a classic style, but still in balance with reserves of fruit and tannin to age effortlessly for years to come.
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Surprisingly open and flashy for a young Sociando. Lush and sexy, but with enough acid and tannin to keep everything in balance. Complex, very long, seamless. This really developed over the course of the evening, and the little bit left over was even better the next night. Great wine.
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This was very nice with a good balance of earth to fruit. Nice finish. It’s medium bodied and still a bit tannic, but definitely worth having. There were notes of chocolate, currant, mint and menthol with some forest floor. Again, the wine was in fine balance.
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A very nice, young Sociando-Mallet. Soft palate, well balanced, rich fruit. Definitely will benefit for longer cellaring. If you open one now, decant for a few hours.
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375ml. Inital nose was very minerally. Small sip after 60 minutes in the glass - very tight and green, only sour cherries came across. After another 45 minutes, this wine really came around. The sour eased up to just cherries; combined with cocoa and black fruit. Finish still a bit short and tannic. Definitiely needs more time and I'll wait!
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Had this after the 01 Smith Haut Lafitte and frankly was very surprised that the wine was so open (4hrs decanted). the SHL won. Not much nose (in comparison) but a lot of juice on the palate. finish was medium. Not at all what I had expected - very un SM like. Probably should try another one soon. We had it with Elk steak.
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This wine was surprisingly smooth and velvety given its young age. This wine can definitely be drunk right now with some decanting. Great rich garnet color on this wine. Short on the nose and finish but a great wine at a $40 price point.
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Poured at a retailer tasting. This had been double decanted about 8 hours prior to the tasting. Aromas of lead pencil, plum and tobacco. Fine-grained tannins with flavors of black currant, herbs and red fruit, with a long finish. Great stuff.
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Bigger in every way from the Lafon Rochet. Deeper, thick purple, tongue staining color. A more closed nose, but definite blackberry, sour cherry, earthy, and graphite. Opened up some over time, but still palate coating and huge tannins. If I buy more of this, I will put them in the cellar and try and forget about them for a while.
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Big wine in mouthfeel but not heavy/overdone at all. Fruit is there but its well behind a wall of tannin. Slight hint of green (think grass?) but not offputting at all. Its going to be a monster down the line.
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Color is dark garnet. Nose shows cassis, big lead pencil, cedar, and earth. On the palate, chewy cassis, leather, and toasty cedar are met with big tannins. This needs to mellow for a few more years, but has a lot of potential.
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Received a shipment of six. This is the 2nd of two that were frozen during shipping. Cork pushed out 2/3 and seeping. Good, but a shame to have had to it drink now.
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Yves nous propose, à l'aveugle, ce Sociando 2003 face à Sociando 2004. Je préfère ce 2003 à qui j'attribue de belles caractéristiques atlantiques, marquées par le cabernet bien mûr. Le vin me semble équilibré, bien intégré, avec des tannins très fins. Ce n'est pas du tout massif ou surboisé, on pourrait penser à un beau Loire. Le type me semble assez dans la ligne de Sociando: une sorte d'austérité élégante, sans excès. A noter que Thierry préfère le 2004.
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Wow! Out of the bottle, it was tight with that SM greeness. I let it breathe for 2 hours, then coffee, blueberries, fudge emerged with the greenness in the background. Mild vanilla, sweet tannin and an extremely long finish. It kept gaining complexity. I didn't want the bottle to end!
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Some seepage from the bottle under the capsule. Color: Dark garnet to purple with medium legs Aroma: Deep raspberry, plum, violet, and coffee. Taste: Plum, raspberry, but very short-lived. Structure: Tannins were very strong overwhelming the taste with bitterness. Finish: Short Maybe the bottle was damaged during transport? Not sure, may need another try.
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Deep, well-fruited nose with characteristic Medoc earthy undertones. Full palate, a nicely textured mouthfeel and rich, though not overbearing or overripe, young flavors and a very tannic finish. Quite a nice Bordeaux.
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Winestreet Does 2003 Bordeaux (Kozlak's, North Oaks, MN): Black core, maroon all the way to the rim. Ripe, almost jammy raspberries, plums, currants, and licorice. Fresh, bright acidity. Still primal, with loads of fine-grained tannins on the long finish. This wine is excellent and still quite primal; I would not be surprised if more smoky/earthy secondary characteristics emerged with bottle age. Two hours after opening, this wine shut down hard.
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2003 Bordeaux (Mouton, Haut Brion, Cos, Ducru, Trotanoy, Lynch, many others): A big step up in quality here. Dark red color. The nose is stern, giving mainly lead pencil with dark fruit and some greeness in the background. On the palate this is very round and pleasing. Dark fruit, an enjoyable earthiness, and sweet licorice. Low acidity. A nice long finish. Great wine. Note that I retasted this approximately two hours later, and it had really shut down. Based on its reputation and this experience I would guess this wine will have a long closed period.
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2003 Bordeaux Tasting at K&L Wines. Slightly less impressive showing than a few days ago, the wine seemed more tight and tannic, however, it was very full in the mouth with very nice leather and spicy components. I’m not sure when this wine was opened, I think Ralph likes to open them up mid morning, so this would have been open for at least four hours.
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I just couldn’t resist pulling the cork on one, especially at the price. Overall, Wow! The fruit just poured from the bottle on pulling the cork. Dark rich fruit, with loads of tobacco, some espresso, oak and spice. Medium to long finish with linges for thirty seconds. Tasted on opening all the way through hour five, and it was just great. As interesting as this experiment was, I won’t be pulling the cork on any more for quite some time.
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This is a fine medium to full bodied wine, in excellent balance, with moderate oak and elegant fruit, a nice earthy component and some minerality. Moderate tannins that are sweet and ripe, reasonably low acidity but not too low. Unfortunately it's quite closed right now and in need of a lot of years... decanted 2+ hrs then drunk over the following 2. Happy to have more coming but won't touch again for at least 6 years or so... definitely has a lot of upside, I could see this being a 92 or so when it comes around.
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Tasted with a pork roast stuffed with prunes and cooked also with mango and ginger. First, impressed with aromas, still oak derived, but that is no surprise for such an early taste, but also lovely pure cassis and red cherry skin flavors. A good granular tannic texture, with much structure to the palate, suggesting a wine that has a long way to go. Yes, concentrated, too, but no heaviness/alcohol and no raisin-like aromas/flavors sometimes encountered in the 2003s. Very nice.
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Wow, this is a pretty gorgeous wine, especially given the $33 I paid for it. Given all of the buzz about the 2003 vintage, I was expecting something a bit more fruity and porty, but this was lovely, very taut, elegant and fresh. An explosive nose yields some red fruit and already prominent notes of leafy tobacco (more green that black at this young age) as well as a touch of oak. The wood has subsided quite quickly since I opened the bottle. No decanting, just pop and pour to follow over two or three days. The palate is gorgeous, simply loaded with minerals, lush and dusty tannins gripping the teeth, a nice mix of red and black fruit but fairly closed, taking a distinct backseat to the minerals and structure. A hint of mint wafts in an out. Yum, this is just classic and delicious young Bordeaux! DAY 2: I finished this off on the second evening after simply recorking the bottle and standing it up in the cellar. The aromatics had lost a lot overnight, but the palate had picked up showing much more ripe, black fruit, much more weight, still lots of minerality and a lot of spice. This is really a delicious young wine, although the rest of mine are going to sleep for a while.
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4/20/2024 - kevin h wrote: 91 Points
Confirming that this is a very good wine in the context of this vintage. Still youthful, lots of ripe cassis fruit. Low acidity but enough lift to give it lift and focus and the tannins are well in check. Now or over the next couple of decades.
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4/20/2024 - derrington Likes this wine: 92 Points
Dark and brooding, earth, blackberry, tar, licorice.
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4/12/2024 - djhammond Likes this wine: 92 Points
Tasting profile is as per previous note from a year ago. Once again the finish is the barrier to a higher rating, being clipped and with very faint bitter notes. I am starting to suspect that this should be consumed over the next 5 years to enjoy it at its best.
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3/30/2024 - dwynne wrote: 94 Points
Delicious and drinking wonderfully. Always a treat to enjoy well aged claret.
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3/9/2024 - ploher wrote:
Cassis and black berries, green bell pepper, cigar leafs, lots of blood / iron; on the palate gravel, earth, "dusty" texture, slightly drying, clearly old school bordeaux. Again lovely and a really successful 2003; no heat, nothing overdone, proper claret. 17.5/20
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3/3/2024 - MichielV wrote: 91 Points
W veal chop from grill on Sunday night. Very good bordeaux. But expected a bit more oomph. Great nose, color, balance. I would say that this is not getting better so you may as well drink.
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3/3/2024 - Bugiman wrote: 95 Points
Perfectly ripe, great to drink now!
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2/27/2024 - garymouton wrote: 93 Points
Slow ox 2h. bought on release. Tannins are fine and secondary notes have clearly emerged from the wine at this point but some light fruit tones remain with medium finish. A mature elegant wine. I think it will hold here for five years or so, but I wouldn't push much past that. Pretty amazing for a cru bourgeois twenty+ year old wine.
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2/26/2024 - thebonnydooner wrote: 91 Points
Very tasty. Mature, complex and balanced. Decent fruit - cherry and plum. Lots of earth and a complex finish. Drinking very well.
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2/25/2024 - grossie Likes this wine:
Great fruit. This one was a bit soft, starting to slide down the back side of the hill.
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2/17/2024 - buckeye76 Likes this wine: 93 Points
Still deep ruby red/purple color. Blackberries, black raspberries, currants, and hints of tobacco, licorice and floral in the nose. Lots of black fruits in the flavor, blackberries, black currants, black cherries and spice notes in the flavor. An elegant wine with nice depth and complexity. Medium to full bodied, well balanced and a long finish. Impressive, several years left in this bottle. 93/94
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2/12/2024 - liber Likes this wine: 92 Points
16th of 36, pnp, perfect cork and level, again delicious and in line with recent bottles last in July, scope to improve yet, 20+ years. F (17.5).
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1/28/2024 - BordeauxBoy wrote: 88 Points
It's just OK...but nothing remarkable. Have owned and been well cellared since release. Fruit and terroir are still there now but no evidence yet of nice secondary flavors going. Not sure it will either. The oak seems to be overtaking the fruit in an astringent way unfortunately. I'd either drink now if looking for more fruit or try again in 10 years to see if it was able to mature more gracefully.
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1/14/2024 - peternelson Likes this wine: 89 Points
Although not a bad wine, this took a clear last place as being somewhat rustic and just not interesting (esp compared to Latour and Lafite). EWG retrospective tasting dinner at Conrad's
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1/4/2024 - jjct Likes this wine:
Drinking very well now.
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12/24/2023 - rfarrar wrote: 94 Points
AWESOME with Short Ribs, probably drank as well as it ever would.
wonder soft taste, with no Tannic burn. Fresh fruit with a Hint of earthyness
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12/16/2023 - kendrickbaker wrote: 91 Points
Tasted a 2003 magnum that is “in the zone” and drinking about as well as it will. Vibrant purple color with a nose that is a bit dusty and invokes stewed fruit but good lively acidity supporting a rather generic plummy fruit and well integrated tannins
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12/4/2023 - jsebiri wrote:
Very nice, some secondary things going on , strong perfume of flowers and wine, very very nice. I think I am done with these , they were a fine juice.
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12/3/2023 - AndrewWill Likes this wine: 95 Points
A year later, this wine rates just as highly as my previous bottle. Exceptional claret for the price.
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11/25/2023 - GAET Likes this wine: 92 Points
55% C.Sauvignon, 40% Merlot et 5% C.Franc
Bouchon non entamé
Robe : Noire, très légèrement orangée au niveau du disque. A l'agitation, de belles larmes se font jour.
Nez : Sur les fruits noirs, le café, les épices et une petite pointe de poivron rouge.
Bouche : On retrouve, les fruits noirs. La matière est bien présente, les tanins commencent à se fondre. Belle longueur en bouche. Beaucoup de plaisir, comme d'habitude !
Très bien +
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11/23/2023 - CarpeDiem! Likes this wine: 93 Points
Part of a 2020-1995 Verticale. Center court play, spot on maturity. In a "canicule" year the conservative SM approach clearly paid off, yielding a charming yet balanced SM, with lush fruit, chocolate, tobacco, fig and port notes. Drink now and over the coming 5 years.
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11/8/2023 - Golden Slope Climber Likes this wine: 92 Points
Medium-bodied wine with excellent balance and complexity. Very concentrated nose opening as fig, cassis and spice. Initially still cellar-cold, but developed secondary aromas of mint and herbs. Drinking well now with fruit, acidity and tannins in synch. I would drink the rest of my stash sooner rather than later.
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10/25/2023 - grossie Likes this wine: 90 Points
Drinking great. Power, but not over the top. Could use a bit more complexity to really push the score up. No hard edges. Really good wine
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10/21/2023 - mercurius wrote:
Past its prime but still good
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10/15/2023 - kevin h wrote: 90 Points
First from a case just taken out of store. In youthful condition. Little fading. Nice nose with cassis and a hint of menthol and cumin. To taste, blackcurrant fruit, still young. Nice, one dimension, tannic and low acid profile. Still has plenty of upside. Should continue to improve for another decade yet.
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10/7/2023 - Ernestas Likes this wine: 91 Points
Pleasure to revisit this vintage after 2 years, still at a development stage. With structure it is showing it should be singing for another 10+ years. Made from a blend of 55% CS, 40% Merlot & 5% CF. Intense fragrant and complex aroma of plums, cassis, vanilla, toasted herbs, dry figs, dry leaves, tobacco, strawberry, incense and green pepper hints. Medium+ body, lively and juicy structure, pleasantly tangy, earthy dried fruit flavours, toasty & chocolaty hints, med+ acidity, medium+ structured fine tannins.
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10/6/2023 - Musigny1955 Likes this wine: 91 Points
{bought on release; first of 12 bottles in wood. Sound cork, perfect fill} Mix of red and black fruits, some balsam, tobacco, earth; Medoc fruit on nose, lots of ripe mulberries, somewhat granular tannins, still some unresolved tannins; good length, savory. This bottle without the more herbal notes others have commented on. Lovely with complex lamb and cheeses.
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9/24/2023 - RichEB1 Likes this wine: 91 Points
I agree with those saying that this is in a great spot right now. Fruit is still prominent (not roasted) with some secondary notes poking through on the finish. Still slightly tannic but I like how everything is playing together really well. I'd say drink over the next 3 to 5 years and enjoy!
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7/30/2023 - liber Likes this wine: 92 Points
15th of 36, pnp, perfect cork and level, as Feb bottle, more thuggish, mat and burly than super elegant Haut-Bailly 2000 on same night, upside, 20+ years. F (17.5).
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7/29/2023 - TashNYC wrote: 93 Points
Drinking really well. Red fruit, cherry, bell pepper, herbs and leather. Delicious with our herb-encrusted, roast rack of American lamb. And on its own.
We didn't decant and didn't seem to need to. Drink now.
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7/13/2023 - WineGuyFL Likes this wine: 93 Points
Decanted for 2+ hours. That was less than was the case with the last two bottles......but that did not seem to make much of a difference. Classic Haut-Medoc. Drinking well right now. I noticed that this wine now has auction values somewhat above its release price. So, the marketplace has noticed where this wine is right now.
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7/9/2023 - Sacramento Geezer wrote: 91 Points
Decanted in AM and poured tasting amounts into our glasses an hour before sitting down. Curious what we would find given the conflicting reviews. I noted Jeff Leve panning it as un-integrated, compared to what he likes and I can’t afford. This was a quality Bordeaux nevertheless. Residual sharp tannins quickly resolved and tasted no more as the wine elevated the dinner.
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7/8/2023 - djhammond Likes this wine: 93 Points
Tasted multiple times, this is still going strong and probably is one of the contenders for the best value 20 year old Bordeaux's on the market. As noted previously, this is not overly fruited in spite of the hot vintage, but it has been accessible at an earlier age than usual. It does benefit from a few hours in the decanter, and really bursts into life after 30 minutes in the glass. Depth and balance are first rate, but the finish does not quite match the rest of the experience. That said, as a Cru Bourgeois this punches way above its weight, and kicks a lot of growth wines into touch. Highly recommended.
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7/3/2023 - Gerhard3 Likes this wine:
Young at 20 years of age, just as my elder son for whose birthday dinner I opened this bottle. No formal note, but a little more wood than I remember from other vintages, and a little too much for my taste. But I still like it, for its pencil shavings and relatively cool fruit on the nose (despite the hot vintage), and the balance and good structure in the mouth.
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7/2/2023 - MicklethePickle Likes this wine: 93 Points
Another impressive showing of this wine. Has to be one of the best bargains in aged Bordeaux. Very dark red, beautiful, mineral nose, and very soft, feminine pretty red fruits in the mouth. This is perfectly mature and unlike my first bottle of this wine shows no sign of decline. No, it is not a blockbuster, but it is very enjoyable, a wine that few would find objectionable in any way. 5-13-17-8: 93/100.
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7/2/2023 - Tree512 wrote: 90 Points
Tastes like ripe Sociando Mallet. Classic, mellow and complete. Ready to drink but not going anywhere. Nice cigar/cedar note along with the plummy fruit.
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6/14/2023 - MicklethePickle Likes this wine: 95 Points
Popped and poured. This is worlds better than the last bottle I had of this wine. Maybe it was bottle shock last time, I don't know. What I do know is this bottle is drinking at peak: tannins gone, full, rich flavor, nothing off. Now, for the deep dive: Dark red and browning, with red tears on the bowl of the glass. Really lovely red fruit in the nose, with a bit of iodine and mineral. VERY nice. Super smooth, lovely, rich palate, with just lovely, beautiful flavors; rich cocoa and milk chocolate. Wow. This is almost certainly at the end of its peak, but still on the plateau and very pretty. Amazing how one bottle can vary from the next. This is wildly great, while the last bottle was very tired. TODAY: 5-13-18-9: 95/100.
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6/4/2023 - Outplaying Likes this wine:
Aagrawal’s note in April describes this well. I enjoyed this quite a bit, and it was my favorite wine of the evening. Youthful for its age, and not showing any over ripeness from the vintage. Slight herbaceous notes, but not objectionable, and what you might expect from this producer. I’d be curious to see how this continues to evolve over the next 10 years or so.
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5/15/2023 - MicklethePickle Likes this wine: 89 Points
Popped and poured. This is quite nice; a 20-year old from the sweet, ripe 2003 vintage. This is not too sweet, it is rather nicely restrained and has nice balance. Very dark color with only a touch of browning at the rim. Nice soft red fruit in the nose, with hints of cocoa. Medium body in the mouth, smooth, ripe, with good fruit. I wouldn't call it a "star" of the vintage, but I do believe this has aged very well. This can still be purhased for $80; pretty amazing when you consider its age. Nice find for me in 2023. 4-12-16-7: 89/100
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5/6/2023 - Chrysostomus wrote: 89 Points
Not bad, good structure. No fruit or tertiary notes. Lacking complexity. Well made, but not in its prime
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5/1/2023 - MicklethePickle Likes this wine: 91 Points
Popped and poured. As expected, a bit austere at first. Perhaps because it was too cold when I opened it. However, as I drank it over the ensuing two hours, It definitely loosened up and drank much better. It is still plenty alive. has good color, and the nose is fruity and flashy, showing off the warm vintage. It is not incredibly complex, but it is a nice mouth full of juice. good length on the finish. Certainly seems capable of another five years at least. 5-12-16-8: 91/100.
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4/17/2023 - aagrawal wrote: 91 Points
Coravin. 55% Cab Sauvignon, 40% Merlot, 5% Cab Franc. Deep ruby-purple with slight bricking, youthful for its age; aromatic, green bell pepper, pronounced and pure blackcurrant (probably the closest I've ever smelled to the "Le Nez du Vin" blackcurrant sample), excellent intensity of aromatics; palate is medium-full bodied, elegant medium balanced acidity, medium (13%) alcohol, definitely some pyrazines/bell pepper, fruit is present but more in the background; medium length finish. Classic Sociando Mallet, would be difficult to guess as 2003 given its restraint and its pyrazines. Showing much less vanilla and youth compared to my last bottle in 2014, and this is a solid quality bordeaux ready for drinking now and over the next decade. 91
6 hours in a thin decanter. Aromatics still pretty and largely the same; palate is starting to integrate even better but still seems like it has a ways to go. No rush on these... there is a slight bitterness on the finish that I think will integrate with another 5-10 years.
Remainder of the bottle opened: Good tannin, acidity, and alcohol balance. Lovely wine, seems like it will continue to evolve positively for a decade based on my tasting of this over time.
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4/12/2023 - grossie Likes this wine: 91 Points
Really really nice! Coravin, then I opened the bottle a couple of nights later. Very powerful. A hint of characteristic bell pepper, but in a good way. Decent finish. Fun to drink.
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4/4/2023 - Sanlucar Likes this wine: 91 Points
Generous fruit but fading away; probably not going to last much longer. Dark as hell with scents of leather, tobacco and oak; rich red fruit flavors; mostly cherry and cranberry. This would pair nicely with many beefy dishes and any Nicaraguan cigar.
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3/28/2023 - ohne_musik wrote: 92 Points
3 years since my last sound bottle, and 20 years in, this is really hitting its prime drinking window. Nose is sweet and alluring, perfumed in an almost Margaux way, along with deeper blackcurrant and leather notes. Palate is saturated with black plum fruit and cassis, verging into green pepper/menthol territory, with nice inner mouth perfume fanning out into cedar, blonde tobacco, and resolving tannins. Long finish. Nothing roasted here, but definitely a riper vintage for S-M
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3/28/2023 - djhammond wrote: flawed
Unfortunately the bottle was carrying a slight taint, and although, still enjoyable, it would unfair to rate.
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3/21/2023 - Evanbdavis wrote: 93 Points
A really delicious and decently priced 2003, from a terroir just above Montrose in St Estephe. This bottle of Medoc was brilliant, and the acidity was remarkably fresh, giving the wine many layers to its dense core of fruit. The characteristic pleasant herbal character of Sociando Mallet is still present, just with more gloss and chew to the mid palate, and the wine comes off as plenty youthful still. The prime positioning of the estate seems to have moderated successfully the threat of overripeness we so often hear about this vintage. This is classic Medoc. Delicious.
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3/20/2023 - Willi Vinotti Likes this wine: 93 Points
My WOTN at the tasting event. True to Sociando's aromatic signature, with light cloves, some cherry ( the light red ones), and herbs, thyme in particular, fresh acidity and medium length supported by nicely integrated tanins. It has a nice and mouthwatering minerality and seems in its prime window right now, and will be probably another 5-10 years. Wonderful.
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3/16/2023 - CarpeDiem! Likes this wine: 91 Points
Lush red fruit, cedar and tobacco, well framed by mediterranen herbs, ink and menthol freshness. Most typical SM, although a bit more "herby" than the last bottle. But don't hesitate to open now and for another 3 years.
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3/16/2023 - Wine Poor Likes this wine: 92 Points
3 years since I’ve last had this.
Still holding up nicely
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2/26/2023 - liber Likes this wine: 92 Points
13th of 36, decanted 90 minutes, perfect cork and level, as December bottle, clear upside as it leaves adolescence and gains (hopefully) nuance, 25+ years. F (17.5).
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2/19/2023 - GAET Likes this wine: 91 Points
Les tanins sont encore présents. Sur le fruit, les arômes tertiaires commencent à faire leur apparition.
Très bien. Mais je m'attendais à mieux
Mais je pense que le meilleur est à venir
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2/18/2023 - G.O. wrote: 93 Points
Everything is smoothed down - no sharp edges left. Notable tertiary notes have developed. However, I would prefer slightly higher acid content.
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2/17/2023 - cmartinelli wrote:
Decanted for 2.5 hours. Only a hint of bricking at the outer rim. Aromas of cedar, grilled herbs, and hoisin. @Ian_A used the term rustic, and that to me is the perfect descriptor for the wine right now. The fruit is no longer primary but has melded with the chewy, finely grained tannins. At first pour this was a bit all over the map, but had much better harmony with another couple hours of air. It never lost that rustic edge, which I didn't mind. Tough to see where the wine goes from here, my guess is that it hangs on rather than improves.
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2/17/2023 - Nutty08 Likes this wine: 93 Points
Seems mature. Wonderful black fruited bdx with teriary notes of tobacco leaf and smoke. Hints of mint on the nose. Plump lush fruit profile with rather clunky tannins on the finish. Solid mature bdx. Drinks above its pedigree.
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2/16/2023 - Vinumming & Ahhing Likes this wine: 89 Points
Bordeaux 2003 Horizontal (Piccolino, Exchange Square, London): Savoury, cool fruited nose with some tomato leaf pungency and some Quink ink. Palate a little blocky, there's a little consommé and some almonds.
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2/16/2023 - SimonG wrote: 74 Points
2003 Bordeaux @ Piccolino (Piccolino, Liverpool Street Stn, London): Dense and slightly murky. Similar on the nose. Savoury and meaty. It ain’t elegant. Needs food, but even then it’s a struggle. Sludgy. No. Others appear to have liked it better.
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2/5/2023 - Nanda wrote: 91 Points
Impressive fruit restraint and balance for the vintage. No roasted fruit markers whatsoever. Early peak with nice ripe plum fruit and emerging pencil shavings and bell pepper. Tannins are still prickly, though approachable enough with food.
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1/28/2023 - AllRed wrote: 92 Points
4th Saturday Group (S&J's): Double blind. Notes of black fruit and roasted red bell pepper. Hints of earth underneath. The palate follows the bouquet. Full-bodied with soft tannins and a nice finish.
Drinking very well right now. (R&D)
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1/23/2023 - brybts Likes this wine: 93 Points
Overall: quality wine showing very well at this age, this wine grew in the glass and decanter over three hours and really is something special when you consider the price.
Color: reddish purple, showing some age but not really bricking in any significant way. Still very dark and opaque.
Nose: initially very closed and decanting was necessary. Over the next three hours the nose went from very closed with some mushroomy notes, to a mix of fruity and green pepper, to finally dark fruit like blackberries underpinned with leather, earth, green herbs, and what I would describe as “forest floor” and cigar box/tobacco notes.
Palate: very integrated, balanced wine that may be something of an “aha” moment for me as far as aged Bordeaux goes. Dark fruit is present, but mixed in with more savory notes like leather. Acid is in balance, tannins are soft and pleasant.
Finish: drying, acid is refreshing, makes me really want to go back for another sip and this wine is dissappearing faster than I want it to
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1/2/2023 - Doc2 Likes this wine: 90 Points
Dark purple in color. No bricking. Nose was restrained, some dark fruit. Palate showed mostly dark fruits with a little bit of red fruit if you looked for it. Also showed some gravel and pencil shavings. Medium mouth feel. Tannins are fully integrated. There's more acidity than tannins. The acidity stuck out during the finish. Otherwise, this is a well integrated wine. The fruit and acidity may help it reach more mature notes but it's nice at present.
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12/24/2022 - liber Likes this wine: 92 Points
12th of 36, decanted an hour, perfect cork and level, full and round, still primary, fine energy to fruit, most compelling Sociando of many to date, upside, 25+ years. F (17.5)........interesting comparison with lighter but more elegant Branaire 03.
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11/26/2022 - thalver wrote: flawed
CORKED! Little is more frustrating than coddling a bottle for 16 years only to find it tainted. What other items do we put up with such frequent failure with absolutely no ramifications for the maker of the product?
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11/13/2022 - AndrewWill Likes this wine: 95 Points
95 points may seem like a lot, but this Cru Bourgeois earned every one. Recently picked up 4 bottles of the '03 after being blown away by an '03 Ducru Beaucaillou. Seriously, that stuff stopped me in my tracks.
Anyway, I sought some 2003s because the vintage has a reputation for being hot and dry and fruit-forward. This bottle lived up to the hype.
Decanted for sediment but poured immediately. The nose was other-worldly without delay. Leaping out of the glass were scents of blueberry, plum, cassis, blackberry bramble, Spanish cedar, leather, and graham cracker. A slight fig scent, but not pruning--still showing too young for that.
Palate is a showstopper. Chock full of black fruit, dark chocolate, leather. Sweet, chewy tannins that could use more time to settle but this is frankly incredible right now. Acidity is perfectly balanced--providing life but not converting this into a sour-red-fruit ordeal.
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11/7/2022 - hargy Likes this wine: 92 Points
lovely - this is still going strong and, unlike many 2003's, good for a few years yet
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10/26/2022 - billyloveswine Likes this wine: 91 Points
Decanted for sediment. Medium+ intensity on the nose, showing cassis, black cherry, sage, earth, and tobacco. A little funkiness also emerged with time. Fruit seems to have faded more than last year, giving way to tertiary notes. Medium acidity, and tannins have all disappeared. It could probably hold for another 5 years, but I would suggest drinking soon if you like some fruit.
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10/20/2022 - djhammond Likes this wine: 94 Points
Last tasted 17 months ago and it mirrors my last note. It actually still needs 3 hours in the decanter to really deliver. To reiterate previous notes you would be hard pushed to find a better value wine. The heat of 2003 tempered the harsher notes of a normally austere wine and this punches way above its cru bourgeois status and is possibly the best ever produced by the estate. 94+
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10/6/2022 - nkirsch Likes this wine: 89 Points
Cork was dry but just filtered out the broken cork. Wine was nice, good balance.
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9/24/2022 - mxpbuy Likes this wine: 92 Points
2 hour decant. Tablespoon of sediment. Dark ruby color, no bricking. I suspect the grapes were picked early in this ultra hot year. Alcohol is a very pleasant 13%. All the fruits had a slight sour element to them which was refreshing and made the wine a bit more interesting. Blackberries dominated, but also some blueberries and raspberries. Minimal Oak. Touches of green pepper.
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9/16/2022 - DoubleMagnum Likes this wine: 91 Points
Showing much younger and with a higher amount of extract than the Saint-Pierre we had against it. This can age for another ten years without issue. The fruit is still alive and kicking, the tannin is substantial and there's more density on the palate. Almost no tertiaries yet. Very good but will get better with a bit of patience.
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8/30/2022 - grossie Likes this wine: 91 Points
Very dark, very rich fruit. No hard edges but lacks a bit of complexity. Very soft. Fun to drink. Drink now.
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8/25/2022 - rwpalmer wrote: 93 Points
Still dark. No premature ageing (in magnum). Ripe but not over-ripe nose. Even some typically Sociando green notes. Mid-weight. The tannins have resolved nicely. Not short or hard cf many 2003's. A real triumph.
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8/21/2022 - Sean McGrath wrote: 93 Points
I bought a case in 2005, and they were so good that I foolishly drank them all. I've now found six bottles at auction and we had the first one tonight.
Very nice. All the tobacco and cedar that I remember. The berries have faded a bit, but still there. Nicely smooth by now and drinking well.
Decanted 2.5 hours.
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7/31/2022 - Purple Tooth wrote:
Not impressed with this particular bottle at all! A stewed nightmare scenario of what you fear from 2003. One of the few that have met the vintage stereotype so far. The underlying wine was sweet, and more meat driven than earthy, with big elements of fleshy steeped plum and some prune. More like an old Malbec...Anyway, I am pretty sure this was bottle damage, so I will not rate. But let this note float, for my next episode.... Try again
*I bought a magnum yesterday. That should show fresh...TBC
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7/10/2022 - CarpeDiem! Likes this wine: 91 Points
A well matured, spotless 2003, built on velvet, mature red fruit, cedar and tobacco, well framed by mediterranean herbs, ink and menthol freshness. Most typical SM.
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7/10/2022 - Tad GW wrote: 93 Points
50+5+13+17+8=93
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6/30/2022 - ifishtoo Likes this wine: 93 Points
Similar to my last note. Excellent QPR.
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6/26/2022 - nkirsch Likes this wine: 92 Points
Really enjoyable bottle. Opened an hour before drinking and it opened up quickly. Good fruit, light tannins, good nose. Definitely has a few more good years
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6/25/2022 - grossie Likes this wine: 92 Points
Drank next to the 01 & 05 versions. This was the sluttiest of them. I intentionally opened it before dinner and 3 of us (OD, Mike, me) killed most of it just sitting outside waiting for the tenderloin to cook. Tasted the most like a Napa cab though not as overtly sweet as that. A bit on the softer side though it still has not fallen apart by any means. Probably the best on its own but the worst with food of the 3 vintages we drank. Drink now.
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4/3/2022 - Nutty08 Likes this wine: 92 Points
2nd bottle in a month but different case/source. This had a solid core of black fruits. This was quite vibrant and youthful, but missing the herbacious leafy layer that adds complexity. Still strong.
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3/20/2022 - Nutty08 Likes this wine: 94 Points
Give this a couple hours air and it’s a wonderfully mature bdx. No overripe flavors just mature balck fruits, tobaccoand cedar notes. Hints of leafy herbal notes add complexity.
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3/8/2022 - Julian Marshall Likes this wine: 91 Points
Tasted over two evenings. During the first one, despite five hours in a decanter, the wine failed to open, stubbornly refusing to show any fruit at all. The following evening, it was quite different - a fresh and inviting bouquet of ripe blackberry, blackcurrant and plum with a hint of cigar box, then a well-rounded mouthful of blackberry and plum, the blackcurrant coming on the finish with a little dark raspberry.
Atypical for the vintage, this has no trace of over-cooked fruit whatsoever, but it is however still a little pinched and compact. Very enjoyable but it lacks the cool suavity of a top SM vintage.
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1/28/2022 - Lype Likes this wine:
Promisingly open bouquet of clean earth and red fruit, the mouthwatering palate is filled with ripe fruit but no overripe cooked feel, rich round flauvors of cassis, plums, hints of tobacco, green tones you might get in Sociando, clean dark earth. Presence of purple fruit which adds a slight Right Bank feel. Tannins and acidity support the ample fruit component and make this nicely harmonious. An exceptionally good 2003 Left Banker which is now on the top of its game.
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12/26/2021 - Easter Everywhere Likes this wine:
solid, even better with time
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12/25/2021 - jayw Likes this wine:
Initially quite tannic and bitter, it opened up beautifully with a three-hour decant. Rich blackberry fruit with green pepper, leather, cedar, herbal notes. Not especially complex, but harmonious and balanced with potential to develop further and plenty of years ahead of it.
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12/12/2021 - Nutty08 Likes this wine: 93 Points
Man Sociando nailed it in ‘03. The fruit is dark and ripe but fresh with no overdone notes. There some pyrazines and herbal lady notes well woven in the frantic of a wonderful bdx—smooth but with some rustic edges. Aromatic with a. Captivating nose of green pepper and leather notes. Speaks of place and vintage. Wonderful
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11/28/2021 - liber Likes this wine: 92 Points
11th of 36, opened 45 minutes, perfect cork and level, back to usual form of last November's bottle with May's an outlier, upside and long life ahead. F (17.5).
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11/24/2021 - Smatk wrote: 92 Points
Decanted and followed for about four hours. Took three hours to open and gain some weight. Nose of green pepper foliage, cassis, and sandalwood. Palate much the same with a beautiful undertone of sweet black raspberry. Melting tannin and a lengthy, sweet finish. Really nice bottle. Delicate complexity better expressed on its own than with food.
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11/6/2021 - jonboy74 Likes this wine: 92 Points
Another great bottle. Tannins fully integrated, still excellent fruit profile. In such a great spot.
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11/5/2021 - Ernestas Likes this wine: 91 Points
Such a beautiful transition over 4 hours. Medium+ ruby colour. Intense aroma enveloped with blackberries, violets, earth and toasted sandalwood hints, with aeration it got extra layers of dense cassis, tobacco, pepper hints. Medium body, it commenced with surprising energy, slightly spicy attack braced with youthfulness and vibrancy, well structured tannins providing substantial grip. With time it got softer and rounder, showing smooth elegance and winding up with lengthy smoke tinged black fruit finish.
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11/4/2021 - depechemoroder Likes this wine: 92 Points
This has forced me to be kinder to 2003 and restrain my prejudice. A delicious claret, that if not entirely classical, has those elements dialled up in a 2009-like style. Certainly belies its age, with plenty of intense blackcurrant fruit and with sandalwood and violet perfume. Creamy and dense on the palate, there is quite a grip here, with plenty of power and structure. Definitely has further to go, but a pleasant youthful maturity now.
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11/1/2021 - Eudemis Likes this wine:
13% alcohol. Very good long cork with no wine penetration. Decanted an hour ahead. The colour is deep with minimal thinning and no bricking at the edge of the rim.
Very full nose with dark fruit and some inky aromas (in a pleasant way). The mouth is satisfyingly juicy with good grip in spite of the resolved tannins; more red fruited than the nose, with even some ripe red pepper if you look hard for it. Certainly nothing remotely cooked or raisiny here. Maybe what is missing is a bit of extra length (and this is where yesterday's Ducru-B would score).
Very good overall.
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9/17/2021 - grossie Likes this wine: 91 Points
Strong fruit core. I think it's still a bit awkward and should resolve further. Nice to drink now though and there's a chance I'm wrong about resolution, in which case it should have been drunk already! I guess we'll find out, 6 to go.....
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9/8/2021 - WineGuyFL Likes this wine: 93 Points
Decanted for 3 hours, and that was not enough. It improved through the evening. I cannot believe how "hard" this wine is.....particularly 18 years into the game. It ultimately delivered a good experience, but was not ready after the 3 hours. This wine pairs up very well with spicy/hot dishes.
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8/7/2021 - Mag357 Likes this wine: 95 Points
Very dark saturated ink. Drank over 3 days. Day 1: Complex nose of black tar and black fruits, cigar box. Powerful palate, deep and complex blackened flavors. Very long. Day 2: Same with more complexity, salinity emerging, aromas of wet gravels. Mouth is more refined and with perfect balance and longer finish. Day 3: floral aromas on the nose, very fine. Leaner, still showing the depth of flavors and lenght, but ending with dry mouth coating tannins. Terrific intensity of flavors and lenght day 1 to 3 ! This beauty could compete in blind tasting with any Medoc 2nd growth or 1st growth. Needs 10 yrs of cellaring or 18 hours of decant. In very hot years, Sociando like some St Estephe, can be really stunning.
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7/30/2021 - ohne_musik wrote: flawed
The ripest and most port-like bottle of this I’ve had so far. Perfect cork, but perhaps inevitable that there’s some bottle variation. Some green leafy tobacco and Graves-like minerality, but a bit ripe for what I was looking for. Still, enjoyable to drink with Flannery hanger steak. Actually, curiously lacking fruit… no overt mustiness but perhaps slightly corked.
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7/7/2021 - VoteferPedro wrote: 93 Points
Crazy raspberry and strawberry aroma at decant that came through on the palate but with air there was a deeper fruit and greater fullness on palate. These sll have a refreshing palate cleansing nature but this one had less of the greeness and capsicum I have noticed
thoroughly enjoyed it
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6/30/2021 - grossie Likes this wine: 92 Points
Drinking very well. Rich, still some firmness but it's fully ready to roll.
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6/28/2021 - BGK810 Likes this wine: 92 Points
Still going strong. Dark fruits, a bit of earthy flavor, still has good acidity and a medium plus length finish. 18 years old and still tasting great! But I’m drinking my last bottle. 😩 interesting that it went through different phases, and my first bottle (2014) and last bottle (2021), of six, were the best.
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5/23/2021 - Decanting Queen Likes this wine: 93 Points
Wineapolooza in Atlanta; 5/21/2021-5/23/2021 (My house): Well, considering I pulled the wrong wine and had no clue we weren’t drinking the Chateau Lascombes as planned, we did pretty well here. This was a classic Bordeaux profile with a sneaky acid and tannin profile—they are there and build up. Some backbone to last awhile.
Dark cherries, tobacco, leather, cassis, and a hint of savory green tomatoes.
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5/23/2021 - Mark1npt Likes this wine: 94 Points
3rd day of the '21 Wine-o-palooza.....only 4 contestants left. Jen opened this one from her cellar as a birth year wine since she is the birthing person for her 18 yo....
A little bit of an odd nose on the pnp but over 3-4 hours in the decanter it evens out and over 2+ hours more it grows on you and struts its stuff. Competes fairly and squarely with the '03 Cos d' Estournel that I brought for the occasion til about the 7th hour of decant when the Cos pulls ever so slightly ahead.......soft cherry fruit, leather, tobacco and cassis. As time wears on, sneaky tannins start to show up late to the party, low to moderate intensity, but integrating well with the fruit and the acidity. A little tart cherry initially it evolves into more dark red/black fruit later. Maybe a little pine needle late, too? I think DJHammond covers this wine perfectly in his note from the other day. A screaming buy at this price.
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5/23/2021 - Bugiman wrote: 95 Points
Absolutely gorgeous to drink now!
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5/21/2021 - djhammond Likes this wine: 94 Points
This just keeps getting better and without doubt is the best Sociando-Mallet drinking and possibly the best of all time from the estate. The hot vintage really suited it and took away the rougher rustic edges usually associated with the wine. The nose is deeply fruited with red cherry, blackcurrant, and plum. The tannin does remind you what you are drinking, but it is perfectly integrated with the fruit. The finish is excellent and gently nudges past the 30 seconds point with perfect balance and depth. I find it difficult to find a better value wine in the market at present with probably at least another decade at this level ahead of it. 94+
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5/14/2021 - billyloveswine Likes this wine: 94 Points
Delicious wine probably near its peak. PnP’ed and it was very much ready for business. Balanced nose of blackcurrant, forest floor, and cedar. On the palate, it had well-integrated tannins and pleasant acidity, with a bready finish typical of Bordeaux.
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5/14/2021 - Dibbs Likes this wine: 93 Points
I was pleasantly surprised how this turned out. This would need a 2-3 hour decant minimum at this time. I drank it over two days without any decant and the second day was much superior than the first. The fruit was reticent on the first and was quite earthy. Still good wine maybe deserves 90 as a score. The second day it unfurled its core fruit with picking some vanilla notes and a lively acidic backbone to support it all. This would be perfect in maybe 4-5 years but drinking just great now.
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5/13/2021 - liber wrote: 86 Points
10th of 36 opened an hour, apparently perfect cork and level, not obviously corked but somehow stripped of fruit, attractive weight and structure, bit odd and an exception from usual v fine bottles. Merely G+ (15.5).
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4/25/2021 - eudora Likes this wine: 91 Points
Spectator and Parker diverged, the former saying to wait until after 2012 and the latter urging consumption by 2007.
Advantage Spectator. Barely. It’s drinking well. Thus never had a ton of fruit but was balanced and unmistakably a quality Claret. It’s still there.
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4/22/2021 - Eudemis Likes this wine:
13% alcohol. Good cork, not that long but very dense with very few defects and showing no wine penetration at all. I took a glass and a half out of the bottle yesterday and I stuck the recorked bottle in the fridge; as a result, I felt that the wine did not require further exposure to air, so no decanting. Fairly dark with limited thinning at the edge.
The nose is classy with vivid blackcurrant and just a hint of ripe bell pepper. The mouth is similarly satisfying with a winning juicy quality, fresh currants, menthol in the finish and excellent grip. Nothing green here, and equally nothing overripe; a perfect balance for those who do not seek opulence.
It is worth noting that yesterday's stolen glass, coming after largely un-oaked wines, felt quite oaky by comparison (bordering on excessive). No such feeling today on its own. This reinforces my view that tasting a string of bottles is unfair to the individual wines as it overemphasises the difference between successive samples to the detriment of neighbouring ones. End of rant.
A superb Médoc (an honorary St Estèphe in my book) which requires and rewards patience. The late Jean Gautreau knew his onions for sure, and I am raising the last glass to his memory.
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4/17/2021 - asgerG wrote: 94 Points
D1h. Consistent
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4/6/2021 - Klugi Wine Likes this wine: 92 Points
Now in a really nice phase starting to hit the plateau of maturity. The bouquet convinces with some tobacco, cassis, cedar and some bell pepper. Medium bodied and not hot at all, one would not think of 2003. The tannins are nicely integrated, overall an excellent bordeaux which should stay at this level for at least another decade.
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1/23/2021 - EhrlichDY Likes this wine:
Popped and enjoyed over two days. Whiffs of green pepper and marked by tannin on day one. A touch rustic for my taste. I put the cork in the top put the bottle in the cellar. The wine emerged more suave with classic Bordeaux cedar on the nose along with integrated cassis fruit on the palate. A classic wine that surpasses the vintage. I will try to wait 5 more years for my next bottle as I believe this wine will continue to improve and integrate in the bottle.
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1/22/2021 - ploher wrote:
Gorgeous bouquet of cassis, fresh tobacco leafs, black berries and green pepper. The palate is round and extremely fresh, the aromatic clarity, transparence and also intensity quite impressive. No heat here despite the vintage. Still very young with years of life in it. 17.5+/20
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1/10/2021 - MichielV wrote: 91 Points
W flanksteakfrom grill. Just as good as the other bottles. Great bordeaux, great fruit length and body. I like these with 10+ yrs on them
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1/10/2021 - MichielV wrote: 91 Points
W flanksteakfrom grill. Just as good as the other bottles. Great bordeaux, great fruit length and body. Ilike these with 10+ yrs on them
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1/3/2021 - RightBankKane Likes this wine:
Very nice wine, hitting its stride now. This is rich, if you want rich. This is definitely Bordeaux, if you want Bordeaux. This wine was intriguing on release. Bottles a few years ago were a bit underwhelming. Now, it's ready. Good balance, not something you would necessarily say came of a freak year. No harsh tannins. Rich and warming. Drink in winter months, this will last a decade or more.
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12/26/2020 - WineDuq Likes this wine: 91 Points
From a magnum. Opened four hours earlier it started very tight. Put in a decanter for an hour and it was then ready for business. Sweet nose with some earth, cedar, red fruits and green olive. The wine was nicely ripe, fresh, medium bodied. Tannins were mostly resolved, finish was a bit short, but really, a very enjoyable claret. Purchased en primeur @$60, it was an excellent QPR as well
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12/25/2020 - ohne_musik wrote: 92 Points
Nearly pristine cork. Incredibly rich nose of cassis, cigar, and forest floor at first, but palate was a bit tightly wound so I decanted for a couple hours. Unfurled over that time, showing classic tomacco, leather sofa, and cedar notes, wrapped around a small core of cassis, plum and blue fruit. Powdery tannins lead to a resonant finish. Savory and Rich, with more heft and depth than other more classic years, but otherwise no signs of ‘03 heat.
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12/7/2020 - Kris G wrote: 88 Points
Soft and round, and rather fresh considering the heat vintage, some herbs, just past its prime drinking window I feel.
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12/3/2020 - Mr T wrote:
Similar to prior bottles and very pleasant drink over 2 evenings
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11/29/2020 - GAET Likes this wine: 92 Points
55% C.Sauvignon, 40% Merlot et 5% C.Franc
Bouchon non entamé
Robe : Noire, très légèrement orangée au niveau du disque. A l'agitation, de belles larmes se font jour.
Nez : Sur les fruits noirs, le café, les épices et une petite pointe de poivron rouge.
Bouche : On retrouve, les fruits noirs. La matière est bien présente, les tanins commencent à se fondre. Belle longueur en bouche. Beaucoup de plaisir, comme d'habitude !
Très bien +
1 An plus-tard, c'est toujours aussi bon !
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11/26/2020 - liber Likes this wine: 92 Points
9th of 36, decanted 80 minutes, perfect cork and level, as Jan bottle, classy assertive and broad shouldered with opulence of fruit hiding underlying tannic structure, barely ready and built for the long haul, surely the best Sociando to date, considerable upside. F (17.5).
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11/22/2020 - Eudemis Likes this wine:
13% alcohol. Good long cork with no wine penetration at all. Decanted an hour ahead. Dark colour with minimal fading at the edge of the rim.
Very vivid nose with vibrant blackcurrant aromas following an initial powdery sensation (not in a bad way).
The mouth is equally impressive, incredibly fresh and nimble; refreshing in a way that Bordeaux rarely is. The wine has good grip without any bitter tannins. Very good length.
I do not know the grape mix, but this screams high quality CS to me (probably with minor unobtrusive M addition).
A great success, and capable of long further ageing.
PS: looking back at my previous notes, I see that I quoted the grape mix as CS 55%, M 40%, CF 5%; the high dose of M surprises me. Maybe the 5% CF helps with the freshness beyond what the figure announces.
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11/11/2020 - CRUSHER wrote: 91 Points
solid but not great
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11/6/2020 - Coblerone Likes this wine: 91 Points
Pristine bottle and cork. Had over 2 days: Nose: Classic claret. Some brett, green tobacco, graphite, bell pepper, cassis, plum, cedar and a noticeable "flintyness" some would describe as mineral. Can't say I find any overripe fruit, but a surprisingly fresh nose and mouth given the vintage. Medium body, would like a little higher concentration and better balance in the finish, but quite good for what it is. Needs meat at the moment.
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11/1/2020 - nkirsch Likes this wine: 92 Points
Drank immediately after opening and then over the next 3-4 hours. It started with a bit of tannin and earthy flavor but opened up to more fruit and a polished aftertaste. Very enjoyable
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10/30/2020 - asgerG wrote: 94 Points
D1h. Consistent
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10/30/2020 - jonboy74 Likes this wine: 92 Points
Cork fully saturated, corroded capsule. Wine still good but some of the green pepper notes were absent. Still good, glad I opened it when i did.
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10/24/2020 - mxpbuy Likes this wine: 93 Points
60 minutes decant. A full tablespoon of sediment. Waves of overripe black and blue fruits, some graphite, sweet Oak and cedar with touch of red currant. A wonderful value wine. Better than last bottle by a noticeable amount.
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10/19/2020 - WineGuyFL Likes this wine: 93 Points
I have had a very good experience with this wine. I decanted this bottle 3+ hours......a little longer than with prior bottles.......and believe the added time helped the drinking experience.
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10/18/2020 - winesteward wrote: 84 Points
Opened and aired 2 hours before dinner. Cork was pretty soft. Needed to use the Durand on this. Very dark and opaque. Chocolate and very ripe black berries on the nose, but a classic cedar/pencil shavings Bordeaux beneath that. Very soft. Structure provided by the acidity which it has in adequate measure. Black tea, tobacco, a little leathery. Fruit is fading. Quite dry, but not in any way austere. A touch over medium-bodied. Good length. Perhaps a bit past prime. But then again, maybe not the best example due to the problematic cork. From this bottle, best to drink up.
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10/9/2020 - cch1966 Likes this wine: 91 Points
Deep ruby with brown brink. Black currant, pepper and tobacco. Mid- acidity and smooth tannins. Medium finish.
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9/27/2020 - mxpbuy Likes this wine: 91 Points
Decanted for 1.5 hours. In hindsight, 20 minutes in the glass would likely have sufficed. Nice black and blue fruits with some red fruits underneath. A soft and smooth wine with some nice dried herbs and Oak. It screams of a classic claret from the 1980s both in style and with its very modest 13% alcohol. Taking this wine down a point for me was that it got a little thin after mid palate and did not have as long a finish as you'd expect.
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9/25/2020 - BGK810 wrote: 90 Points
Dark fruit, medium length finish.
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9/20/2020 - tom_wine wrote:
drinking in near optimal condition with bright black cherry and dark berry fruit, a hint of green pepper and fine tannins. Long in the finish.
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9/4/2020 - djhammond Likes this wine: 94 Points
This is such a wonderfully consistent wine, and with a few hours of aeration is fully approachable. The hot vintage really brought to life the wine earlier than normal, and I find it by far the best Sociando-Mallet drinking. This is a great wine and such tremendous value for money, and should continue to develop over the next couple of years and stay at its peak for a decade or more.
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9/1/2020 - mpdonnel wrote:
Disappointing showing given the other reviews. Fruit nearly gone. Almost all secondary, with excessive cedar. Maybe a bad bottle, but stored since purchased en primeur.
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8/29/2020 - jonboy74 Likes this wine: 92 Points
Fabulous and in a wonderful spot. A hint of green pepper, which seems to be a hallmark of this winery, as I have picked it up on other vintages also. Mid bodied, a little light on mid palate but very satisfying. I dont think it is going to improve any more, but I wouldn't anticipate any sharp decline so should be plenty of years left in it.
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8/20/2020 - VoteferPedro Likes this wine:
double decanted
touch of tannin smoothed after 90 minutes
good to very good but not as satisfying as a 2000 enjoyed earlier this month
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8/7/2020 - WineGuyFL Likes this wine: 92 Points
A little off from the last two bottles, but still very good. Decanted for two hours.
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8/2/2020 - Eric wrote: 92 Points
Sociando-Mallet does wonderfully in ripe vintages, and this 2003 is no exception. Deep, brooding, tobacco-laden, ripe cassis, mineral and rather fresh acidity on a deeply fruited and powerful frame. This is still embryonic but delicious. Lots of knees and elbows, still waiting to integrate, yet pure, powerful, forceful and delicious.
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7/4/2020 - Kappertje Likes this wine: 92 Points
Prachtige 2003 die zeer mooi en fijn geëvolueerd is
Intense volle aanzet van donker rood fruit , peperkoek , tabac en zachte sigaar aroma’s
Mondvullend , perfekt in evenwicht met zalvende tannines en mooie fraicheur
Afdronk 10 sec
Beste Sociando dat ik ooit proefde
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7/4/2020 - Eudemis Likes this wine:
13% alcohol. CS 55%, M 40%, CF 5%. The cork is above average in length and superbly dense. No wine penetration at all; some tartrate deposits on the cork and in the neck. Decanted for an hour. The colour is deep with some thinning but hardly any fading at the edge of the rim (I am a little bit cagey here because I am not using my usual (GG) glass following a breakage).
Very good bright fruity nose dominated by blackcurrant. The mouth is equally impressive, very vivid and with good grip. Silky mouthfeel. There is a slightly bitter kick in the finish, and that may put some people off, but I don't mind it as it comes late, it gives structure to the wine, and it is a reminder that S-M is an honorary St Estèphe. At the same time, there is something sweet here (not sugary). An unusual combination.
A very good wine for those who can put up with a bit of spine. Nothing soupy here. Looks like it is at the start of its life. Could take a longer decant perhaps.
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6/6/2020 - Fatty Cat wrote: 92 Points
BBQ early June 2020: decanted for approx. 1 hour; dark rubin red color; bouquet of cassis, cherry, coffee, dark chocolate and vanilla; balanced, slightly acidic palate accompained with a decent adstringency and a tannic backbone; medium/full body. 91-92/100.
Left a glass of wine in the closed bottle at room temperature overnight. Tasted approx. 18 h after bottle opening: the bouquet stayed largely intact while the wine got much smoother on the palate, the acid significantly disappeared and the tannins melted away.
While already good approchable the development of the 2003 Sociando-Mallet is not finished yet. However, it's not easy to predict that longer cellaring will improve the current excellent quality level significantly.
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6/2/2020 - LZ wrote: 85 Points
Peppery
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5/31/2020 - CarpeDiem! Likes this wine: 90 Points
Who said that 2003 would not age well? A wonderfully matured Bordeaux, built on velvet, mature red fruit, cedar and tobacco, well framed by mediterranean herbs, ink and menthol freshness.
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5/11/2020 - PanosKakaviatos Likes this wine: 94 Points
With impeccable gravel over clay and clay limestone terroir that “sees the river” to better temper weather extremes, this fine estate in the northern Médoc fared very well in the heatwave 2003 vintage, which had very early picking dates for most estates. While some wines can taste jammy and/or superficially ripe, this “Montrose of the Haut Médoc” kicked ass. The tone and color reveal “normal” evolution. The wine exudes ripe fruit and a hint of jam, but hardly overbearing. Nearly 16 years in bottle, one senses pleasing tertiary notes of Cuban cigar and creosote but also primary (and juicy) black fruit. The tannins are already well integrated if still thankfully present to lend structure, and the long finish is marked by freshness, indeed rather tangy: A major plus for this vintage. It lacks the peerless balance of the 2005 vintage, but it is excellent and can stay on this plateau for many more years in your cellar. Kudos to the former owner, the late Jean Gautreau, who died in October last year and had invested many years since acquiring the estate in 1969. He and his team made excellent wines year in, year out. Not that it needs it commercially, because it has a deservedly strong brand, but if any Haut Médoc has long merited promotion to the 1855 classification, then Sociando is it. Nice match with grilled steak and mushrooms.
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5/8/2020 - WinePlanner Likes this wine: 91 Points
Really nice but took hours to finally peak. When first opened: tar and light-bodied. After 1-2 hours, a robust cassis, tar, underbrush, leather. Full-bodied and still some tannins. A nice nose and decent finish.
Refrigerated and finished 2 days later- after another hour of breathing: creamy, cherry, really nice nose and finish.
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4/30/2020 - Wine Poor Likes this wine: 93 Points
This was really nice tonight with my rack of lamb.
Nicely mature at this stage of development.
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4/25/2020 - blanquito wrote: 90 Points
Nice cabernet nose of mint, cassis, cedar. Pleasant attack of grapey and sweet-tart fruits, integrated structure, good finish of with bit of tannic grip. In a nice place, not green at all by my standards. Nice sweetness on the palate with plenty of brightness. Almost a pretty wine by the norms of this chateau. Good and ready in a mid-maturity stage. 90-91 pts.
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4/23/2020 - djhammond Likes this wine: 94 Points
As per previous note from 5 months ago, this is ready to drink with a couple of hours in the decanter. For myself this is the best Sociando-Mallet drinking by far. Climatically 2003 was a challenge to some wines, but it softened the rougher edges that is typical of the estate. The nose is ripe with blackcurrant, plum and cedar, and it is smooth on the palate with a perfectly balanced finish of 30 seconds plus. This should stay at this level for the next decade at least.
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4/15/2020 - WineGuyFL Likes this wine: 93 Points
Two hour decant Drinking very well right now.
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4/12/2020 - MichielV wrote: 92 Points
Covid takeout from Petit Bistro. We both had a beef dish. Pulled this bottle in honor of friend Charles in london who had an milestone b-day. (He had a 2014 Gaja Barbaresco over in the UK). The fruit jumped from the bottle, the color was attractive (not too dark). Nose developed great but restraint. On palate pure Bdx, fresh, fruit, tannins and length. Just very good! This will live longer but is great now. Happy Bday Charles!!!
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4/9/2020 - Bugiman wrote: 95 Points
Wunderbare Cabernet Nase, toller Abgang, noch viel Tannine. Kann noch gut zulegen, aber bereits jetzt ein Hochgenuss!
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4/3/2020 - bobadopolis Likes this wine: 93 Points
Decanted for about an hour, but might have only needed a splash decant. From memory, so no formal tasting notes, but this was spectacular... can't imagine this bottle being anywhere other than smack in the middle of it's prime drinking window. Plenty of dark, complex fruit, but with well developed secondary flavors belying Medoc origin. Highly recommended and would drink now and over the next few years.
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4/1/2020 - paulst Likes this wine: 91 Points
Light nose with some blackberry; plummy; blackberry; good body; soft finish.
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3/29/2020 - Mr T wrote:
very nice wine after brief decant of 30-60 minutes. Slight characteristic green but good fruit, not too heavy and well balanced...really a very nice wine and all the more so for the price then and even now.
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3/15/2020 - RJD wrote: 92 Points
Very solid bottle of BDX that is showing nicely now with a little air time. Classic BDX, nice fruit and food complexity.
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2/21/2020 - Brett Pitt Likes this wine: 92 Points
Still great
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2/19/2020 - Ltim BE Likes this wine: 91 Points
Previous bottle was 2017
This wine is coming around very nicely. The nose blossoms and the taste is more integrated and tannins are melting nicely. Next bottle in 3-5 years. Potential is still there.
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2/16/2020 - Jeanda wrote: 91 Points
Nez bien typé bordeaux, sur les fruits noirs et le poivron bien mûr. Bouche équilibrée,suave et concentrée, sans le côté cuit du millésime. L'ensemble est un peu prosaïque et terrien, bien dans l'esprit de St-Estéphe. Superbe maintenant mais devrait tenir 10-15 ans facilement.
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1/6/2020 - liber Likes this wine: 92 Points
8th of 36, opened 45 minutes, perfect cork and level, another super bottle very much on the fruit at present, a bit simple as yet maybe, but high pleasure factor, significant upgrade possible if greater layering emerges. F (17.5).
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12/22/2019 - GAET Likes this wine: 91 Points
Ce vin a encore besoin de quelques années pour être à son optimum.
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12/19/2019 - djhammond Likes this wine: 94 Points
The climate of the vintage did not suit all wines, but it conspired to create the greatest Sociando Mallet of the past few decades. This is a powerhouse of a wine and is just entering its peak drinking window. The nose is opulent with blackcurrant, plum, and cedar with aromas that linger. The palate does still display some typical characteristics of the estate with robust tannin, but it is resolved and in perfect balance. There is good depth and secondary notes. I do concur with other reviews regarding the finish, and it is in contrast with the rest of the wine typically austere. However, that said it is lengthy and balanced. This should stay here for the next decade or more, and should continue to develop over the next couple of years.
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12/3/2019 - Julian Marshall Likes this wine: 92 Points
I still prefer the 2001, but this has improved considerably since the last bottle, gaining in dusty freshness which acts as a counterpoint now for the spicy fruit. The finish is still very slightly astringent but this is a really classy number which will improve further in a couple more years. Powerful and suave.
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11/17/2019 - Nutty08 Likes this wine: 94 Points
Multiple bottles from multiple sources. This was a good one. Nice course of ripe dark fruit mixed with a fine leafy hearbal element. Tannins a bit coarse, but otherwise this is outstanding. Doesn’t show any over ripeness or other notes of heat stress. Drinking very well.
(Consistent note from last year. I always write my notes before checking old notes.)
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11/15/2019 - bubnos Likes this wine: 93 Points
Tasting dinner, so brief note. Uber classic Bordeaux, very well done despite the hot vintage, lots of secondary and tertiary notes, should be excellent with food. Strong buy at the price.
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11/11/2019 - ifishtoo Likes this wine: 93 Points
just hitting it's stride. Excellent QPR.
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9/29/2019 - Brussels 1049 Likes this wine: 92 Points
An impressive wine; the heat of 2003 was more than many could cope with, but this is an exemplar of adaptation to the conditions. Very dark colour still, classic Bordeaux nose of graphite, leather, plum and cedar. Wonderful balance now on the palate; rich fruit, touch of sweetness but the firm backbone characteristic of this Chateau is there. Finish is not quite as convincing as I would have hoped for, but overall a very satisfying bottle.
Needs strongly flavoured food at this stage and there is scope for further development: it drinks well now after a short aeration, but should hold well for another 5-7 years.
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9/28/2019 - asgerG wrote: 94 Points
D1h. At a perfect place now. Totally in line with djhammond’s notes of 2-
5-2019. Drink now - 2030
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9/14/2019 - drmarclevine wrote: 91 Points
Decanted for two hours but opened up after only 30 minutes. Powerful aromas of cough drops and roasted green peppers. Fragrant dark cherries in the mouth with some residual heat. Still primary for the most part but secondary characteristics of smoke and leather starting to emerge. Will need more time to develop fully though very drinkable now.
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8/11/2019 - Easter Everywhere wrote:
bit of cork taint.
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7/27/2019 - Nanda wrote: 91 Points
Next to the '83 this was a youthful and dense buck. I love that the bell pepper notes don't get lost in the ripe, but not at all roasted, fruit. Fun now but this will be better in 10+ years as it matures and sheds some of the fruit richness.
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6/25/2019 - jeffreylubowski Likes this wine: 92 Points
Hard to believe this is almost 16 years old. It's so dark and young and still together, it could be a newly released wine. It's still tannic too. Very much in the old style. Dark berry, forest floor, earth, funk, tannins, and zero apologies. And a great price to boot. The 2003 heat wave did make this a bruiser though, it is more masculine than even usual. I love this chateau and I hope they never stray from their style.
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6/20/2019 - GAET Likes this wine: 92 Points
55% C.Sauvignon, 40% Merlot et 5% C.Franc
4 ans depuis la première
Bouchon entamé de 20%
Robe : Noire, très légèrement orangé au niveau du disque. A l'agitation, de belles larmes se font jour.
Nez : Sur les fruits noirs, le café, les épices et une petite pointe de poivron rouge.
Bouche : On retrouve, les fruits noirs. La matière est bien présente, les tanins commencent à se fondre. Belle longueur en bouche. Beaucoup de plaisir
Très bien
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6/15/2019 - Jeff Jacob wrote:
Really lovely. Smooth due to blend w lots of merlot...but very Bordeaux!
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6/1/2019 - paul canet wrote: 92 Points
Excellent ce soir, beau Bordeaux a point dans ce millesisme solaire.
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5/29/2019 - 6831 wrote: 92 Points
Richly fragrant with dark berry and forest notes. Mid-palate is med-full with earthy dark berry, tobacco and hints of herb. Seamless finish with finely integrated tannin and oak. Very enjoyable. Last of my stash
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5/28/2019 - drboehm wrote: 90 Points
Decanting for 1 hour :
Colour was dark red with no sign off a 16 years old wine .
Nose was nice , dark fruity like black berries and blue berries . Some freshness like eucaliptic , but also some little dark roasted cherries , which i don´t want to have in a classical bdx nose .
Taste was nice with some dark berries but similar with the nose some roasted fruit tones and some overripe . Acid is well integrated , more sweet tones during drinking and tannics well integrated , too .
For my opinium it is not a bad wine , but for a very classic bdx chateau like Sociando , its not what i really prefer .
I had this wine some years ago during a Sociando vertical tasting and from remembering i seemd , that these bottle was much better than this one .
Drink this wine now or untill the next 5 till 10 years . But i don´t think , that the wine is getting better . 17 points
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5/25/2019 - Roentgen Ray Likes this wine: 90 Points
Still young from a magnum.
Blackberry and raspberry fruit.
Dill.
Somewhat unbalanced by what comes across as low acidty.
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5/11/2019 - liber Likes this wine: 92 Points
7th of 36, pnp, perfect cork and level, as December bottle, maybe tannins more obtrusive. F (17.5).
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5/8/2019 - wurzel68 Likes this wine: 93 Points
An der Nase schwarze Johannisbeere, Tabakkiste, Schoko- und Würznoten, Leder und Holz; am Gaumen sehr trinkiger Wein mit beginnenden Sekundärnoten, weichem Tannin, sehr langem und eleganten Abgang. Schön entwickelt!
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5/2/2019 - djhammond Likes this wine: 94 Points
I bought a few cases back in the day, and it is starting to feel like an absolute bargain and, indeed is still great value for money and for myself the best Sociando Mallet drinking. This has really come to life in the last year, and is entering its prime drinking window, and age seems to have ironed out some initial clumsiness. The nose is now expressive and possesses a good bouquet of blackcurrant, plum and cedar. The palate is demonstrating secondary characteristics, and the tannin is more muted, but in perfect balance. I never thought the wine would shrug off its tannic profile, but it is almost uncharacteristically smooth for the estate. The finish has transformed completely over the last year and is now 30 seconds plus and in total harmony with an exceptional depth.
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4/30/2019 - blanquito wrote: 92 Points
Cool, expressive nose with distinct notes of herbs, green peppercorns and brassica. Leafy, minty, swiss chard attack with a lovely sweeter finish. Shows a nice core of plummy fruit. Medium bodied with nice acids for an 03. Svelte and smooth by Sociando’s standards with a tangy citric finish. A touch of wood tannin still, but hard to see the new oak here despite the high amount employed. Definitely plusher than most vintages here, eschewing the austerity that this wine often shows. I really dig this, but not everyone’s cuppa to be sure. Summary: sweeter, richer and softer than many vintages of Sociando, but still showing that distinct greenery. Just past early maturity and drinking great, but with time to spare. 92-93+ pts.
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4/27/2019 - AllRed wrote: 93 Points
4th Saturday Brown Bagger (T&L's): Double blind. Notes of dark fruit and graphite, with undelying plum, spice and cigar box notes. The palate mirrors the bouquet. Really nice fruit; good length on the finish. Medium tannins. Guessed Bordeaux.
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4/21/2019 - schneesurfer Likes this wine: 93 Points
Great wine and a perfect QPR. The nose show dark berries, dried plums, forest floor and oriental spices. On the palate this full bodied wine is perfectly balanced and fully opened right after pulling the cork. It offers pleasure over 2 days w/o signs of fading. To me, the only negative is the vintage typical power which covers complexity and freshness. Anyway a great wine and one of the best performances from this property. Drink now or over the next 5+ years.
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4/21/2019 - Thomas123 wrote: 89 Points
Very dark. Fresh, in itself but especially considering the vintage. Long aftertaste. The Merlot is very present. Right bank character, too much for my taste but will sit super well with merlot enthusiasts.
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4/14/2019 - gaveaux Likes this wine: 89 Points
50/50 cab sav and merlot. Has a nice nose but, reasonably mild tannins but bit of a weak finish
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4/13/2019 - startinoz wrote: 93 Points
Take one of the most traditionally made Medoc wines from superb terroir generally regarded as being able to produce wines of the equal of many Classified Growths in one of the coolest, most northerly parts of the Haut Medoc in a warm year and what do you get? One of the wines of the vintage. The best Sociando Mallet for drinking at the moment. Cool palate, yet full bodied and plush textured with flavours of dark berries, pencil lead, cedar oak. No heat whatsoever. No jamminess at all. Tasted blind, you'd never pick this as a 2003. Magnificent. 5-10 years in the tank at least. Wow!
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4/6/2019 - PMJak11 wrote: 91 Points
45+ minute decant, but needs more like 2 hours for some of the harshness to dissipate. Mild nose with more fruit than the terroir I was expecting. Wine lacks depth and character. That being said it goes down like velvet and has a medium plus finish. The early harshness is a turn off and I think my expectations were too high. Not bad, but probably won’t try again.
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3/14/2019 - skifree wrote: 91 Points
Punched way above its weight, and it is in a very good place right now. Good fruit, noticeable herb or green veggie, balanced finish, built to match with food.
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2/26/2019 - tom_wine Likes this wine: 90 Points
Decanted for an hour. Drinking optimally now. Fine tannins but fading. Black cherry, green pepper, black pepper, cassis. Medium body.
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2/18/2019 - VoteferPedro Likes this wine: 90 Points
Really nice, satisfying
Smooth but soulful
Minerality and earth
Medium finish
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2/17/2019 - BI81 Likes this wine:
Drank next to the 1990 and 2015 over two days. Closed and tight showing nothing on the nose and little on the palette day one. The wine came to life on day two with powerful floral and ripe red fruit filling the room, highlighted by gravel and iron. Medium bodied with good structure and a crisp bite of acidity. Sour cherries, graphite, iron and a touch of bell pepper. None of the barnyard mustiness that was showing in the 1990. This wine is still youthful and vibrant with a lot of fruit, the only thing holding it back is the short finish. It really opened up on day two, and should continue to get better over the next few years.
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2/17/2019 - Smatk wrote: 93 Points
Last bottle 9/17. What a great Medoc wine at a beautiful point in its evolution. Pyrazines have disappeared and nose has opened. Completely agree with other recent reviews. I think this will continue to improve for a few more years. Paired delightfully with a simple roast chicken, anson mills grits, glazed carrots and an arugula salad.
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1/20/2019 - sergio65 Likes this wine: 95 Points
Simply put: textbook Bordeaux, lead pencil shavings, flowers, black fruits, spices, some vanilla still, ripe, no sign of age, a glorious bottle and probably the best Sociando I've had so far. And this tells something as I am following this estate since 1985. Amazing wine. Wish I bought cases more of this. (note: I increased my score versus the previous note as now the wine is displaying an intense multidimensional nose that literally jumps from the glass.
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1/1/2019 - MichielV wrote: 92 Points
W beefstew/pasta. Roosje and JH in Rhinebeck. Next to the 2004. This was clearly better but needs some more time (2 years?). 2+ hour decant. Very typical bdx, deep red color, great nose of fruit, tobacco other musky scents. Palate had good fruit, decent tannins, but still a bit tight. Great wine though!!
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12/31/2018 - liber Likes this wine: 92 Points
6th of 36, decanted an hour, better integrated tannin and more nuance since my August bottle, early maturity. F (17.5)….potentially the best Sociando yet!
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12/23/2018 - mreinhard74@gmail.com wrote: 89 Points
Feel like this never hit its potential. Still very grippy with pencil lead and black truffles. Good but just doesn’t have the depth you would hope for. Bit one dimensional.
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12/21/2018 - asgerG wrote: 93 Points
D1h. Wonderful and a bit better than prior bottles.
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11/29/2018 - djhammond Likes this wine: 94 Points
This has suddenly moved forward in the last 8 months and is starting to shed some of its more abrasive tannin. The nose is still a little tight, but with lots of dark berry, cherry, and plum. It is on the palate the wine has developed, and the tannin no longer inhibits the experience. The subtleties and complexity of the flavours can now be fully appreciated. The finish is on the medium to short side, and prevents a higher rating. This can start to really be enjoyed now with 6+ hours in the decanter. Great value for money.
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11/11/2018 - VoteferPedro wrote:
my bottle was not ready after 2 hours air
but really nice on day 2
definitely needs food
was paired w pheasant- very refreshing combo
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11/6/2018 - Nutty08 wrote: 94 Points
Pretty awesome. Dark fruited with a leafy herbal character. Not a hint of roasted fruit. This is well built and structured for the long haul, but enjoyable now.
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10/11/2018 - Eudemis Likes this wine:
13% alcohol. CS 55%, M 40%, CF 5%. Good long cork with no wine penetration (not bad after 15 years). Decanted an hour ahead.
The first whiff out of the neck of the bottle before decanting is promisingly fruity.
Dark colour with no sign of ageing. Very good nose of ripe (but most certainly not cooked or raisiny) dark berries.
The mouth is very pleasing in a refreshing mode, with very good fresh berries again. The fruit is exuberant enough to remind you of the new world. Not the most intense of wines, bordering on fluidity in fact, and slightly frustrating as a result.
Tannins are not fully resolved, but the slight note of bitterness in the finish is not unpleasant
Not at maturity yet, but certainly drinkable now for those who can cope with a bit of structure.
I like this wine but I still feel that there is something lacking, at least at this stage. I will wait a few years before opening the next bottle.
The repeat purchase question does not really arise because of the long lead-in time of this wine (although things may be different now that the Merlot proportion has increased).
PS: looking back at my previous note (25 Feb 18), I see that I liked it much better then, and that the decanting time was longer; hmm, food for thought.
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9/30/2018 - peternelson wrote: 93 Points
Dark, dense, full of tabocco leaf and cassis and blackberry and gravel. Excellent with good lift, young, hardly any tertiaries, doing very well, tasting great but I would wait 5 years to get more complexity. GCC
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9/28/2018 - liber Likes this wine: 91 Points
5th of 36, opened 3 weeks earlier and recorked then decanted 80 minutes, perfect cork and level, tannins slightly more obtrusive, otherwise as last note in June, would expect this wine to merit a higher rating when fully mature in 10 to 15 years. Currently F (17.5) in spite of burliness.
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9/10/2018 - duchamp wrote: 91 Points
Dark garnet, reticent nose of black currant, tobacco, eucalyptus and lead pencil shavings, tight and spicy on the attack with bitter black plum, juicy acidity and still rather strong tannins, long but dry finish with powdery dark fruit and heat
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9/9/2018 - Villon wrote: 91 Points
Ne me semble pas aussi bonne que la bouteille bue en 2012, quand à l'aveugle ce vin avait dépassé Pontet-Canet 2004. Nez typique médoc: graphite, cassis,cigares, etc. 1res gorgées marquées par l'acidité et un fruit en arrière-plan. N'a pas vraiment développé de notes tertiaires; difficile d'entrevoir comment ce vin pourrait s'améliorer avec le temps excepté si on apprécie les vins avec un fruit très mince. Longueur moyenne, finale sur l'amertume, structure encore bien présente mais policée. En mangeant ce vin prend toute son ampleur (il accompagne très bien le magret de canard sauce au cassis); sans bouffe, l'amertume est un peu trop envahissante. Aucune perception de végétale contrairement à d'autres millésimes dégustés, mais une impression de sous-maturité (13% d'alcool pour une année caniculaire, c'est un peu étrange). Le producteur a eu l'intelligence de récolter ses raison avant qu'ils ne cuisent, mais on ne peut outrepasser les limitations de ce millésime. 90-91
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9/3/2018 - MichielV wrote: 91 Points
W burger from grill. Very good! As per my previous note from 10 yrs ago this is very approachable, no typical SM tightness. Great dark fruit, balance and length. Medium weight limited tannins. Yummy!
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8/22/2018 - WineGuyFL Likes this wine: 93 Points
Opened for a hour and decanted for 1 1/2 to 2 hours. It drank well after that. This is the second bottle of a case. The first bottle (from a good while back) was a great drinking experience, but took an over the top decant. Will look to drink this one more frequently now.
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8/9/2018 - ohne_musik wrote: 92 Points
A year since my last bottle, and it’s still fairly young. Pnp, and enjoyed over 4 hours. Savory & burly up front, with soy, tobacco, cedar and leather. A spine of nervy acid that feels more integrated starting about hour 2, when a bit of black and blue fruit starts to emerge - plum, black cherry, black currant. 91
Day 2: the fruit has started to come in focus - blueberry, cassis, plum. It feels more focused and alive, emphasizing its youth despite the abundance of secondary notes. 92
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7/24/2018 - Kriz wrote: 89 Points
Big but beautiful. Nose with tar, leather. Palate with ripe (to overripe) black fruit. Solid effort.
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7/23/2018 - hargy Likes this wine: 92 Points
Lovely wine!
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7/12/2018 - judgepalmer Likes this wine: 92 Points
Drinking great! Rich red currant and cherry fruit, beautiful underlying graphite, well-integrated chalky tannins and great balance.
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7/7/2018 - appel54 Likes this wine: 93 Points
Tät kärna, ljusare framåt kanten
Blyerts, stall, körsbär, fatat, känns väldigt ungt, lite stickigt på näsan, tjära
Strävt, fruktigt, nästan lite eldigt och stjälkigt. Väldigt intensivt
Grymt bra bdx. Intensivt och alla klassiska bdx markörer på plats
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6/24/2018 - Sen4469 Likes this wine: 91 Points
Good mature wine. To be enjoyed over the next 5-10years. Really nice with a filet steak. Enjoyed it.
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6/22/2018 - liber Likes this wine: 91 Points
4th of 36, decanted an hour, perfect cork and level, as March bottle, all the elements for a very fine bottle, just a bit clunky (as yet). F (17.5).
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6/20/2018 - RN Likes this wine: 92 Points
This is good. Needs at least a 1-2 hr decant to bring out its real personality. Muted nose initially gives way to lovely but restrained nose. Colour intense, dark and somewhat brooding. Palate after some decant time showed lovely intergrated fruit with soft tannins. Elegant for a 2003. I don’t think it will improve.
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6/18/2018 - jeffal66 Likes this wine: 91 Points
In the early going, quite a lot of Bell pepper on the palate. With about an hour, the wine’s more pleasant characteristics emerge, with the Cabernet Sauvignon playing more prominently than in my first bottle. Dark fruits, leather, wood, chocolate, more. I believe with ample air — 2-3 hours — I would’ve gotten even more out of the wine. Still plenty of life here.
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5/26/2018 - CarpeDiem! Likes this wine: 92 Points
Inviting, expressive nose with earthy notes, subtle wood, plum and perfectly mature black fruit. Intense palate, perfectly matured, blending mature fruit, plum, chocolate, caramel, roasted coffee, herbs. Well balanced, with ample minerality and a long finish this wine proves yet again that in spite of the many challenges of this vintage it was possible to achieve great results.
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5/23/2018 - hargy Likes this wine: 92 Points
lovely, lovely wine - mature but seems to be surviving better than most 2003's - would drink in the short to medium term
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4/21/2018 - Two Grapes wrote: 94 Points
The wine has medium acidity. It smells like black currant (cassis), mushroom, cedar, raisin, forest floor, game, bark, black pepper, alcohol/hot and light toast. The wine finishes medium. It tastes like oak, black currant (cassis), mushroom, medium toast, black pepper, forest floor, bark and alcohol/hot. The legs are fast. There is moderate sediment in the bottle. The wine has round texture.
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4/15/2018 - Rollerball wrote: 91 Points
Excellent with lamb shoulder. A melting pot rather than a salad of dark fruit and earth tones with just the right heft. Integrated and blended at 55 cab, 40 merlot, and 5 cab franc and drinking in a great place -2024.
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4/14/2018 - davergny Likes this wine: 91 Points
Very dark crimson color. Nose is shy. Palate is showing dark berries, hints of herbs and cedar, getting some cola and a slight green note. Pretty closed up. Long, deep, and structured. Well done, but this will need some time. Tasted over a period of 2 days. 91+
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3/29/2018 - Mr T wrote:
Quick decant and drunk over 1.5-2.0 hours with friends. Still drinking young and clearly needs air and time....Bit of a coiled spring
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3/24/2018 - Musigny1955 Likes this wine: 91 Points
{2nd of 24 bottles, cellared since purchase, perfect fill, decanted - see note from day before, 23 March 2018} Decided to try a duplicate. This bottle, drunk just 1 night after last note, had a touch more red fruits and just an hint of the liquerishness described by others. "Firm tannins" is completely on the mark, more sandalwood than tobacco for me.
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3/23/2018 - EdwardsCellar Likes this wine: 92 Points
first glass dominated with earth notes and red licorice. earthy tannins. after an hour decanting, the tannins mellowed out and some softer fruits came out. still mild but firm tannins. this beauty still has more tie in the bottle to get even better.
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3/23/2018 - Musigny1955 Likes this wine: 90 Points
{1st of 24 bottles, perfect fill, decanted and immediately tried}
Still medium to full red color, no brown on rim. Nose is very Medoc, black currenty nose and palate attack (initially)without red fruits; this bottle does not have the tobacco or sandalwood others describe, while it does have delicious depth. Still has tannins that coat the mouth just a bit, so you end up with nice tensions between the fruit, tannins, very balanced acidity. Good but not very good length. At an hour more of the red fruits are evident. The liqueur-like palate, richness etc. described by Tanzer's early reviews need more time to reappear but are detectable at an hour. This is a long-distance runner and (based on this bottle) has barely developed secondary elements. Another super Sociando-Mallet punching above its weight. With another 23 bottles I can open one every 4-6 months but for anyone with just a couple of bottles, would feel no pressure to open for at least another couple of years.
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3/18/2018 - Julian Marshall wrote: 91 Points
The nose is rich, with cassis and tobacco featuring, before a similarly rich, dense attack of mainly cassis which is initially quite harsh on the edges, also a tad green, then a fascinating second layer of intense fruit, on the bottom of the palate, which uncurls around the teeth and slides down the throat. Sounds horrible but it's very impressive. Over the course of the evening, the second wave become increasingly prominent and more identifiable as a mixture of blueberry and black cherry. All, in all an imposing wine, like a mixture between a St.Estephe, a Pauillac and a Haut-Médoc.
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3/12/2018 - liber Likes this wine: 91 Points
3rd of 36, decanted 90 minutes, perfect cork and level, tad more expressive than December bottles, hence upgrade, impressive grippy fruit masking slightly dry tannins, decent balance suggests long evolution and potential for further upgrades! F (17.5).
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3/9/2018 - davidandrose Likes this wine: 90 Points
Not decanted, followed over 3.5 hours w only minor degradation. Dark berry flavored tobacco and faint spice on the nose. Seems to be in the latter years of its life but it’s also moved cross-country twice and only travelled reefer most recently. Very enjoyable on its own, even better w tonight’s moo cow.
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3/5/2018 - sergio65 Likes this wine: 92 Points
From a perfectly stored bottle. Nice dark ruby colour. Wine is still very young showing a fresh nose with cherries, leather, wood, spices and hint of mint. Tannins are resolved and the wine is very enjoyable. Requires a considerable amount of time to open up. Full, ripe chewy tannins, with blue and red fruits and a long, mineral aftertaste. Wonderful balance and one of my favourite vintages from this chateau.
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2/25/2018 - Eudemis Likes this wine:
13% alcohol. CS 55%, M 40%, CF 5%. The cork is one of the shortest that I have ever seen on a quality Bordeaux, but it shows no significant wine penetration. Decanted 90mn ahead. The colour is dark right up to the edge of the rim.
Rich classic nose of Médoc, with dark berries and some tobacco. The mouth is just as good, combining bright fruit (mostly blackcurrant), a juicy character and a smooth finish. Excellent balance and no sign of austerity here. No oak taste and no protruding tannins, although the wine does not lack grip.
A splendid Médoc in its optimal drinking window (good for another five years, I would say); this bottle seems to me to be even better than the famed 1990 (of which I have had my fair share). I feel that there is something unique here as the opulence of the vintage fights against the tendency towards austerity of the cru to produce something close to a perfect balance.
An outstanding success, and a repeat purchase in ripe years.
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2/23/2018 - djhammond Likes this wine: 93 Points
Last tasted 6 months ago, the wine is moving forward at a glacial pace. In many ways it is very untypical for a left bank of the vintage with none of the opulence and richness of many of its contemporaries. It is drinking and very enjoyable, but possesses the typical austerity of the vineyard with crunchy old fashioned tannin. It seems whatever the year (even the 2003), you can't take the "sociando mallet" out of the wine and it is a testament to its character and identity. This will continue to improve but will always retain its essential profile.
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2/15/2018 - Nutty08 Likes this wine: 92 Points
An interesting wine. Flamboyant and expressive upon opening, after several hours seemed more resolved with acidity to the front and increasingly disjointed. Shows some plushness of the vintage but no over ripeness or raisin flavors. Black fruit, fine tannin and acidity. Seems like it’s asking for more time.
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2/3/2018 - peterag Likes this wine: 91 Points
Seemed to be a bit shallow in taste (expectations were higher) but palate is great. 2000 and 2001 SM were much more impressive
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1/19/2018 - Eugenedinapoli Likes this wine:
2 hour decant. Medium+ ruby. Dried herbs, forest floor, bell pepper, wet gravel, graphite with a touch of red fruits. Chewy tanins, real grippy but balanced. Old world all the way. Slight lack of concentration/complexity but real nice. As noted in previous reviews, a Chinon bordeaux.
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12/24/2017 - liber Likes this wine: 90 Points
2nd of 36, decanted an hour, perfect cork and level, as Thursday's bottle but drunk against the 86 and 96; although the 86 was WOTN and the unready 96 showed the qualities of a truly great vintage, I think this wine has the potential to be the best of the three, as the winemaking seems to be a step up on even the 96. It will be interesting in a couple of years to broach the as yet unready 2000 in this company! Currently VGI (17).
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12/21/2017 - liber Likes this wine: 90 Points
1st of 36, opened an hour, perfect cork and level - dark garnet, youthful and dense; cassis and plum, touch of earth, tobacco and vanilla, quite rich and attractive, if simple; fullish, long and persistent, chunky and rich, lovely sweet core, balanced, tannins integrating nicely, very attractive if in a slightly burly way, needs more complexity and grace to develop for F. Currently VGI (17).
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12/16/2017 - spillwine wrote: 92 Points
Top après 2-3 heures d'air. On ne sent pas la chaleur de 2003. Frais.
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10/30/2017 - Ecbatana wrote: 86 Points
Nose offers up sea air, damp wood, smoked tobacco and some saddle leather. All hints of good things to come. But no… tannic palate brings olive brine, salted meats and some veggies. Fruit is extinct. In its place is a vacuum in space acting as the mid palate. The finish is cut off at the knees, the wine just evaporates. Quirky and unsatisfying
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10/19/2017 - ohne_musik Likes this wine: 91 Points
Decanted with lots of chunky sediment. Nose: animale, leather glove, hay, tobacco, tomato leaf. Palate has tons to offer, and very little of it is fruit. Tobacco, leather, soy, tomato leaf, blueberry, and a bit of cranberry and blackcurrant pastille at the end. Manly but not without grace. Good concentration, supple texture, mouthwatering acidity and well integrated tannins. Not the longest finish. Definitely a Bordeaux for Chinon lovers - hard to believe it has 40% merlot and just 5% cab franc.
Day 2, after vacuum pumped and put in the fridge. Funkiness has receded, and crunchy red fruit to the fore. Tannins a bit more noticeable without the funk.
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10/9/2017 - Diane (LI) wrote:
A star of the vintage. Dark plums on the nose. The palate also showed tobacco, mushrooms, deep and dark with fairly stern tannins, no rush on this, but it was my last bottle.
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9/10/2017 - Smatk Likes this wine: 90 Points
Decanted about two hours before dinner, finished about five hours later. Black raspberry, earth, cigar box, and green pepper herbaceousness on the nose. Nice sweet black raspberry on the palate evolving to a chocolately finish with drying tannins. Tannins are still a bit prominent and drying. Last glass was the best- needs more time. Worked fabulously with herb pesto roasted chicken.
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9/8/2017 - mdefreitas wrote: 92 Points
Absolutely lovely, with earth, dried cassis, coffee tobacco and celery seed. The tannins are fine grained and accessible. Just a hint of green to add complexity. As others have mentioned, there is no roasted 2003 vintage character, as the balance is excellent. Drinking very well, but can still hold.
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9/4/2017 - Balthasar Likes this wine: 92 Points
On the nose nice melange of black fruits, tobacco, spices and only a hint of the typical SM green bell pepper smell. Good concentration and despite of 2003 no heat. Still slight rustic tannic edges, but rather giving character than being disturbing.
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9/4/2017 - pavel_p Likes this wine: 92 Points
Same magnum as collector below. Decanted 4 hours. Dark garnet, juicy dark fruit but lacks a bit concentration (and complexity) on the mid palate for a higher score, no heat or burned notes, and for once a Sociando without any green notes. Not at the level of the excellent 03 Duhart and Pontet Canet, but very well done and nice QPR
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9/4/2017 - Collector1855 wrote: 93 Points
From Magnum. Tatsed blind. Dark crimson, quite dark, some garnet at the rim but still dense color. Nose of dark fruit, torrefaction. I was oscillating between Super Tuscan and Right Bank Bordeaux. Rich and ripe palate, generous fruit, not too hot. Tannins could be a bit finer but then again we are in Cru Burgois land. A good showing for this wine.
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8/19/2017 - Ltim BE Likes this wine: 89 Points
Tannins are still a bit disturbing, but the wine starts to show. Should improve in a few years.
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7/4/2017 - djhammond Likes this wine: 93 Points
Drinking now and not having really evolved any further in the last year, the wine still has some tannin to shed. The nose is full of dark berry fruits and plum, with hefty tannins on the palate. These really need to evolve further to improve the wine as there is great depth lurking and potential complexity, in addition to a good finish.
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4/3/2017 - rwpalmer wrote: 89 Points
750ml bottle. Moderately deep. A hint of browning. Nose of oak and bell pepper--but attractively so , in my view. Medium weight. Tannins of pretty good ripeness. Remains a most convincing 2003 and only better in magnum.
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4/3/2017 - Kris G Likes this wine: 91 Points
fresh nose with black fruits and some toasted wood, in the mouth this wine shows as a classical Sociando-Mallet : spicy, black fruits, coffee and considering the hot vintage this is rather elegant without the typical overripe 2003 fruit
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3/27/2017 - grossie Likes this wine: 91 Points
Sweet dark fruit on the nose with a bell pepper note. Rich mouth feel, deep, dark, a little spicy. Moderate tannin. Acidity holding it together. Good finish. This wine is more power than finesse and I'm ok with that. Probably improves for another 5 years, but I have no idea what happens after that (as with most of the 2003s)
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3/26/2017 - Vinogan(s) Likes this wine: 90 Points
Herbs, black fruit, still powerful. Classical bordeaux profile. Typical paprika touch becomes apparent after some time. 90/91 Nicely done for the vintage.
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3/17/2017 - MicklethePickle Likes this wine: 91 Points
Solid opaque dark ruby. Not showing much age. Great viscosity to boot. Deeply fruited, ripe, with blackberry and cassis at the fore in the nose, along with lead pencil. Palate has mineral-laden fruit, and is full-bodied and rich. Other than a barely detectable hollowness onn the finish, there is no sign of decline whatsoever, it seems to still be in plateau with plenty of pleasure to provide in coming years, with some tannin lurking to provide good structure and balance. Better than I anticipated and fresher than expected after reading reviews on CT and pro reviews. This is, at once, round, supple, and intense. Glad I bought two bottles. 5-12-16-8: 91/100.
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3/11/2017 - Apollo5710 wrote: 92 Points
Stored in a temperature controlled cellar since purchase upon release. Based on the recommendation of other tasters, we decanted for 2-3 hours before drinking, and this indeed proved important. At first, the nose was completely closed, with very little in the mouth (it was a tad harsh as well). But at the 2-3 hour mark, lovely aromas of cedar, underbrush, graphite, and chocolate emerged, with spice and rose pedal noted with further time. In the mouth, flavors of dark fruits, licorice, spice, dark chocolate, and a subtle roasted note flow to a solid finish. It's not the most massive wine, but there's certainly a good deal of substance and concentration. Very enjoyable, but only after a good decant - it really started to sing at the 5 hour mark. We sensed no signs of anything fading, although it might be possible to misinterpret this if consumed too quickly without decanting. If I had more, I'd hold another 4-5 years, but keep a close eye on what other tasters are reporting.
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3/9/2017 - asgerG wrote: 92 Points
Den Blinde Hane#5 (John Åge): D2h. Consistent with prior note albeit a triffle less typical Haut-Medoc bouquet.
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2/26/2017 - tom_wine wrote: 85 Points
Fading fast. Dark cherry and black berry fruit with moderate bell pepper notes. Just not impressive any more.
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2/18/2017 - RN Likes this wine: 92 Points
Open night 1 not decanted but left to sit in the glass for an hour. Ok but lacking interest and depth.
Day 2 a different wine. Weight, complexity, freshness (nice core of fruit) and elegance. Not what I was expecting given 2003. Recommend decanting if the wine is to be drunk in one session.
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1/5/2017 - salil wrote: 92 Points
An even better showing than the bottle I had a year or so ago. A core of rich red and dark berried fruit framed by earth, cedar, tobacco, and faint herbal notes - the Sociando green character isn't as vivid here, but this is really classic, elegant Bordeaux showing none of the signs of overripeness/heat/etc I'd expect from many 03s. There's a surprisingly bright spine of acidity beneath alongside the grainy tannin, and this is drinking very nicely with some time in the decanter, although with lots of time ahead.
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1/5/2017 - indiscriminate palate wrote: 92 Points
Beautiful nose of red fruit, pencil, leather, and green pepper with the green pepper especially emerging with air. Fairly rich, with plums, red berries, pencil, and beautiful darker fruit sourness that persists. Medium gritty, coating tannin, medium acid. Rich, sweet fruit, but not at all affected by the heat or "roasted." Very good. Drink now or hold for quite a while. 91-92.
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12/29/2016 - bryan0827 wrote: 93 Points
- Ruby color - Decanted for over an hour. I thought this wine was fantastic.
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12/15/2016 - Zweder wrote: 92 Points
Monthly tasting club "The Tasting Club" 2016-?; Bordeaux 2003 and 2004 (@ My place): Opened yesterday and now in my glass again. Day one the bouquet was locked and not very expressive. Now ripe black forest fruits, graphite and some licorice and good oak. On the palate dark forest fruits, minerals, licorice, firm acidity and still powerful and sticky tannin. This wine needs more time in the bottle. Until 2024+ will be no problem at all. Day one I scored the wine 90. Day two 92+
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12/6/2016 - djhammond Likes this wine: 93 Points
I have scored this slightly less than 6 months ago but I feel this is down to bad food pairing on my behalf. Certainly in its drinking window, it does need a few hours in the decanter. The wine is very typical of the left bank 2003's with a big cherry bouquet but tempered by a hint of leather. The tannin is mostly resolved and gives great balance on the palate with a good satisfying finish. What separates it from the really great 2003's is a lack of depth mid palate. Initially the depth is there but suddenly dissipates However, a great wine and great value for money.
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11/21/2016 - Adrian Wood Likes this wine: 93 Points
Many thanks to Alex for giving me this bottle; he does have a real talent for unearthing wines that hugely outperform their classification viz the Liger-Belair Cotes de Nuits -09 and the Clementin '05. This was a real delight. The colour was deep red with no real signs of age at the rim and the nose was very expressive from the outset with eucalyptus, violets, graphite, black fruits and some earthy tones. The palate belied the colour as the tannins seemed to have melted in completely leaving a smooth harmonious texture; some very clean, fresh and pronounced cassis fruit with a good zing of acidity to keep it wonderfully balanced: very elegant and light on its feet. There is a reasonable amount of fruit/life still in it. Very well made. Right at its peak with enough balance, acidity and fruit to drink well for a number of years, but it is such good juice and as it is going down singing hymns at the moment, why wait? Classed growth standard without a doubt - better than the Talbot 2003's I have just finished and enjoyed hugely and only bettered in terms of the 03's I have had by the Pontet-Canet which obviously has more concentration and complexity and is still developing.
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11/13/2016 - AllRed wrote: 92 Points
Dark fruit with a green edge. Medium-bodied with flavors of dark fruit, plum, tobacco and spice. Somewhat firm tannins.
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10/17/2016 - gmat5497 Likes this wine: 94 Points
Really coming together nicely. Everything works. Should get even better
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9/30/2016 - wbq8f Likes this wine: 93 Points
When first opened, dominant flavor was very dark fruits and earthy notes. With a couple of hours in the decanter and with food, the taste profile evolved in a nice way. Black currants, black berries were still there, forest floor, with some interesting spices, and a finish that had, according to my wife, hints of maple syrup -- I would say a hint of caramel. In any event, a very nice wine, just at its peak.
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9/26/2016 - WStucker wrote: 93 Points
From a 375 - In this size it's in it's window.
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9/25/2016 - pdadams66 Likes this wine: 90 Points
Drinking very well now. Doesn't show the heat of the vintage.
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9/9/2016 - pdadams66 Likes this wine: 92 Points
Deep dark center, red rim with signs of age.
Sweet, briar, cassis, pan grille, great depth, a little lime, rubbed rosemary, oiled black olives.
Smooth, black raspberries, plum compote, good acidity, still some tannin, some greenness (good), intense cassis on the finish, great length.
Excellent Bordeaux from a tough year, doesn't show the heat, delivers classic nose and flavor, has another 5 years or more.
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8/2/2016 - Nanda Likes this wine: 91 Points
Producer over vintage, in this instance. I get the classic Sociando notes throughout despite a more ripe fruit profile, which is held in check. Aromatics lead with the classic bell pepper, tobacco leaf and herb, with ripe plum fruit following, and ending with spice. The palate is round with concentrated fruit that is sufficiently fresh and even bright. Suave tannin is melting into the fruit. This is delicious, and more forward given vintage, but still dead true to Sociando.
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7/10/2016 - Yagil wrote: 90 Points
decanted for 2 hours
dark opaque red-purple
dark ripe-earthy fruits nose with lot of toasted-oak and dark bitter chocolate notes
full bodied, crisp tannins, rich dark fruits flavours, rustic style, oak-vanilla, smoky toasted oak and bitter chocolate, some tobacco and liquorice, very Merlot influence, good "farm-style" macho wine, lacks elegance and finesse, but quite enjoyable, especially with warm meaty dishes.
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7/7/2016 - djhammond Likes this wine: 94 Points
This has really opened up in the last few months (last tasted January). It is has entered its drinking plateau and is a big wine full of ripe fruit but balanced by resolved tannins. Finishing with a long finish this is a great wine and great value for money
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5/27/2016 - Louvin Likes this wine: 91 Points
from 375ml, drinking quite nice, rich, round and good berry flavors, not overly complex but may get there. In this format the 30 min. in the glass showed quite well and I wouldn't hesitate to drink now.
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5/25/2016 - gmat5497 Likes this wine: 92 Points
Coming into its own. Still has a ways to go but very nice now.
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5/22/2016 - rickspicks wrote: 90 Points
From magnum, decanted for about 30 minutes (probably needed a lot more time). Fill level appeared to have not changed at all since original purchase. Wine was fresh and youthful with a medium body, nice balance, a typically bordeaux-like lean texture and a medium finish. Classic bordeaux flavors of cassis, dark berry and earth with decent depth. Not quite as rich or complex as I had hoped, but overall a solid wine.
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5/19/2016 - mgstull Likes this wine: 91 Points
Two hour decant. Black cherry, plum, blackberry, dark chocolate, cigar box, and leather. Drinking well.
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5/15/2016 - ELH wrote: 85 Points
Lacking in character, personality, and depth. I don't get this wine, but I am willing to concede that it may be me who is missing the point here.
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5/9/2016 - kdsipe wrote: 92 Points
This has turned out nicely. Plenty of sweet ripe fruit, spice, stems and funk. Rich yet fresh with good acid and still a bit of tannin. Drinking great now and good for another ten. Really surprised how good this was. Decanted two hours. Amazing PQR.
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4/27/2016 - Mr T wrote:
Yum
Excellent PNP
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3/19/2016 - Schroads Likes this wine: 94 Points
Decanted for 2 hours and drank by itself (which was wonderful), then a glass and a half with lamb shanks, which was exquisite. Great wine and a great QPR compared with other Bordeauxs!
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3/8/2016 - La Grappe wrote: 89 Points
A deep colour; this has quite rich, ripe fruit with some tannin hidden by a thick texture; attractive now, but should keep well. Rather a modern, fruit heavy style and lacking nuance, but quite enjoyable.
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3/6/2016 - bengti wrote: flawed
Cork almost soaked through, this was one its last legs already, probably not well stored.
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3/6/2016 - Ibetian wrote:
Brought to a dinner with friends. Popped and poured. Very good showing, rich, clean, complex, good finish. No danger of imminent decline, but clearly on its peak drinking plateau for me.
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2/12/2016 - Kriz wrote: 90 Points
Personally I like the 2004 Sociando more because it has more finesse and freshness. But this is full of ripe fruit, jammy and tasty. Still quite tannic. A good wine.
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2/1/2016 - Wizaard1 wrote: 91 Points
Aging well but still very tight. Dark fruit hidden away. Good acid balance. Wait till 2017 or 18'for next bottle
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1/24/2016 - englishman's claret wrote: 90 Points
Perhaps my prior bottle was a particularly good one and perhaps this one was in a low percentile, but either way it didn't have the vigor and verve of the other bottle I had in 2013. This was more obviously a wine from a hot-vintage, a bit over-ripe and walking the line between Bordeaux and Napa.
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1/19/2016 - Lilja wrote:
Plenty of expensive toasted oak, coffee, spices, earth, a touch of cabernet bell pepper, blueberries, light touch of barnyard, cigar box, perfumed herbs and dusty gravel.
Dry, Medium+ acidity, medium+ tannins with a bit of oaky bitternes to them. Medium+ intensity and medium+ finish.
I like the very dry, almost dusty feeling on the palate and given some time the nose comes around as well. Will probably do good with a few more years in the cellar, but didn't feel like the fruit was there for the long haul.
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1/4/2016 - Daniel Cecavac Likes this wine: 91 Points
Decanted for a few hours. Deep purple colour with no sign of ageing. A lots of sediment. On the nose, mostly herbal aromas of green bell pepper and asparagus, then cherry, red fruits, tobacco, and liquorice very Cabernet bouquet. Nice mouthfeel, lovely balance and clarity, juicy, cedar, blackberry, velvety tannins, medium acidity, full body, medium+ aftertaste. Very good wine with nice future ahead. This will improve. Drink 2017 - 2020
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12/30/2015 - Oskiwawa wrote: 91 Points
Opened and let breath in the bottle for 8 hours. drank over the next two days
Dark red color.
Nose reticent at first and then opened up with dark cherry and graphite
Tannic and slightly astringent palate. Very dry. Blackberry, red cherry, graphite along with the typical Sociando-Mallet green bell pepper on the palate. This will be an interesting wine to follow over the next few years. It was definitely better on day 2. Should improve and hold for a long time to come.
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12/25/2015 - asgerG wrote: 92 Points
DnP. Rather dark red, red rim, 5.5. Really fine mature left bank bouquet, ripe fruit, blackcurrant, pencil. The palate is well balanced and the tannins almost fully resolved. Drink now-2020. Opened up 1-1.5h after decanting. This is getting better and better over the years and becoming more and more harmonious.
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12/18/2015 - Ibetian wrote:
KARL_EK's note below describes this wine very well. Took a little while to open. Cranberry, red cherries and a bit of leather. Medium body, clean though not especially long finish.
Nice wine, ready to drink with some air. I'll probably finish my bottles in the next few years, since I do not sense that this will improve much from here. No danger of imminent decline, but I don't see a lot of upside. YMMV
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12/9/2015 - karl.1480 wrote: 89 Points
Clear, deep intensity, ruby color.
Developing nose with a medium intensity. Started off rather tight but opened up slowly and had came together real nice at the end of the evening. Aromas of sour cherry, dried strawberry, prune, dried herbs, gravel dust, spice box, dried flowers and cold coffee.
Bone dry on the palate with a medium acidity, medium(+) body and medium(+), chewy, tannins. Lots of sour cherry, cranberry, pine tree, leather, oak and gravel dust. Medium(+) intensity a finish.
Those sour cherry and dusty components got me way off on this wine right from the start. After the bottle was revealed and the wine given some air I found more and more Bdx-markers. However, the wine is quite good but a bit austere on the palate. Drinking fine with some decanting and will certainly keep for another 5 years in a cellar. 2003 seems to be a weird vintage...
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12/6/2015 - Roentgen Ray wrote: 90 Points
This was far less mature than I had expected, likely a reflection of the Magnum format, and that it's been in cellar since release. The flavor reminded me of a 2008 Keenan Cabernet I tasted a few years ago that was yet to integrate the tannins and oak. Additionally, aromatics of the fruit was still primarily fresh, like it was just bottled a couple of years ago.
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12/2/2015 - EhrlichDY Likes this wine: 92 Points
Dinner at McDave's; 12/1/2015-12/2/2015: Popped and slow oxed for 12 hours before dinner. Based on other 2003 Bordeaux experiences I've had it's hard to believe that Sociando pulled off 13% alcohol and superb balance this vintage. This wine is densely packed with earth and cedar flavors and balanced with rich cassis fruit. The only sign of the vintage is that this vintage lacks the telltale Sociando rusticity. This wine in ready to drink now with fine tannin but is still gaining complexity and could get better over the next five years. Well done.
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12/1/2015 - salil wrote: 90 Points
Nothing about this wine says 2003. There's a core of fresh red and dark fruited flavours accented by tobacco and graphite notes, though the signature Sociando green streak isn't really noticeable here. The flavours are all classic Bordeaux though with nothing roasted/overripe here, and though the acidity's a touch low, it's still very nicely balanced and easy to drink, if finishing a touch thin.
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12/1/2015 - indiscriminate palate wrote: 90 Points
Initially (after 1 hour of decanting), this comes across not at all like one might expect from a 2003. Graphite, dark cherry, and ripe black fruit, with a slight bit of roasted, smoky fruit on the palate. Light tannin and reasonable acid. Very enjoyable. Started to fade after another hour, though, with a more clipped finish; not sure why.
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11/28/2015 - Mascarello59 Likes this wine: 90 Points
Cedar and bell pepper nose. Despite the warm vintage this shows some greenness. Mature and very pleasant and generous with clear leather and tobacco traits. Long dry finish with tobacco.
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11/5/2015 - mgstull Likes this wine: 92 Points
The best bottle of the case by far. After a one hour decant offered up black cherry, licorice, dark chocolate, cigar box, and lead pencil. Smooth tannins with a medium finish.
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10/31/2015 - Brett Pitt Likes this wine: 92 Points
Great
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10/24/2015 - Saint Stephen wrote: 91 Points
The nose somewhat eclipses the palate. Nose of black cherry, wood, vanilla, green pepper and anise in that order for me. In the mouth it is good but not great - somewhat grippy tannins still exist and they tend to hide the fruit, making the midpalate sort of hollow. Medium short finish. I don't get a stewy-pruney experience, which is good given the vintage.
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10/23/2015 - MRichman wrote:
Black fruit, tar, smoky oak. Some dried herb, green pepper. Dense.
Resolved and ready to drink. Some fine tannins, but surprisingly little other structure. Probably good for another 10 years.
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9/26/2015 - rho Likes this wine: 91 Points
Took over two hours in a decanter to open up. Sweet grippy tannin with bright fruits, cherry, earth and long aftertaste.
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9/26/2015 - Francophile1 Likes this wine: 90 Points
An expressive nose of black cherry, licorice, cedar, tobacco with a touch of stewed plums. It is a very good wine and not as overripe as I was expecting from the vintage. The tannin is more drying than I would have liked, but not sure time in the cellar will resolve it. Drink now and enjoy. Decant for 1 hour.
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9/17/2015 - gmat5497 Likes this wine: 88 Points
A bit tart but okay.
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9/14/2015 - La Grappe wrote: 87 Points
Medium to full colour; quite soft, plummy fruit, not particularly concentrated but with reasonable length and some savoury notes. Some dryness on the finish. Not the best bottle of this that we have had, but decent enough.
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9/7/2015 - Roughl wrote:
Great drinking SM, approachable, ripe, but not overripe. Really enjoyable with grilled steak.
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8/1/2015 - doctornoah wrote: 91 Points
Delicious and more balanced than expected given the year. Of course it was drunk next to a 2004 Harlan Maiden and blew it away. Not the leanest Sociando but a great 03
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6/24/2015 - Kriz wrote: 89 Points
I like the slightly burnt scent. On the palate it's too much and typically '03. Hot, alcoholic and a little sharp. I personally liked the '04 more than this vintage.
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6/21/2015 - mgstull Likes this wine: 88 Points
1 hr decant. Red purple. Olives and black cherry nose. Black cherry, lead pencil, cigar box, and a bit of bell pepper. Medium finish. There is considerable bottle variability from the other bottles I've drunk.
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6/21/2015 - kkleg Likes this wine: 88 Points
Dried cherries and nice cedar notes on the nose. Cherries, earth, and vegetal notes on the palate. The tannins are still quite firm, even with 2+ hours in the decanter. This seems like it's waking up from a dumb phase. The nose is much nicer than the palate. I will wait four or five years before opening another bottle in hopes the palate comes together more.
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6/7/2015 - Nutty08 Likes this wine: 90 Points
Not as much depth and seemingly much more closed than my last bottle 3yrs ago. Black fruits, with smoke, with a plush feel. But strong coarse tannins in the background that are drying on the finish. Missing the nuance of the past bottles. Maybe bottle variation or in a funny place.
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6/4/2015 - bengti wrote: 90 Points
a lovely line and graceful, between cherry / blackberry and metal tones, very fine tannins that now have almost fully resolved. Can't help being swayed published reviews saying this was an over-extracted vintage, there is a hint of turn and fruity sourness towards the end that took the best part of an afternoon to fade into the background. Probably best with meats and cheeses so mask this small glint in an otherwise well-storied line of wines.
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5/4/2015 - blanquito wrote: 92 Points
I'm drinking the 03 S-M tonight from 375... Lovely stuff, quite expressive, but for my tastes this has plenty left in the tank. Some grape soda, a lovely top note of lavender, and a whiff of caramel which says "2003". Plenty of brightness to go with the ripe fruit. It won't be the longest lived S-M by any means, but there's lots of gritty tannin to resolve and I see upside. So it comes down to how you like your claret, and I prefer my mine longer in the tooth.
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5/3/2015 - robertgoulet wrote:
High toned fruit, hint of acetone, tart acid, fairly ripe fruit, red fruit driven, cedar, fresh cut green tobacco and leather.....this wine has a ton of character, loving this right here....feels like I am drinking a little cab franc action from Loire
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5/2/2015 - Patrick1986 Likes this wine: 83 Points
Very interesting drink at the moment. Really enjoyed the current richness, not sure if it can get any better. Give the wines some time (15-30 minutes) to unfold to its full potential.
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4/25/2015 - Thilo Likes this wine: 91 Points
Dark garnet with a hint of lightening at the rim. Nose is dark fruit -- plum and cassis -- with spice, tobacco,leaf, and cedar. On the palate, dark fruit at the fore with notes of charred wood and a hint of tobacco. A bit short on the finish and not as good on day 2.
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3/22/2015 - marka wrote: 93 Points
Consumed this over two days with most of it being on the first. This bottle showed significantly better than the one I opened in April 2014. This was decanted and did not to show well or open until the two hour mark. Dark fruit, tobacco, cedar, some black current. A wonderful wine. Ten more bottles left in this case and, perhaps, we'll do at a pace of one per year.
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3/22/2015 - Neuneuil Likes this wine: 92 Points
Decanted 1 hour and drank with a cocotte de veau. Quite the velvety texture of cherry tinted tannins. Will drink next one in 2-3years
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1/31/2015 - Diane (LI) wrote:
Defied the vintage. Plenty of structure, dark cherries and tobacco. Long finish and paired beautifully with filet mignon.
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1/23/2015 - asgerG wrote: 92 Points
D1h. Dark red, yellow rim, 5.5. Mature complex bouquet, classic Medoc elements but alo more sunny notes. Harmonious palate, still some tannins, long finish. Drink now-2020. This wine is maturing really fine. Expecting higher score from here :-)
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1/18/2015 - WStucker wrote: 93 Points
Moving along at a glacial pace. From a 375, opened on Friday, the wine was tight, fully structured with rich fruit that I had to battle the tannins to get to. Half the bottle was recoeked, put in the fridge till Staurday afternoon. I got it out to drink later that day, got busy, and finally went back to it Sunday night. It had blossomed!! Rich cassis, black fruits with no hint of the "green pepper" taste some SM have. A beautiful wine.
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1/16/2015 - Le Vinophile wrote: 90 Points
Dégusté lors d'une verticale regroupant les millésimes 2010, 2008, 2007, 2006, 2005, 2003, 2001, 2000, 1998 et 1996.
Grenat de bonne intensité, légèrement tuilé. On retrouve des notes d'olive, de poivron vert, métalliques, d'eucalyptus, de cuir et de cerise au nez. La bouche, assez intense, suit le nez. Encore tannique mais sans astringence, et de bonne longueur, on pourra l'attendre encore quelques années.
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1/1/2015 - GAET Likes this wine: 91 Points
Bouchon pas du tout entamé
Robe : noire, profonde, couleur encre.
Nez : discret, sur l'humus, puis évolue sur le café, la vanille, le sous-bois.
En bouche : on retrouve les mêmes arômes, c'est large, long
C'est encore très jeune, vin en devenir, très masculin avec de la matière
Très bien.
Les autres attendrons encore quelque temps ! Je pense que le vin aurait mérité d'être carafé une heure à l'avance pour être à son optimum plus rapidement.
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12/13/2014 - Philippe_C wrote: 93 Points
Huge nose of ripe black cassis, menthol, hint of vanilla, cedar wood... concentrated ripe green pepers, black fruit, nice acidity, very silky tannins, nice lenght!
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12/10/2014 - aagrawal wrote: 90 Points
Coravin 12/10/14: Deep purple youthful color; good nose with intense black fruits, some blackcurrant, cedar, slight vanilla, youthful; palate is full bodied, initially comes across as a bit watery in flavor but picks up density and velvety tannins on the midpalate; medium length finish. It's almost odd how watery the palate is at first; I've never seen that before in a wine. The nose is excellent 92+, but the palate drags the wine down. Maybe closed? Time will tell if it develops density and more depth on the palate. Today still enjoyable and approachable, but I will wait on the rest of my bottles. This was so close to being much better than the 03 Troplong Mondot. 90
30 minutes air: The nose loses some of its wonderful blackcurrant fruit in favor of more red cherry, but the palate makes up for it with a bit more density. Hopefully these bottles just need time. Next one in 5+ years.
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12/8/2014 - CTwine wrote: 93 Points
Drinking perfectly. Very smooth with subtle red fruit.
It nose is cherry and blackberry. The body is medium. The wine has satin-like texture. The wine finishes long.
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12/3/2014 - Ibetian wrote: 91 Points
This was a bottle we brought up to MA for Thanksgiving, didn't drink, and brought home; so it might have suffered from travel shock. Very good, but a bit below the best bottles of this we've had. Dark red. Mix of red and black fruit. Not roasted. A little leather. Smooth. Clean, lingering finish. Nice.
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11/7/2014 - mgstull Likes this wine: 90 Points
1 hour decant. Red purple to clear rim. Big impression of graphite up front with blackberry, cassis, and cedar notes. None of the bell pepper noted in previous bottles was evident in this one. Just reinforces my impression of significant bottle variability.
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11/6/2014 - Ibetian wrote: 90 Points
Seemed a step behind and less distinctive that 01 Pape Clement tasted before this. Still a fine drink, on its plateau.
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10/30/2014 - ccn wrote: 90 Points
At a nice stage. Not at all what I expected from 03 - nice ripe fruit but also acid, a bit of bell pepper, a cab franc type flavour. Medium length and complexity. Not a great wine but a very good one ready for drinking.
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10/24/2014 - Ibetian wrote: 92 Points
Popped and poured at BYO, suboptimal glasses. Nice nose of mostly red but some black fruit, leather and BDX funk. Medium bodies, elegant, nice finish. The hot vintage has brought earlier than normal maturity, but nothing roasted. Drinking very well now, P 94.
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10/13/2014 - COWineLover wrote: 86 Points
Compared with a bottle opened in August 2014, the tannins on this are even drier than that bottle!
On the palate, there is a sour dark cherry with some spice and cassis. Overall this bottle seems quite disjointed.
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10/13/2014 - Ispendtoomuchmoneyonwine Likes this wine: 90 Points
Popped and poured. Open for business, purple at the rim. Nice nose, blueberry, licorice, plummy. Still primary but very enjoyable, smooth and lush palate. Should improve over the next 10 years. Began to shut down after two hours. This bottle was much better than a previous one. Showed no heat. Drink or hold
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10/8/2014 - mgstull Likes this wine: 89 Points
Two hour decant. Tannins have smoothed out compared with previous bottles. Ccassis, red fruit, saddle leather, graphite, and a bit of oriental spice. Mid dry finish. It's a bit surprising how much bottle variability there is as I work my way through a case of this wine.
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9/26/2014 - capacious Likes this wine: 90 Points
Clearly different than the other Sociando we have had, a spiciness to this, an edge, hate to say it because of the year but a hot wine. I have to drink this blinded next time
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9/26/2014 - asgerG wrote: 92 Points
DnP. Deep garnet red, yellow rim, 6. Generous mature complex bouquet showing ripe fruit and spicy stuff, pencil notes lirking behind and is becoming more pronounced during the evening. Harmonious palate reflecting the bouquet, tannins still somewhat upfront but together with food it is perfect. Drink now or wait for tannins to soften.
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9/23/2014 - La Grappe Likes this wine: 89 Points
A deep colour. Quite a dense wine, with a thick texture; rich, slightly sweet blackcurrant fruit, with a touch of mint and eucalyptus. Still some tannin, but this is now starting to become attractive to drink. Should still improve as the tannins soften.
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9/13/2014 - petermr Does not like this wine: 88 Points
Strange... So many people seem to like this wine. It's the 6th bottle I have opened over the last three years, and although it seems to improve by age, I do not get wiser. To me it lacks personality. Is it because of the difficult vintage or because I am an ignorant? For sure I know much more exciting reds at much lower prices.
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8/15/2014 - COWineLover wrote: 90 Points
A good bottle of wine to open and start enjoying this evening. The overall impression with two glasses is this is in a fine drinking window, but should stay enjoyable for another decade. The bottle fill was lower neck with no signs of leaking cork.
Aroma - On the nose this has penetrating scents of cedar that are primary. There is a secondary note of plum and cassis.
Palate - Similar to the aromas, there is a strong presence of cedar, tobacco, and cassis that are very fresh and balanced. There is no trace of heat, and in the mid palate the tannins turn very dry with a bit of minerality peeking through. The acidity on this is balanced on the entry, and then is overtaken mid-palate with the dryness of the tannins. There is a very dry finish on this, and I would have scored this higher but my mouth felt like the desert after a glass with the tannins.
Overall, this is a fine claret in a good drinking window. A good performer that was held back by the tannic dryness. Don't let that stop you from enjoying this wine however.
Day 2 - Consumed the remaining two glasses from the 750 opened the evening before. The wine did not hold up well overnight. Score 84 on day 2.
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8/5/2014 - Nanda Likes this wine: 91 Points
Youthful dark ruby in the glass. Big, generous nose of tobacco, cassis and mineral. Palate has medium body - fruit shows no sign of over-ripeness or roasted qualities. Balanced with power and elegance. Young, but in a fine and pleasurable drinking window.
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7/20/2014 - capacious Likes this wine: 91 Points
PNP and while would have benefited from the respect of airtime a very good wine, complex, with some length, none of the slightly odd notes of other 2003s
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6/3/2014 - tomlee wrote: 93 Points
Dark crimson in color with no signs of bricking. 13% ABV. Awesome nose of graphite, leather, cedar and tobacco. Fresh and medium in body with great minerality. The palate is laser like and shows cherries, black currants, cassis, and herbs. Drying, somewhat rustic tannins on an exceptionally long finish. This wine has a long live ahead of it. I'll check in on another bottle in 2016 and suspect the wine will age well for another 5-8 years. To my taste this wine showed none of the ill effects of the 2003 vintage. It is not prematurely aging and in fact still seems to be on the upside. A glass set aside for 24 hours was absolutely gorgeous.
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5/27/2014 - Rezy13 wrote:
Tuesday Night Double Blind $50+ (Bin 75): Very dark core with thin garnet rim; smoky, cassis, pepper, green pepper, anise, black licorice, blackberry, cobwebs?; still hard on the palate, fruit is in line with the non-fruit descriptors; good.
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5/3/2014 - mgstull Likes this wine: 90 Points
Tobacco and cassis nose. Leather, cassis and graphite notes. As it opened, the evident tannins calmed a bit and some sweet red fruit entered the picture.
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5/1/2014 - Mr T wrote:
surprisingly tannic at first (PNP), but this opened with time. ALways a good fairly classic nose and still deep purple. Good legs and density...eventually very nice and years to go
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4/23/2014 - marka wrote: 89 Points
I see a good bit of potential in this wine. This was the first bottle of a case (my first futures purchase ever [thanks Leo and Lonny]) and I intend to string it out. Initially on the nose there was pencil lead and some cedar. With decanting in a 375 decanter I picked up juicy blackberry on the palate and occasional flashes of cherry, smoke, and pepper. After an hour or so the tannins started to show and demonstrate that this wine has many years yet to go. We had this with NY strip.
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4/16/2014 - mgstull wrote: 85 Points
An off bottle. Not undrinkable, but not showing much either. Starting to brick a bit at the rim. Graphite, a bit uf plum, and a big leather note, but really muted.
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4/12/2014 - SonnyChiba wrote: 93 Points
This wine really hit its stride after about 1hr and half. Great aromas of classical Bordeaux, including barnyard, earth, black licorice, some subtle fruit action. Great mouth feel, with notes of tobacco, green pepper, asparagus, more earth, then some of the ripe black fruits, black licorice. Complex wine, that is well balanced, and impressively rich mid-palate that followed into a mouth staining inky finish which I enjoyed quite a bit. The finish also contained a hefty amount of earth, soil, barnyard action. Great tannins, and I think this wine is really superb right now, could easily hold for more years, but I like this where its at. Very different from a lot of others from this hot vintage in 03', this is much more classic in style, but still a fresh and nice little turbo charged mid palate.
Thanks to fellow CT contributor Sevencircles for this recommendation (can't quit give it the score of the 03' Cos, but much closer than I expected and great QPR - excellent recommendation, loved it).
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4/11/2014 - Derek Darth Taster wrote: 89 Points
A Long Wine Night (Various locations): Tasted blind. Apparently Davyd had already opened this a few hours before for dinner and this was the remaining half of the bottle.
Appearance is clear, deep intensity, ruby colour.
Nose is clean, medium+ intensity, with aromas of green bell peppers, dark fruits, and earth.
On the palate, medium+ acidity, high dry tannins, full body, long finish. Flavours of green bell peppers, black cherries, earth and tobacco.
I guessed a 10 year old Left Bank Bordeaux.
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3/31/2014 - Roughl wrote:
I thought banana smell in wine was for poor Beaujolais only? This blew of, and gave way for a nice, albeit still tannic Sociando. To my taste this is not up to the level of the '96, but of course it is younger and from a hotter vintage. Glad to have two bottles left, but also happy that I did not buy a case of this.
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3/23/2014 - slrankin Likes this wine: 93 Points
Still fresh, with good dark cherry, cassis fruit. Hint of green pepper. Tannins balanced after an hour and a half. Velvety on tongue. We drank over three and a half hours. The nose kept getting better and better- floral, dark- until the three hour mark. Then some oxidation on the nose- a half hour latter the fruit was gone, the nose was gone, and the wine was flat. But the first three hours were memorable.
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3/15/2014 - Fito wrote:
En One Steamboat Place con Adolfo, Federica, Fede y yo
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3/11/2014 - Ibetian Likes this wine: 91 Points
Popped and poured, drunk alongside a 03 Malescot. The good news: both wines drank very well. The bad news: 2 fine Bordeaux drank well at age 11. This vintage is evolving very rapidly. Not falling apart yet, but needs to be drunk sooner rather than later, next 5 years or so.
This wine was medium bodied, smooth, with red and black fruits with some pleasing funk. Good wine, best of this yet, but will not make old bones
IMO.
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3/9/2014 - 3daywinereview.com wrote: 91 Points
Light for an 03 with funk, tobacco, spice and coffee beans. Soft fruit on the finish. Drink now as this will not get any better. Decanted one hour.
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3/4/2014 - mchrist wrote: 88 Points
Tasted last week. Benefitted greatly from a 2 hour decant. Still has some life left, but needs time to open up.
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3/2/2014 - robertgf wrote: 89 Points
Nice nose oak and some sweet vanilla. The mid palate was disappointingly flat.
Perhaps this is sign of being past it's peak.
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3/2/2014 - galewskj wrote: 90 Points
1 1/2 hour decant. Rich, lots of tannin yet. Good quality. Only slight secondary flavors at this time. Nice acidity. Lots of life ahead of this.
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3/1/2014 - rocknroller wrote: 90 Points
Minneapolis Wine Club - Tuscany Featuring Super Tuscans & a Few More (Tracy's, Mpls): Purple red color. 90 minute decant. Drank a 2 oz pour over 30 minutes plus. This is still dense, dark, full bodied, black fruits, firm tannins, tart, dry, tart cherry, still rather oaky. Very little change over almost 4 years. I don't think this will improve much, but I look for more integratiion and softer experience in another 5(?) years.
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2/24/2014 - sastewart wrote: 92 Points
First bottle of 6. Earth, green pepper and dark fruits on the nose. Tannic spine but covered by rich black fruits, dark chocolate and licorice. Beautiful structure and impressive ripeness very early maturity. Solid 92 points
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2/21/2014 - Wine_Bear Likes this wine: 93 Points
Wine was properly stored from purchase (futures) until consumed. Paired with maigret.
Stunning bouquet upon opening. Fresh fruit, well balanced. Classic cassis first. After 10 minutes, berries, walnuts, bananas, vanilla, cherries, blackberries, quince. This wine has layers, each sniff presents a different scent. After 30 minutes, fully open and luscious. A full fruit medley. Pear joins in. boysenberry. Plums. A touch of black pepper. After 60 minutes, jammy. Perfume emerges. A hint of chocolate to let one know it is getting to the end. Beautiful wine, perfect to drink now. Not sure how it could improve.
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2/20/2014 - BGK810 wrote: 93 Points
Deep, rich black currant, black cherry and other dark fruits. Bold flavors, long finish.
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2/18/2014 - Ibetian wrote: flawed
Mildly corked
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2/9/2014 - mgstull Likes this wine: 90 Points
Consistent with previous notes.
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2/4/2014 - JulianSkeels wrote: 92 Points
3hrs double decant was perfect. Initially medium bodied this became very full bodied with air. Nice mouthfeel, very plush. Good to drink already although will improve with more age. More notes on taste/nose to come when I don't have a heavy cold.
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1/23/2014 - jfont123 wrote: 90 Points
Very good. Just a bit short at finish
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1/13/2014 - WStucker wrote: 93 Points
From a 375, singing right now. Long life ahead of it, noticible sediment. Really a great QPR. Will have to crack a few of the 375's for a tasting soon.
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1/10/2014 - theusualsuspect wrote: 92 Points
Drinking nicely, still some bite - will keep. beautifully integrated and polished across the palate - black fruit cassisy notes - the excellent finish is still marked by some dryness. I find the taste/flavor of this wine really in my ballpark - may not be in yours. Likely not up to Sociando-Mallot in better vintages like 2000 and 2005, but particularly given its ranking, a show stopper in 2003. Does like many 2003's have that acidic note on the tip of the tongue that I have always associated with acidification, but I'm fine with it given the really wonderful fruit/extract trade off.
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1/9/2014 - asgerG wrote: 89 Points
Decanted 30min. Tight fruity spicy nose. Harmonious tannic palate. Drink now - onwards
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12/18/2013 - Jeff Leve wrote: 88 Points
The drying tannins, jammy berries and herbal notes are not the best combination for a wine. Fans of this estate will probably enjoy this wine much more than I did.
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12/5/2013 - Ibetian Likes this wine: 90 Points
No detailed note, but tasty wine drinking quite well now with cheese.
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12/2/2013 - grossie wrote: 92 Points
Big and brawny with power but a bit of an edge. Can use a few more years. Drank well on the 2nd night, so if drunk now could use some extended decanting.
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11/26/2013 - THA wrote:
Served along side the Pontet Canet in the flight 2003s. Easily as good as the Pontet Canet, but a little more structured, dark-fruited, tannic, and dusty. Better depth, too. Fine to drink now, but this will mature more slowly than the Pontet Canet. Not as good as the Sociando-Mallet 2000, in my opinion.
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11/25/2013 - mimik Likes this wine: 92 Points
Dark and brooding but classic despite the vintage. Very well done for the vintage. Cassis and cedar with pencil shavings on a dark fruit palate. Low acidity but enough to frame the wine. Long finish.
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11/23/2013 - mgstull Likes this wine: 90 Points
1 hour decant. Firmlynstructured with evident but fine tannins. Cedar, saddle leather, tar, black fruit, a bit of oriental spice, and graphite. A hint of bell pepper sneaks into the finish.
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11/22/2013 - Drankard wrote: flawed
Corked! Didn't show any heat of the vintage. Good structure.
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11/12/2013 - Yagil wrote: 91 Points
Great 2003 Bordeaux (Wine Road Tel-Aviv): blind tasting
dark transparent purple-brown
nose: old-leather, dark fruit jam, eucalyptus notes
palate: still closed, tight, full bodied, integrated tannins, too woody, tannic and minty notes finish.
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11/5/2013 - rwpalmer wrote: 91 Points
From magnums another great showing from one of the few great 2003 clarets. Toasty and blue-fruited. Firm but not austere.
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10/29/2013 - englishman's claret wrote: 93 Points
Jean Gautreau, you wonderful man. To get handed the 2003 vintage and make something out of it like this is talent. This is classic cedar and coal claret underpinned by pencil lead and plush dark fruit. A little volatile liqueur component adds a touch of vintage character without coming off as baked or jammy. Coming into its window, this can be drunk now or held for another 15-20.
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10/20/2013 - mreinhard74@gmail.com wrote: 91 Points
Needed a decant and a solid hour before loosening its grip. When tannins backed off it showed some finesse and velvet. Could easily sit for several more years.
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10/11/2013 - Zweder wrote: 93 Points
Occasional dinner group; Bordeaux 2003 plus some extras.: In the bouquet beautiful and ripe black forest fruits as well as beautiful oak. Also licorice and graphite. On the palate the same impressions. Good acidity and supple tannin at first, but with some air time the tannin became a little bit harsh. With more air time also blackberry and blue berry was there. And although still very powerful, some oxidation and green impressions appeared as well. I need to lower my score from the first 95 to 93.
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10/11/2013 - Strikermax wrote: 94 Points
Rijp en vol, dik zwart fruit, maar voldoende frisheid, waardoor goed in balans. Stevige, goed geïntegreerde tannines. Een hele fraaie, volle Sociando, zonder de zo kenmerkende groene tonen.
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10/4/2013 - CHarder Likes this wine: 91 Points
Really nice and rounded at this stage. Still plenty of life left though.
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9/24/2013 - steveyboy17 Likes this wine: 93 Points
Just gets better with every bottle.classic claret with a little bit of umph
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9/20/2013 - Raycheng77 Likes this wine: 90 Points
black and red fruit, currant, cherry, vanilla, cedar, mint.
Good and balance, still need to breath for at least three hours.
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8/31/2013 - Zingrrl wrote: 94 Points
Did not take detailed notes. 375ml. Mineral streak cushioned by lean but flavorful berries.
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8/25/2013 - WStucker wrote: 93 Points
From a 375, amazing how these have come along. have dropped alot of the "green pepper" notes and tannins and have developed into a very nice Bordeaux. Quite suprising, a real treat.
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7/14/2013 - La Grappe wrote: 87 Points
A deep colour, and a wine with plenty of extract; thick, concentrated fruit (blackcurrant, blackberry), but the finish is rather dry. Perhaps in time it will open out more, but it may just dry out. Too early to say.
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7/14/2013 - AllRed wrote: 92 Points
Sunday Brown Bag Tasting: 2003 Bordeaux (Mike & Judi's): From magnum. Aromas of perfumed black fruit, soy, roasted mushrooms, plum and currants. Medium-bodied with flavors of dark fruit, plum and spice.
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7/14/2013 - AllRed wrote: 91 Points
Sunday Brown Bag Tasting: 2003 Bordeaux (Mike & Judi's): Deep color. Notes of tobacco, plum, currants, dark fruit and clay. Medium-bodied with flavors of plum, dark fruit and herbs. Medium finish. Tannins are integrating nicely. Develops a roasted bell pepper note and a chalky feel to the tannins.
My #3, Domino's #8
Group #7, 63 pts
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7/12/2013 - Klugi Wine wrote: 91 Points
10 years after
Nose of black fruit, cedar and some tobacco. On the palate the wine is still quite young and tannic. Pretty fullbodied due too the vintage bot no real hotness or burned characteristics.
Should hold for at least 2 more decades.
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6/30/2013 - macker100 wrote: 91 Points
2003 Bordeaux Horizontal (San Antonio, TX): Lots of black fruit, earth, camphor on nose. Palate had raspberries, minerals, smoke, with touch of greenness. Slightly hard, dry finish, no surprise for this producer. Very solid.
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6/30/2013 - NewFrenchClaret Likes this wine: 85 Points
2003 seems to be a huge problem as far as expression of terroir. To me practically every wine in Bordeaux seems the same right now.
This wine was wonderful when I had it a few years ago. Now the nose is potent and porty, much the same as a million other 2003s I have had recently. Perhaps a little more concentrated, but certainly lacking a unique character. It has lost all the silkiness it possessed in its youth. Reasonable palate but an astonishingly short finish for a Sociando.
For the vintage, it's above average. However this is shaping up to be one of the worst Bordeaux vintages for 20 years in my opinion. Drink up.
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6/21/2013 - MindMuse wrote: 92 Points
Ready to go right now, although for the first 15 minutes it was hard as nails on pop and pour. You should decant it anyway as it needs filtering with its ton of fine sediment. Rich cassis, cedar box, smoky coffee, and leather. Really tasty. 91-92
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6/18/2013 - vancouvermatt wrote: 94 Points
Drank from half bottle. This wine is in a really good spot right now, with loads of leather, black fruit and a long finish. Ripe tannins.
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6/15/2013 - WineGuyFL Likes this wine: 93 Points
SM wines typically take a long time to be approachable and, then, last forever. This one is no exception, but can be drunk and enjoyed now. This was the first bottle from a case (which I have been looking at for about 7 years). I decanted for two and a half hours, and that was enough, at least for me. I have a few bottles left of the 1989 and 1995. This is a far better wine than those. Deep dark purple with nose of dark berries.....blackberries came through the most for me. I took a little taste about every half hour from when I opened and decanted. I have never taken a sip of a wine that tasted worse when first opened. It exhibited an interesting evolution over the two and a half hours until it opened up. This wine will evolve and improve, but there is no reason not to get a bottle out every now and then over the next few years. This wine is a classic and demonstrates how one can acquire extremely good Bordeaux without breaking the bank.
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6/1/2013 - deverett wrote: 91 Points
I thought this was very good, just starting to develop a nice soft cedary graphite profile. Quite full and plush but it has a good enough structure holding it all together. Great result for the vintage, certainly not overdone and plenty of time left in it yet.
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5/29/2013 - Ibetian wrote: 90 Points
Splash decanted. Deep purple. Reluctant nose of black cherries and plums. Rich and smooth. Pretty tasty, could use another year or two in the cellar.
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5/11/2013 - FastTrack wrote: 92 Points
nose ripe black currant; on the palate mineral but also succulent and ripe; the tannins are a bit dry on the end, long finish
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5/5/2013 - slippytoad Likes this wine: 91 Points
Quite relaxed and mellow, took an hour to come into its own.
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5/3/2013 - Jack wrote: 91 Points
I was hesitant to try this. My only other experience with SM is the 1986 vintage. It seemed to take 20 years for the wines to open up and be approachable. I opened way too many young bottles that were very disappointing.
The 2003 is much different and relatively open for business. While good, it still seems young and primary to me. Should evolve for years.
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4/26/2013 - Philippe_C wrote: 95 Points
Powerful and super ripe nose of black fruit, cedar, leather, spices... Mega concentrated silky tannins, sappy acidity, very nice lenght, still primary, no sign of evolution... even a bit sweetness in the tannins and fruit... I love it!!
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4/21/2013 - mikekeane wrote: 92 Points
Equilibre quoique compact. Ne s'est jamais pleinement ouvert, mais n'a jamais ete agressant non plus. Dominance de fruits noirs. Tout a fait encore sur les aromes primaires.
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4/12/2013 - Arch57 Likes this wine: 91 Points
I was in the mood for a Bordeaux and at the 10-year mark decided to decant and drink this '03. Even the first sip prior to decanting was good marked by smooth tannins and fruit. We then consumed this over the evening, prior, during and after dinner and it delivered that classic mature BdX with the leather, cigar box notes on the nose and dried fruit and spice on the palate with a medium finish. No harshness at all and while it seems like it could stay at this level for a long while not sure it would improve any.
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4/3/2013 - Mattshank wrote: 93 Points
Nose: Wow! Wonderful nose of black fruits, but in equal measure also cedar, scorched earth, wet stone, herbs, pencil lead and inky hints. Palate: Still fresh acidity with softened tannins and the black fruits. Secondary qualities of smoked meat and vanilla hints. Medium finish. Balanced yet still full of life this is drinking great right now and at peak IMO. Last bottle (notes on 8/29/10) was young but this is perfect. Last bottle of two and timed perfectly. Drink up if you have any. Really great stuff that almost makes me think Pauillac not Haut-Medoc.
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1/1/2013 - sfowine Likes this wine:
Opened for NYD party, stole a glass which was a good thing because it was gone by the time I came back for more. Opened up with time, but I think that it could still have used another year+.
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11/26/2012 - Zweder wrote: 89 Points
Weekly tasting group #053; 4 x 3 red 2003 (@ VD): Dark red with a slightly carmine rim. Deep bouquet with dark fruits, graphite and good oak. On the palate mostly dark, but also some red forest fruits, bell pepper, minerals like graphite, firm acidity and tannin. Full bodied and concentrated, adolescent stage now, better in a few years and fully mature around 2018+(?) 89+
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11/10/2012 - jeffal66 wrote: 91 Points
Super smooth and drinking well at the moment. Plush up-front flavors from the Merlot makes for a pleasant introduction. Soft tannins, subtle power. Good with lamb.
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10/19/2012 - Mr T wrote: 93 Points
Certainly not mature but very pleasant to drink. Slow oxed on Friday but never drank b/c had to get to the opera. back to fridge and then drunk Sunday and Monday nights with dinners. Lovely fruit, no real green notes and "barnyard" noted by wife who could not believe that this was Bdx. Not much pencil, cedar or tobacco but more ripe but balanced fruit...very nice
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10/4/2012 - Fatty Cat wrote: 91 Points
Early Oct 2012, degustation evening "Chateau Sociando Mallet", organized by Panos Kakaviatos at restaurant "Döpfner's": deep dark red color; started with no aromas/flavors; after a while very restrained red and black fruit; full body; lush, satin-like texture; smooth tannins; long finish.
Clearly this 2003 Sociando was opened in a very reductive and closed phase of his consumption live. Better leave your bottles another 3-5 years in your cellars.
However, the wine shows huge potential and should eventually reach an extraordinary rating (>94 points). Will he be better than the 2009 or 2010? I don't bet, but he clearly plays in the same league.
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9/15/2012 - rottcodd wrote: 90 Points
Not showing particularly well at the moment.
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8/16/2012 - Jean Theodore Likes this wine: 90 Points
deep dark red, ripe plummy fruit with little development, in the mouth powerful yet smooth, sweet for a medoc, long taste with ripe fruit, has to develop more complexity in the coming 5 years
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7/21/2012 - gsquireh wrote: 92 Points
Opened the night before and my wife had a small glass- put cork in and into the refrigerator- took to dinner the next night and the wine was absolutely lovely. Nose was gorgeous perfume of cassis and blackberry and the wine drank like soft luxurious velvet as it caresses the mid palate.
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7/7/2012 - mikechw wrote: 91 Points
Fully matured and ready... Very good.. Good QPR...
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6/17/2012 - Nutty08 wrote: 92 Points
Splash deceanted. Really needed a couple hours to open up. Nice savory edge to the fruit, with cedar spice, and plum and currants. Developing a mature element to the fruit, especially compared to the young Cali cab. Still very tannic. Drinking well enough now but will continue to evolve though unsure if it will improve.
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5/23/2012 - theusualsuspect wrote: 92 Points
Still somewhat closed, acid pronounced, but the fruit has emerged considerably. Cassissy cabernet and remarkably so. A wonderfully precise and incisive example of pure cabernet flavors. This is easily better than many of the more highly ranked estates of the upper Medoc in 2003. And to me, almost the proverbial textbook example of what highly skewed cabernet Bordeaux tastes like. As distinctive in its way as say Rausan Segla in its way. I'm sure I'll be rating this higher in the future.
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5/20/2012 - peternelson wrote: 91 Points
EWG Dinner at Noir (Noir Food + Wine): Deep and brooding with anise; cassis puree, and a touch musty; full tannins and a bit overextracted, this is a burly Haut-Medoc that is quite good, but elegance is not its strong point. Try again in 5 years.
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4/25/2012 - WDK wrote: 88 Points
Better than last time as the fruit settled down enough that the structure is showing. Dark garnet color, nose of sweet currant. Medium body and a little fat. Plummy flavors with a notiiceable mineral edge. Finish is short-medium, with noticeable heat. On the simple side.
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3/15/2012 - Villon wrote: 91 Points
Dégustation Bordeaux club de MTL, février 2012.
Le meilleur sociando jamais bu: pas trop végétal et très concentré.
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3/10/2012 - blanquito wrote: 92 Points
Wow. Impressive, brooding, black, big, structured, serious, minerally... Popped and poured this youngster, and it did nothing to change my opinion that this is an awesome SM. The bouquet was floral and expressive upon opening and some lovely, classic cassis fruit was on display, but after 30 minutes of air, this began to shut down. The tannins are "massive", but fleshy and soft, making the finish long yet pliant. I think I own more of this 2003 than any other wine, and I am pleased. This can be enjoyed now with red meat or but better cellared for another 20+ years. 92+++
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3/10/2012 - andtheodor wrote:
Very dark still. Berry, tobacco, capsicum, cherry, anise nose. Sharply structured and very young palate with tons of licorice. Seems more promising for the future.
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3/1/2012 - austincarty wrote: 89 Points
This wine needs to be kept for a few years more to realise its full potential. Tannin still dominating fruit. Will be a star.
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2/12/2012 - Hschmitz wrote: 88 Points
Flot duft og eftersmag. Virker lidt uharmonisk.
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2/12/2012 - MK Vienna wrote: 90 Points
Very nice after decanting for 2 hours, still improving in the glass over the next 2 hours -- also nice on the following evening. Fruity, strong tannins but nicely balanced -- intense and good character. Next I would drink in 2 years.
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1/31/2012 - Zinlady wrote: 89 Points
Had tonight with filet. It went really well. I could taste the fruit
- cherry, blackberry. But. the wine is one dimensional. Nice color. Wine had nice legs.
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1/21/2012 - ptwu wrote: 80 Points
very tannic, so tried it over 3-4 hours. opened up, but very little fruit, more vegetal, peppery. disappointing.
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1/3/2012 - johnnywebs Likes this wine: 88 Points
Decanted 3 hours. Mute nose. Dark, broad, smooth palate. Imprecise and one note.
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12/26/2011 - La Grappe wrote: 87 Points
Full flavoured, ripe, plummy fruit, with a slight hardness. It could do with a bit more acidity for freshness. Should still keep well, but it may not have the balance for a long life.
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12/6/2011 - winot wrote: 89 Points
Deep almost opaque red/black - smoky, oaky, savoury, cedar nose - palate is big, extracted, but still focused and tasty - nice berry fruit, a bit drying but tasty - Bordeaux, v ripe, but within acceptable boundaries - showing its northerly locale in this vintage.
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11/11/2011 - Nutty08 wrote: 91 Points
San Antonio Wine Geeks do Bordeaux for Veterans Day (Home of Mike and Sandra O.): My blind, guesses all over the map though some astute bdx drinkers guess Haut-Medoc and '03, though not the same person. Shy nose, with very dark fruit and coffee and black pepper. Palate was smooth, lush and vibrant, showing blackberries and chunky tannins. A little funk coming through in a medium fruit styled finish. Still rather monolithic, and lacking complexity compared to the competition, but so delicious. No green this year.
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8/28/2011 - lean88j wrote: 93 Points
Velvety tannins. Has a good depth of fruit, not that much complexity developed yet, but really came across as a delicious bottle of wine, with none of the tightness. Kept this for two days, even after left over night, it has no sign of aging. I think this drinks better than the majority of Bordeauxs that I've had in the 2000s.
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8/13/2011 - S. Lorin wrote: 92 Points
let breathe for 2 hours - opened up with dark fruit of dark cherries, blackberries and currants, trace of herbs and subtle green pepper, distinctive and not displeasing. medium to full bodied, balanced tannins and flavorful - neither rustic nor overripe. well worth it.
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7/23/2011 - WDK wrote: 85 Points
Opaque purple, sweet berry nose, and very fleshy, fat palate, but the plummy flavors are muted and the finish is short and simple.
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7/17/2011 - La Grappe wrote: 88 Points
This is full of fresh, ripe, even sweet, blackcurrant fruit. Very easy drinking and well rounded, but lacking in complexity. Enjoyable, but not profound.
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6/15/2011 - Button Yang Likes this wine: 92 Points
I like this wine, the steadiness and consistent high quality never disappoint me. The vanilla, chocolate and plum aromas were expressive showing its youth, the tannins were firm and silky. This wine will win over the majority of 1855 GCC in the same vintage.
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6/3/2011 - Lord Rayas wrote: 87 Points
dark, rich and plummy. very sweet. good example where the vintage's ripeness becoming a little overpowering with notes of burnt rubber. fair amount of grip on the palate.
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5/30/2011 - gsquireh wrote: 92 Points
Drinking perfectly with blackberries and gardenias wafting thoughout the full bodied nicely structured experience. An over achiever!
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5/28/2011 - zroberto wrote: 89 Points
een gedronken met een stukske rosbief... Wijn is perfect op dronk!
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5/13/2011 - Zweder wrote:
A mouth full of wine. Cherries, cassis, earthy impressions and a lot of green paprika. Very tight wine with a lot of tannin in the finish. Difficult wine and at this point young and juicy, but harsh. I hope it will ever integrate and mature nicely. Will be an interesting wine to follow. No score.
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4/30/2011 - asgerG wrote: 91 Points
Double decanted 1h in advance. Dark red 6. At first, pebbery and not Bdx like. Later classic Medoc pencil and cedar nose. Rather massive (for a Bdx) taste with quite a portion of tannins, good tanins. Drink 2015 onwards, could be a long term wine.
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4/24/2011 - La Grappe wrote: 89 Points
Ripe, rich and full of flavour, but with decent acidity and good balance; quite a bit better than Clos des Quatre Vents 2003, drunk recently. One of the better 2003s.
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3/29/2011 - TD2Irish wrote: flawed
Badly Corked and thats criminal with all they do to wine these days that bottles still end up being corked is unforgivable!
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2/18/2011 - SeaBud wrote: 91 Points
Needs time but good. Earth, black fruit. Some vegetal tones. Balanced tannins.
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2/14/2011 - krmcgrath wrote: 91 Points
The nose is a little closed but there is plenty going on, black fruit, licorice and lots of earth, leather and mushrooms. This is bold yet elegant with a medium plus body and ample tannins. It is alive with flavor from the grapes, skins, stems, soil and oak. A little rough and green at this point but it'll likely continue to improve for another 5 years and hold for a while past that.
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1/31/2011 - brynmair wrote: 91 Points
Nice half bottle of wine. It sort of has the typical nose for Bordeaux and is very pleasant. The taste for me had blueberries and some raspberries and had a long finish.
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1/29/2011 - balassis wrote: 93 Points
Notes from a magnum bottle, I bought from London.
Very deep ruby color, (almost black), with some gray hues.
Mute nose at the beginning, dominated by scents of cooked meats, earth and mushrooms.
After aeration reveals aromas of black forest fruits and vanilla.
Full bodied with well integrated tannins, and flavors of wild cherries, maraschino, cedar, chocolate, meats, and spices.
Very persistent aftertaste.
Impressive wine, ready to drink now, or to keep it for at least 10 more years.
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1/7/2011 - rwpalmer wrote: 93 Points
I'm prepared to stick with my first note 6 months ago. This is a hedonists wine. Crazy nose, from which one could pick all manner of descriptors--tonight I'd say blueberries and camphor-definitely both berry fruit and lifted spice. Not at all "cooked"--quite the opposite impression. Since the pleasure is now, I'd perhaps temper the drinking window to 5+ years from my previous 10, as it's anybody's guess when the inevitable shortcomings of the vintage, which show on the palate, start to get the upper hand.
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12/25/2010 - #Screwcap wrote: 89 Points
Black purple! Very Opaque. Initially not giving anything on the nose but opening up somewhat over 3 hrs. Pepper and underbrush. Immense tannins... in fact only slightly less than when I last tasted this about 2 yrs ago. Still, almost mouth puckering, belying its 7 year age. Weighty in the mouth and with sufficient acidity. Leather, earth and toast. Slightly hollow mid palate and a mild uplift at the end. I suspect that this is still funky. I'm sure that this will round out with time. Next bottle in 2 to 3 years. For now 89.
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12/3/2010 - NewFrenchClaret Likes this wine: 94 Points
I love Sociando-Mallet. I can't remember ever having a bottle I wasn't impressed by. This was no exception. Very elegant and smooth; subtle and refined. Almost Margaux-ish. A wine to savour over a long meal- paired well with lamb in this instance.
I suspect this needs a bit more time to come out of its shell, but it's definitely not going to disappoint if drunk now, providing it has a little time in the decanter.
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10/15/2010 - Diane (LI) wrote:
What to eat with short ribs - this wine was a perfect match. The nose was all dark fruit and tobacco. The palate was more of that fruit, especially at the finish, and espresso. The tannins show some grip at the end.
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9/23/2010 - Mlyles wrote: 91 Points
Nice Bordeaux. Mellow and good depth also. Nose of cassis and cherry, very smooth and drinkable.
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9/11/2010 - RJE wrote: 91 Points
Cherry and vanilla on the nose. Classic bordeaux with sweet aftertaste and smothies tannins. Still vibrant.
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8/30/2010 - 3daywinereview.com wrote: 91 Points
Bordeaux Tasting (Edina Country Club): Cherry, forest floor, toast, and blackberries. Not a heavy wine but solid overall structure. Should age for five more years.
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8/29/2010 - rocknroller wrote: 90 Points
Bordeaux at the Edina CC (Edina Country Club): This wine was tightly wound and not really showing its wares. firm tannins are a bit gripping on the palate still. Darker fruit, and a bit of loam, and game. It opened up some over the evening, 90pts.
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8/29/2010 - Mattshank wrote: 90 Points
Bordeaux Event at Edina CC (Edina Country Club, MN): Nose: Blackberries, earth and smoked meat. Palate: Blackberries and solid tannins. Opened up well over the course of the evening. Good but not great.
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8/26/2010 - d'Artagnan wrote: 91 Points
Horizontale Bordeaux 2003: Horizontale 2003
Nez fermé, avec un peu de cerises et du poivron très discret.
La bouche est très dense, large et pleine, mais moins fine que les deux précédents, avec une bonne longueur. il m’évoque rapidement Sociando. Avec l’aération, le poivron me semble de plus en plus proéminent, c’est pourquoi je suis surpris que si peu l’aient reconnu. Un très beau vin mais sans la distinction des autres. 91 pts
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7/25/2010 - jeff nowak wrote: 88 Points
13% alcohol. decanted. 54% cab, 45% merlot + PV/CF. no component rises to an outstanding level. firm, rustic structure, and dirty tannins on the finish. i don't think this will ever flesh out. softened a bit overnight.
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7/3/2010 - rwpalmer wrote: 93 Points
From my cool cellar, this still looks deep blue with no browning. The nose was fresh, beguiling, and showing no burnt character. It seemed sweet and full initially and it was only after several sips that the full charge of tannins made their presence. Yes, the tannins might be a tad over-weight, but the wine is still in sufficient balance as there is little obvious acidity, though it must be present judging from the colour. Being only so-so about the 03's this has to be amongst my favourites along with Fourtet and Pontet (haven't yet breeched the St Estephe contenders). A delightful surprise. Good another 10 years?
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6/30/2010 - PFra wrote: 92 Points
Dark cherry, loam, tiny hint of herb, powerful and young still but surprisingly open. 5 more years til I try again.
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6/26/2010 - Matt Scott wrote: 92 Points
Decanted for two hours. Dark and almost black in colour, with a clear rim. A brooding and ripe nose of raisin, blackberry, lillies, and toasted oak. There's a wonderful balance on the palate. Velvety and soft tannins. Complex and refined. This Medoc is on the verge of jammy, yet it retains its freshness, elegance and balance. Drinking rather nicely at this point. A very "'03 Bordeaux" in evry sense. Drink now - 2025.
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6/15/2010 - grossie wrote: 91 Points
Big, brawny, a little sweet. Drinking well, could probably mellow a little with time to gain refinement and complexity.
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6/14/2010 - ekenneth wrote: 94 Points
It's a very dark purple color with the typical Sociando mint and pepper aroma. The palate has earthy dark currant fruit, a hint of green pepper, but it's deep and rich, still tannic, clearly young, but drinking well.
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6/6/2010 - Spruce Goose wrote: 89 Points
Dark cherries, vanilla, earth and BBQ sauce. Good nose. Chalky red fruit on the attack with an earthy/woodiness on the mid palate. The finish has the same metallic bitterness I find in a lot of 2003 Bordeaux, but it's not as pronounced. Decent wine.
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6/1/2010 - Jeff Leve wrote: 88 Points
Already approachable, this slightly rustic, big, old styled Bordeaux lacks elegance and has a bitter note in the finish I find off putting. Others that are fond of this style will probably enjoy it.
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4/14/2010 - rottcodd wrote: 91 Points
Very good.
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2/28/2010 - 6831 wrote: 89 Points
Dusty, black fruit and forest aromas.
Sharp currant, sour berry, pencil, malt and a touch of saline through medium body.
Finishes tight with dry tannin.
Slighty better on day 2.
89+
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2/27/2010 - vankula wrote: 92 Points
Drinking well right now, but seems like it will benefit nicely with a few more years. Really opened up after about 90 minutes. Very fruit driven but not over the top, expressive acidity, decent finish. Highly rec commend if you can get this around $40. I will probably wait another year before I try this again.
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2/13/2010 - Faryan wrote: 92 Points
Served alongside 03 Barton and Clerc. Not super typical Sociando, lacking that streaky some may call vegetal balance I tend to really like in its best itterations, which also offers a unique expression of tabac and pencil driven earthiness. This wine was well balanced, well crafted but a touch less vibrant than the ensuing two. Wafting notes of cedar and blackberry, but nothing too exotic.
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1/8/2010 - macker100 wrote: 91 Points
Great aromatic nose here, showing some fine, iron-tinged fruit. A nice palate showing gobs of sweet blackberry fruit. Underneath there is a ripe structure, fresh acids too. Inky color and penetrating power. Finishes typical Estephe tight with tongue-dusting tannins and a peppery elements. Will only get better in time.
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1/8/2010 - Nutty08 wrote: 92 Points
San Antonio Wine Geeks (Turquoise): Decanted prior. Shy nose of blackberry, black cherry, and toast. Lush low acidity palate, but never flabby, and with impressive concentration. Fine plush tannin backbone. Plenty of dark fruit flavors with some cassis highlights and a refined focused finish with cedar and a touch of coffee. Well made and focused, and a great contrast to the massive fruit driven wines at the tasting. Just starting to integrate prominent but unobtrusive oak elements and gaining some mature notes. Weight and density hint of improvement with time, certainly enjoyable now.
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12/26/2009 - kdsipe wrote: 90 Points
Big, rich and polished with sweet cherry, a hint of green and loads of coffee bean. Not my style.
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9/13/2009 - La Grappe wrote: 87 Points
Ripe, sweet, blackcurrant and plum fruit; deeply coloured and flavoured, but soft and not especially complex. An easy drinking wine.
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8/30/2009 - reichken wrote: flawed
corked
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8/3/2009 - mebydef wrote: 93 Points
Hmm, I think this has shut down. I'm giving it the same score as the last bottle I had two years ago, because I can't fault the wine for having gone dormant. It's still got power and complexity. The elements of a fine wine are there just hidden and reticent. I look forward to following the rest of the case over the next twenty or so years.
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7/12/2009 - blanquito wrote: 92 Points
BWE does Manhattan: a 1996 & 2003 Bordeaux Retrospective: WINE #1: Tasted single blind in a flight of three with the 2003 Duhart-Milon and Pontet-Canet... I was nearly positive this was the Sociando. Dark, brooding, and great chewy depth, the telltale green pepper notes give this away as the Sociando. The biggest wine of the flight, on this night at least. My 2nd favorite.
Well, for the record, we all thought all of these 2003s were really outstanding and best of all, none of them displayed any freakish praline or roasted character. The Sociando can be enjoyed now given its great fleshy mid-palate, but it needs decades. After the dry 1996s, the riper sweeter nature of these 2003s was really engaging.
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6/20/2009 - Ivin wrote:
This wine has always been open and lush, but not tonight. In fact the 2004 SM was more enjoyable. Must in a closed phase.
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6/13/2009 - CruConnexion wrote:
Very fruit-forward, like most '03 Bdx. Good now. Age up to 8 years.
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6/3/2009 - La Grappe wrote: 89 Points
Young but approachable, with rich, ripe, blackcurrant flavours; quite intense, with some tannin. Should develop well.
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5/21/2009 - La Grappe wrote: 88 Points
A very deep colour; intense, sweet, very ripe fruit (blackcurrants and plums), with a very soft, succulent texture. Vigorous, fresh and very attractive now.
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4/13/2009 - asgerG wrote: 88 Points
Very dark red, slim red rim, 6. Initially very closed nose, opened up a bit after ½-1 hour showing typical pencil and cedar notes as well as new oak although still not generous. Surprisingly massive in the mouth, almost like a Rhône wine! Loads of tannin but also fruit. This is a long time runner, when more mature it will get higher score if it fullfills the potential. I am a little in doubt! Drink 2014 - onwards
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3/31/2009 - pupaes wrote: 91 Points
several hours of air for this one to open. a little dark plum on the nose,graphite and dark cherry and bitterness on the midpalate.plum,chocolate finish.this one needs time.their might be some style issues but it easy to see what this would be like with long aging. parker has some sociando mallet in his cellar from the 70's and 80's that are still not ready to drink.
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1/18/2009 - Siggy wrote: 91 Points
Intense dark berries on the nose. The palate is ripe yet well-structured, and this is a sleeker, less jammy wine than I tasted in mid-2006. Secondary flavors of ash/smoke and coffee. Some new oak in evidence, which grew more pronounced after an hour or so in the glass. Very good acidity. Ripe tannins on the finish. Approachable with some air, this has the stuffing to go many more years.
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1/16/2009 - jvogel wrote:
Exhilarating wine. Would love to have another case of this. No formal notes taken, but must say I remember that very distinctive Sociando nose of green pepper and paprika, with loads of tobacco and damp forest aromas. Delicious velvet mouthfeel, nearly impregnable fruit and, oddly (for the vintage), a healthy wallop of acidity. Great balance, verve and nuance. Again, 6 more bottles would be perfect, but probably still not enough.
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12/31/2008 - La Grappe wrote: 85 Points
Soft blackcurrant and plum fruit, but there is still some tannin and it is perhaps not fully ready yet (although the wine was still cool when we opened it). This has the potential to be better than it appeared on this occasion.
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11/13/2008 - rikipedia wrote: 85 Points
Caroline Wine Shop - Bordeaux 2001 to 2005 (Carolines Wine Shop): Deep ruby red, the nose is rather stalky with green notes, leafy and herbaceous. The entry combines stalky green notes and jam, suggesting bipolar ripening. The tannins are blocky and foursquare; there is richness with meaty, earthy notes. It lacks charm and finishes with a twist of acid.
Blend of 55 CS 45 Merlot
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8/14/2008 - plhew wrote: 92 Points
A pretty good wine but did not compare with the other wines of the night. Use the remaining bottles but do not buy more
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7/18/2008 - boxershrimp wrote: 90 Points
still al little young. not enough secondary characteristics. but nice drinking nonetheless.
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1/22/2008 - Tparodi wrote: 93 Points
Very nice considering.... Drank with MB at the end of a late night and probably should have waited.
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10/29/2007 - winesteward wrote: 88 Points
Ripe berry nose. Light to medium bodied. Quite approachable but not too interesting at this point. Maybe needs a few more years to show better.
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10/21/2007 - pian0_player wrote: 92 Points
Very closed and tannic at first, but wine opened up beautifully after about three hours in the decanter. After four hours it was rich and elegant, dark fruit and stone dominate the palatte. Young, but can be enjoyed with patience. Decanting essential. Not a blockbuster, but lovely wine. Will improve with age.
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10/2/2007 - spacewrangler wrote: 91 Points
Initially tight, this opened up beautifully over the course of 3 hours in a decanter. Interesting nose, displaying black raspberry fruit, a mineral/iron/earthy element and even a floral note. Firm backbone, but the fruit was the highlight here, which was helped by a nice lift from the acidity. Nothing is worse than a ripe, heavy wine - while full-bodied and jammed with black and dark red fruit, the acidic lift is very pleasing. Great finish.
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10/1/2007 - blanquito wrote: 94 Points
Not much of a note here... except to say... watch out for this wine. I haven't had it in about a year, but wow, this bottle blew me away. Huge ripeness, concentration, length, mid-palate depth, you name it. It is really sweet while having an underlying minerality (iodine, tar, iron) that makes it awesome now, and oh so promising for the future. This one should come around sooner than most Sociando's, but it has plenty of tannin to integrate for the time being. Forget the 2005, look for more the 2003.
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6/29/2007 - vankula wrote:
Shared at on of our Widay in-office tastings.
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6/27/2007 - Rieslingfan wrote:
Opened in the midst of two 2004 Bordeaux, this seemed so much more open and giving, with lots of deep black fruit and none of that interesting green tobacco that so many young Sociandos seem to have (and I like). Not at all a classic style, but still in balance with reserves of fruit and tannin to age effortlessly for years to come.
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6/26/2007 - Spencer wrote: 93 Points
Surprisingly open and flashy for a young Sociando. Lush and sexy, but with enough acid and tannin to keep everything in balance. Complex, very long, seamless. This really developed over the course of the evening, and the little bit left over was even better the next night. Great wine.
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6/3/2007 - mebydef wrote: 93 Points
This was very nice with a good balance of earth to fruit. Nice finish. It’s medium bodied and still a bit tannic, but definitely worth having. There were notes of chocolate, currant, mint and menthol with some forest floor. Again, the wine was in fine balance.
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5/28/2007 - plitton wrote: 89 Points
A very nice, young Sociando-Mallet. Soft palate, well balanced, rich fruit. Definitely will benefit for longer cellaring. If you open one now, decant for a few hours.
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4/7/2007 - Zingrrl wrote: 90 Points
375ml. Inital nose was very minerally. Small sip after 60 minutes in the glass - very tight and green, only sour cherries came across. After another 45 minutes, this wine really came around. The sour eased up to just cherries; combined with cocoa and black fruit. Finish still a bit short and tannic. Definitiely needs more time and I'll wait!
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4/3/2007 - grossie wrote: flawed
Flawed bottle- smelled and tasted like nasty plastic. Even with extending decanting this never came out of its funk.
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4/2/2007 - MichielV wrote: 89 Points
Had this after the 01 Smith Haut Lafitte and frankly was very surprised that the wine was so open (4hrs decanted). the SHL won. Not much nose (in comparison) but a lot of juice on the palate. finish was medium. Not at all what I had expected - very un SM like. Probably should try another one soon. We had it with Elk steak.
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3/30/2007 - pikemasterflash wrote: 91 Points
This wine was surprisingly smooth and velvety given its young age. This wine can definitely be drunk right now with some decanting. Great rich garnet color on this wine. Short on the nose and finish but a great wine at a $40 price point.
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3/24/2007 - AllRed wrote: 93 Points
Poured at a retailer tasting. This had been double decanted about 8 hours prior to the tasting. Aromas of lead pencil, plum and tobacco. Fine-grained tannins with flavors of black currant, herbs and red fruit, with a long finish. Great stuff.
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3/9/2007 - willison wrote: 93 Points
Bigger in every way from the Lafon Rochet. Deeper, thick purple, tongue staining color. A more closed nose, but definite blackberry, sour cherry, earthy, and graphite. Opened up some over time, but still palate coating and huge tannins. If I buy more of this, I will put them in the cellar and try and forget about them for a while.
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3/9/2007 - lbosche wrote: 90 Points
This wine was tight as I remember. Needs time.
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3/3/2007 - paulst wrote: 90 Points
Earthy deep rich blackberry chocolate undertones. Some water later lingered with smooth deep berry.
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2/7/2007 - espia wrote:
Very nice bdx and great value
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1/22/2007 - Ekoostik wrote: 93 Points
Big wine in mouthfeel but not heavy/overdone at all. Fruit is there but its well behind a wall of tannin. Slight hint of green (think grass?) but not offputting at all. Its going to be a monster down the line.
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1/7/2007 - Thilo wrote: 92 Points
Color is dark garnet. Nose shows cassis, big lead pencil, cedar, and earth. On the palate, chewy cassis, leather, and toasty cedar are met with big tannins. This needs to mellow for a few more years, but has a lot of potential.
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1/6/2007 - JSeaney wrote: flawed
Received a shipment of six. This is the 2nd of two that were frozen during shipping. Cork pushed out 2/3 and seeping. Good, but a shame to have had to it drink now.
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12/21/2006 - PhDP wrote:
Yves nous propose, à l'aveugle, ce Sociando 2003 face à Sociando 2004. Je préfère ce 2003 à qui j'attribue de belles caractéristiques atlantiques, marquées par le cabernet bien mûr. Le vin me semble équilibré, bien intégré, avec des tannins très fins. Ce n'est pas du tout massif ou surboisé, on pourrait penser à un beau Loire. Le type me semble assez dans la ligne de Sociando: une sorte d'austérité élégante, sans excès. A noter que Thierry préfère le 2004.
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12/11/2006 - Ivin wrote: 94 Points
Wow! Out of the bottle, it was tight with that SM greeness. I let it breathe for 2 hours, then coffee, blueberries, fudge emerged with the greenness in the background. Mild vanilla, sweet tannin and an extremely long finish. It kept gaining complexity. I didn't want the bottle to end!
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12/9/2006 - JSeaney wrote: flawed
This bottle was frozen during delivery. Cork pushed 2/3 out VLS fill. Dark, Intense, Tannins. 92 Pts.
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11/29/2006 - MRichman wrote:
2003 Bordeaux Horizontal at Post House, NYC
Dense, thick fruit. Some green tannins.
B+
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11/4/2006 - ashegedyn wrote: 87 Points
Some seepage from the bottle under the capsule.
Color: Dark garnet to purple with medium legs
Aroma: Deep raspberry, plum, violet, and coffee.
Taste: Plum, raspberry, but very short-lived.
Structure: Tannins were very strong overwhelming the taste with bitterness.
Finish: Short
Maybe the bottle was damaged during transport? Not sure, may need another try.
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11/3/2006 - ancientvines wrote: 92 Points
Drank with Sue's parents in SF.
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8/24/2006 - psmith wrote:
Deep, well-fruited nose with characteristic Medoc earthy undertones. Full palate, a nicely textured mouthfeel and rich, though not overbearing or overripe, young flavors and a very tannic finish. Quite a nice Bordeaux.
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7/27/2006 - Siggy wrote: 92 Points
Winestreet Does 2003 Bordeaux (Kozlak's, North Oaks, MN): Black core, maroon all the way to the rim. Ripe, almost jammy raspberries, plums, currants, and licorice. Fresh, bright acidity. Still primal, with loads of fine-grained tannins on the long finish. This wine is excellent and still quite primal; I would not be surprised if more smoky/earthy secondary characteristics emerged with bottle age. Two hours after opening, this wine shut down hard.
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7/27/2006 - Dave Dalluge wrote: 92 Points
2003 Bordeaux (Mouton, Haut Brion, Cos, Ducru, Trotanoy, Lynch, many others): A big step up in quality here. Dark red color. The nose is stern, giving mainly lead pencil with dark fruit and some greeness in the background. On the palate this is very round and pleasing. Dark fruit, an enjoyable earthiness, and sweet licorice. Low acidity. A nice long finish. Great wine. Note that I retasted this approximately two hours later, and it had really shut down. Based on its reputation and this experience I would guess this wine will have a long closed period.
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6/3/2006 - Mark wrote: 91 Points
2003 Bordeaux Tasting at K&L Wines. Slightly less impressive showing than a few days ago, the wine seemed more tight and tannic, however, it was very full in the mouth with very nice leather and spicy components. I’m not sure when this wine was opened, I think Ralph likes to open them up mid morning, so this would have been open for at least four hours.
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5/31/2006 - Mark wrote: 92 Points
I just couldn’t resist pulling the cork on one, especially at the price. Overall, Wow! The fruit just poured from the bottle on pulling the cork. Dark rich fruit, with loads of tobacco, some espresso, oak and spice. Medium to long finish with linges for thirty seconds. Tasted on opening all the way through hour five, and it was just great. As interesting as this experiment was, I won’t be pulling the cork on any more for quite some time.
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3/16/2006 - pbjosh wrote: 89 Points
This is a fine medium to full bodied wine, in excellent balance, with moderate oak and elegant fruit, a nice earthy component and some minerality. Moderate tannins that are sweet and ripe, reasonably low acidity but not too low. Unfortunately it's quite closed right now and in need of a lot of years... decanted 2+ hrs then drunk over the following 2. Happy to have more coming but won't touch again for at least 6 years or so... definitely has a lot of upside, I could see this being a 92 or so when it comes around.
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1/23/2006 - PanosKakaviatos Likes this wine: 93 Points
Tasted with a pork roast stuffed with prunes and cooked also with mango and ginger. First, impressed with aromas, still oak derived, but that is no surprise for such an early taste, but also lovely pure cassis and red cherry skin flavors. A good granular tannic texture, with much structure to the palate, suggesting a wine that has a long way to go. Yes, concentrated, too, but no heaviness/alcohol and no raisin-like aromas/flavors sometimes encountered in the 2003s. Very nice.
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1/14/2006 - Eric wrote: 92 Points
Wow, this is a pretty gorgeous wine, especially given the $33 I paid for it. Given all of the buzz about the 2003 vintage, I was expecting something a bit more fruity and porty, but this was lovely, very taut, elegant and fresh. An explosive nose yields some red fruit and already prominent notes of leafy tobacco (more green that black at this young age) as well as a touch of oak. The wood has subsided quite quickly since I opened the bottle. No decanting, just pop and pour to follow over two or three days. The palate is gorgeous, simply loaded with minerals, lush and dusty tannins gripping the teeth, a nice mix of red and black fruit but fairly closed, taking a distinct backseat to the minerals and structure. A hint of mint wafts in an out. Yum, this is just classic and delicious young Bordeaux!
DAY 2: I finished this off on the second evening after simply recorking the bottle and standing it up in the cellar. The aromatics had lost a lot overnight, but the palate had picked up showing much more ripe, black fruit, much more weight, still lots of minerality and a lot of spice. This is really a delicious young wine, although the rest of mine are going to sleep for a while.
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