in a great spot but still a long way to go. perfect provenance for this bottle. still tons of fruit, medium acidity and baby tannins. had i tasted blind Id think max 10 yr old bordeaux. needs at least 30 min of air but absolutely singing now. easily will go another 20 yrs if not more!
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No
/ Comment
Second of three 750s purchased together on the secondary, this one with a top shoulder fill and the cork soaked all the way up.
This bottle was nowhere near as youthful as my first bottle from March 2022, which was unbelievably concentrated and young. This bottle was decanted for an hour, pouring deep ruby with just a touch of garnet at the rim. Initially, there was heavy cellar stink and decaying undergrowth on the nose, but the wine was fairly sound underneath the stink with a core of simple, dried red fruits and medium-plus acidity. The moldy cellar smell receded with time but never really went away, detracting from the experience. There was no particular complexity to be found on the nose or the palate. The famous ‘86 tannins were completely resolved, and despite having a fair amount of fruit left, there was a good deal of acidic dryness in the finish, suggesting this bottle was pretty much done. Short finish. 12.5% ABV (good/**/14/86)
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No
/ Comment
This was good, but it was also drying and getting long in the tooth for me. It hasn't gone all tertiary yet, but the primary fruits have dried out a good bit and the tertiary flavors have taken over. I'm not rating this as this is just a wine in decline
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No
/ Comment
I just reloaded on this but hadn't tried a bottle in a few years so thought I would pull one from the cellar to check in on whether my new purchase was wise or impulsive. Top shoulder fill with an intact but 90% saturated cork. Slightly musty aromas upon opening had we worried about TCA, but the wine is clean. Medium-dark purple color with little bricking. I coravined a glass each on nights one and two and then finished it off on night 3. Still incredibly youthful and unevolved on the palate, with a really lovely aromas of cassis, cigar box, leather, lavender and cedar. Giving more on the nose than the palate, with abundant acidity and slightly dusty tannins. This could easily be a 50+ year wine. Glad to have picked up more at under $50/btl.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No
/ Comment
Lots of secondary and tertiary aromas and flavors. Fruit is still good, but this definitely shows its age, albeit in a quite elegant way. Couldn't believe it when I saw the $16.99 price tag on the bottle. Try doing that today!
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No
/ Comment
Amazing color and intensity. No bricking despite being over 35! Cork was soaked through but no seepage and fill top shoulder. Needed an hour air to open up. Had a strong ferrous note along with mint, tobacco and teriary fruit notes on the nose. Pretty solid. Palate was rather linear and sharp with firm tannins and repeating fruit notes. Goes into a rather clipped finish. Seems like it needs more time? Seriously.The nose is the there but pretty firm unyielding palate. Clipped finish keep this was reaching higher level.
Not sure this cork could last much longer. (After writing note I see the notes of loss of fruit. This could be drying out)
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No
/ Comment
How should you rate a 36-year-old Bordeaux that tastes like a young Beaujolais? More seriously, I think Jake Barnes's note is spot on: the wine looks amazingly young and fresh, but does not offer much beyond that.
Another good showing of this. Still some 1986 tannin, but balanced by good fruit and juicy acids. Blackcurrant, lead pencil, and soem green tobacco. So fun, A-
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No
/ Comment
From a 750ml bought on the secondary with a base-neck fill and a cork soaked all the way up in some spots. An old price tag on the bottle indicated that it once sold for $12.79.
The wine was dark and concentrated and packed with tart cassis, pencil shavings, and some iron filings. There was a rusticity to the copious tannins and a bright acidity, and there was a touch of brett. There were some tertiary things going on, which grew with time in the decanter, but they were fairly basic.
While the concentration of fruit and the excellent condition this bottle was in amazed me and initially tempted me to give it high marks, ultimately, this was a simple wine, which had impressively managed to hold on to its fruit and much of its youth. It was enjoyable enough, but I couldn’t quite get over the brett. 12.5% ABV. (Adequate—simple; average/**/14.5/88)
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No
/ Comment
The color is “bricking out” nicely. Its lost some of its fruit from when we tasted it 5 yrs ago. Tannins have also softened. Good nose....classic cigar box, lite cassis and slightly smoky. Decanted 1 hr prior to tasting. DRINK NOW!
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No
/ Comment
Still some structure, but quite approachable (couple hours decant). Cassis, graphite, cedar with just a hint of Sociando herbaceousness. Really quite lovely and enjoyable. A-/B+
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No
/ Comment
A stern wine, very much in the style of the vintage and still requiring more time to unwind. There is a lot of structure here, with subdued cassis, tobacco leaf, leather and rustic blackberry fruit, firm acidity and a wall of tannins on the back end. Those who claim this wine is over the hill must have bottles with questionable storage. This needs time, although like '75s, I am not sure the fruit will outlive the tannins in this '86.
2 people found this helpful, do you? Yes - No
/ Comment
Before opening, I had read about this vintage in a Robert Parker book which predicted it would be best drunk within 10-25 years. Since it had spent 35 years in the cellar, I opened this bottle with come apprehension. Happily, my worries were for nothing: the wine opened up beautifully after a short time and did not even require decanting.
My first sip shortly after opening the bottle was delicious but surprisingly tannic. This subsided as the wine mellowed and when we drank it with dinner some 3 hours later, it had opened up nicely and was really delicious. Smoother and more delicate than other Bordeauxs of this vintage, but still big enough to stand up to a heavy dinner (we had a leg of lamb).
In sum, it's drinking really nicely now if you have it!
3 people found this helpful, do you? Yes - No
/ Comment
Couldn't ask for a better bottle, despite the cork not showing it's best. Very little visual signs of aging and definitely opened with some time in glass. Fantastic balance, still plenty of fruit, resolved tannins and a good finish. Started to fade after 2+ hours.
2 people found this helpful, do you? Yes - No
/ Comment
This was drinking nicely after a 2.5 hour decant. Structured and fresh with fine tannin and very little sediment. Stones, a green element, and secondary flavors on the palate, but not a lot of fruit. Paired decently with burgers and sauteed chard. This bottle had plenty of energy and could probably have lasted a while.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No
/ Comment
DOA. Raisin and balsamic vinegar on the nose. Cork broke in half on the way our, 3/4 of the way saturated. I had another '86 last year that was much much better. So goes life...
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No
/ Comment
The wine was past its prime. Port in the nose, what indicates rather not perfect storage to me. However, still fruit left, but pretty dry in the finish. Better hunt for 1982 and 1990.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No
/ Comment
Hard to believe this is 35 years old. Deep garnet with an only slight brownish rim. On the nose, leather and tobacco, cherries and dried plum. On the palate, well-balanced with refreshing acidity, smooth, largely resolved tannins. Long and very pleasant finish. Benefits from some aeration (recommend 30-45 min). Impressive showing for a lesser Bordeaux appellation, confirms the longevity of this vintage. This bottle was still at peak.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No
/ Comment
Shows far younger than its 35 years. Complex aromas of dried plum, bell pepper, dried tobacco and spice. Palate has plenty of fresh fruit that has medium concentration with svelte tannin. Peaked/peaking but a delight, especially with food.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No
/ Comment
Needs a bit of time, 30-60 min. When it opens up there is a fresh elegant black current fruit. The tannins are nicely integrated and the wine presents itself very nicely. Fresh and earthy showing aged meat, blood and wet leaves. It is certainly at the level where it might have already peaked but it still tastes very nicely. If I had more I would consider drinking them soon as the backbone doesn't seem to hold up for a lot longer. Still, it's a solid wine for drinking right now.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No
/ Comment
Hmm... I have had really great 86 Bordeaux, Palmer and Brane Cantenac come immediately to mind, and I do like Sociando, particularly in off-vintages where it seems to do consistently well (eg 97, 99, 04), but this is another excellent Bordeaux vintage where this wine in my eyes underperforms. Top shoulder fill, a somewhat musty nose that I get quite often when the cork is fairly soaked. No TCA though. While this is still showing an impressively dark garnet, the fruit is understandably on the retreat already with a fair bit of leather coming through, while the tannins are still rock'n rolling (medium +). A wine that will dry out in my eyes and based on this bottle.
Friday Night Brown Bagger (J&J's): Double blind. Deeper color than the first two wines with aromas of herbs, black fruit and earth. Currants and dark fruit on the palate and there's something a little stemmy/woody that I think works nicely here. Soft tannins. Black fruit and tobacco as it opens. Guessed Bordeaux, and was surprised to see an '86. Drinking nicely at the moment, the hardness of the vintage somewhat tamed. Long life ahead at this level. 92+ pts. (R&D)
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No
/ Comment
Keeps getting better. Similar to previous note, but more integrated and balanced. Cork was soaked but came out in one piece. Good color with slight bricking. Classic old Bordeaux nose and palate. More subtle than powerful. Thoroughly enjoyed it. Have two more bottles, and will wait a few years for the next one.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No
/ Comment
P: Med body; NICE, ALMOST swtish frt with the "corked" component *1st* on the P, but only lasting a couple of secs, then vanishing, though it (or a VERY slight bitterness?) seemed to resurface from time to time. One way or the other, NOT a particularly noteworthy bottle. 12.5% ABV; My VG+/EXC-. 94 pts ea WS & Jean-Marc Quarin, 90 RJonWine, 19/20 La Revue du Vin de France, 18+/20 winedoctor.com, 17/20 Bettane et Desseauve, 16.5/20 The World of Fine Wines, & 16/20 Jancis Robinson.
IF interested, check out the winery's URL where the Bettane et Desseauve review cited above mentions the high % of bottles contaminated by TCA, which would seem to be corroborated by scanning over the TNs here. :(
1 person found this helpful, do you? Yes - No
/ Comment
Last bottle of this. The nose is lush with dark fruit and black olive. The palate shows vegetal and earthy with just a little fruit remaining. Time to drink up and still get pleasure.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No
/ Comment
Corked. Seemed somewhat intact with modest ripe pyrazines, hints of black fruit, and good acid and medium tannins - mostly resolved. However the TCA / wet cardboard obliterated most of the fruit and any savory tertiary complexity. Sad.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No
/ Comment
Cork was intact, amazingly fresh, still with fruit. After 1 hour decant was just silky smooth. Purchased from HDH auction and these bottles obviously had great provenance.
1 person found this helpful, do you? Yes - No
/ Comment
Very dark--almost as much as the 1996. Bright colour. Nose complex, truffly, yet adequately clean. Palate enters sweet before becoming lean and dry as expected. Certainly not deteriorating even if the fruit isn't there for it to improve.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No
/ Comment
Just classic. Cork was a disaster (it promptly fell in when I tried to extract it), but, much to my surprise, the wine was wonderful. Cedar, graphite, tobacco were all there, along with a nice amount of fruit and fine-grained tannins. A real pleasure.
1 person found this helpful, do you? Yes - No
/ Comment
23rd of 24, decanted an hour, stained cork, mid shoulder, most attractive bottle for years, usual fine structure with earth and tobacco notes, but with attractive cassis, bramble and plum fruit flavours, the dry tannins usually so obtrusive have integrated nicely in this bottle which showed better than the not quite ready (but potentially finer) 96 and 03 on same night. Just about F (17.5).
1 person found this helpful, do you? Yes - No
/ Comment
This was my next to last bottle. In previous bottles, the wine was nice, but lacked depth and seemed a bit thin. Not sure why, but tonight was much more impressive. A stained but moist cork that was easily to pull. Despite the age it needed to breathe for about 30 min, revealing a balanced surprisingly full bodied wine. There was tobacco, velvet, earth, bramble, and that "old wine" flavor that my son and I love (although my wife and daughter do not)!
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No
/ Comment
Cork was 3/4 the way out and broke - second bottle this has happened with. Dark ruby color with minimal signs of age. Dark red fruit and must aroma. Minimal fruit with cedar and leather. Medium body. Still seems young.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No
/ Comment
22nd of 24, decanted 30 minutes, stained cork, level top shoulder, as previous notes, eg August 15, promises more on nose than delivers on palate where dry tannins dominate showing absence of fruit, drink up. At best QG+ (14.5).
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No
/ Comment
Deep opaque garnet. Bit of mustiness on the nose. Superb thick-textured, medium full-bodied palate. The rough edges seem to have smoothed out, but it still has a decent grip and the once monstrous tannins linger, albeit no longer in an obtrusive way. Not very expressive - the fruit is in the background - but neither is it a mere tannic shell - satisfying, resolutely old school claret now well into middle age. Still has another 5-10 years left in the locker.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No
/ Comment
Ruby with only a little lightning at the edge. Level into neck. Restrained nose of coffee, black currant fruit, tobacco, forest flor, spices. On the palate still dominating adstringent tannin, that will never be shed. This is a good example of the truth that unbalanced wines keep unbalanced even after extended cellaring. To much focus on longevity and structure, but the concentration of fruit doesn't fit. It delivers not enough for the price and for the time. But nevertheless even if it don't meet my expectations (as the 1982), it is still a good wine like those you can drink immediately and buy for less than 15€ or less than 10€ if you leave Bordeaux. I would prefer a Guigal Cotes du Rhone without hesitation as a everyday wine. This Sociando Mallet will hold for some years but will not get better. The danger is that it looses its fruit and only the tannins remain. Drink it up!
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No
/ Comment
Took a little while in the decanter to sort itself out, but quite nice once it does. Still a bit of tannin, but not intrusive, solid cassis fruit with cedar, green herbs, and a little anise. Good length, pretty classic Sociando. B+
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No
/ Comment
Served blind. Evolved in colour. Still good fruit on the nose - earthy, herbal with notes of tobacco and spices. On the palate rather backward. Still quite grippy, there is good fruit and acidity. A great bottle. 90-92
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No
/ Comment
4th to last from an ep case. This bottle high shoulder. Dark colour, more immediate ripeness and impact compared to the Haut Batailley 86 consumed with it. This bottle actually seemed quite ripe and the structure was not boney as I had feared. Tannins not fierce. Dare I say "complete" and no rush to drink the remainder.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No
/ Comment
This is quite a good condition bottle within the case. Fully matured while still has firm structure and tannin backbone. Ruby garnet colour but no sign of tiring from nose nor palate. Fruits developed but still have a bit of freshness. Great value wine and this is one of the reason I like the 1986 Bordeaux. 15.5/20
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No
/ Comment
At 67PM: a fine example of an austere 86; a touch of mustiness on the nose, but it was just dry tannins, not TCA, a bit of green, some pure cab fruit, a still a whack of tannin on the finish - I liked it
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No
/ Comment
I have two prior notes on my blog (www.ProfessorBainbridge.com) on this wine. One from 2007 and one from 2013. In 2007, I wrote in part that: "This cru bourgeois from one of Bordeaux's lesser regions could blow a lot of classed growths out of the water. It's the same age as Lindsay Lohan and just about as immature, although not as blowsy, as Ms Lohan. Of course, immaturity at age 21 is a much more desirable characteristic in wine than people. ... Given the Sociando-Mallet's youthfulness, intense fruit, richness, and over-the-top intensity, in a blind tasting I likely would have said it was a 10-year old Napa cabernet. Fans of the austere style of claret likely would regard all that as a fault, but I find this wine to be very fine."
In 2013, I wrote in part that: "Ms. Lohan seemingly has not matured, but the 1986 Chateau Sociando-Mallet has. This bottle's cork was stained almost to the top and the bottle was showing ulllage down to the very bottom of the neck, which was quite worrisome. But all was well. Although it still had dark fruit in plenty (and remained a deep garnet color), this bottle offered many more maturity markers such as smoke, leather, dried fruits, and so on. With two bottles left in my cellar, I will not be looking for more at auction. Instead, I'll probably open the next in 2016 and see where we go from there with respect to the last bottle."
It's 2016 and so I opened the penultimate bottle. It showed ullage down to very high shoulder. The deeply stained cork crumbled on opening, which necessitated showing the remanent through into the bottle and then decanting it through a funnel lined with unbleached coffee filters (2 sufficed). Given the considerable sediment, decanting would have been required even if the cork had not disintegrated.
Sadly, this bottle had not rewarded additional aging. It was still healthy, with a surprising amount of tannin and good acidity. It had no faults but it also had few merits. It was pretty one dimensional. Some dark fruit and a dash of cedar, but that was about it. Drinkable. Enjoyable. But not memorable. So I think the final bottle gets drunk in the next year or so. Seemingly, there is nothing to be gained by waiting.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No
/ Comment
Give it some time and air after opening. Then there is the fine nose of matured Bordeaux. Sweetness of purple winegums combined with autumn leafs. The taste becomes better and better during the evening. Still fruity, tannic and sharp with a great long finish.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No
/ Comment
This wine was tasted as part of a bigger Bordeaux tasting, so the note might be a little bit short:
quite dark for a wine of this age, has a slight hint of cork in the nose, behind this there is blackberry, it's a pity that this is (slightly) corked, behind the cork it didn't seem very complex, though.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No
/ Comment
Deep, dark, reddish garnet in color with slight clearing at the edges. Forward, attractive & fragrant nose of mature and developed ripe fruit aromas of cherries, berries & cassis with classic cigar box overtones of cedar & aged tobacco, floral notes of violets, earthy, dusty, olives, leather, minty, a bit of green bell pepper & dried herbs and minerals. Medium bodied with a good concentration of balanced & smooth textured, mature & developed, ripe red fruit flavors of sour cherries, sweet berries & plums with earthy, herbs, minerals with a slight touch of vanilla. Lingering dry finish. Drinks quite well at present & should hold here for a few more years although I doubt any further development will occur.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No
/ Comment
Opened and decanted for an hour before enjoying with dinner. Starts out with some cab franc like green pepper notes. With air it fleshes out adding some savory elements as well and gains some richness as well. Perhaps lacking complexity or depth or a great wine but a very satisfying Bordeaux. Drink now.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No
/ Comment
21st of 24, decanted an hour, top shoulder and stained cork - as per my June note, another dodgy bottle......classy entry, but dry coarse tannins, little fruit and rapid fade.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No
/ Comment
20th of 24, level top shoulder, seepage and "rust" on cork, decanted an hour, previous notes very variable with none better than very good indeed, several corked bottles - deep, dusty garnet, pronounced brown rim; earthy quite nuanced and attractive bouquet, trace of violet and liquorice over stewed plum base; fullish, nice entry, but very short and slightly odd and hard to see these bottles improving. Although bought en primeur and kept in a cold cellar I strongly suspect these bottles were badly stored (eg boiled on the quay)before delivery and they have never lived up to their promise - thanks Ballantynes. At best good plus (15.5).
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No
/ Comment
Belle couleur rubis profond, ocelle orangée, assez lourd, Larmes moyennes et assez rapides. Quelques volatils peu agréables qui disparaissent rapidement à l'oxygénation. Nez de fruits rouges surmûris (fraises), de cassis, avec une légère pointe herbacée. Attaque assez vive, légèrement sur l'acidité, qui laisse place à de belles notes de fraises des bois écrasées, de cassis, avec un fond réglissé et herbacé. Bois bien intégré. Belle minéralité. Belle finale avec de beaux tanins résiduels qui présente une puissance inattendue pour ce 86. Un belle exemple de Sociando-Mallet qui aura duré trois décennies sans encombre et qui présente encore un joli fruit expressif. A boire dans les cinq prochaines années toutefois.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No
/ Comment
Midweek Tasting (Arguably- or Nearly-mature Red Bordeaux and Some Competitors) Tasted single blind to me; double blind to the others.
Kept in my cellar since 1989. Decanted six (6) hours early. When first opened, its nose was barely recognizable as a Bordeaux, and showed little fruit or character. The wine tasted tight and similar to the nose. Quadruple decanted four (4) hours later. Quadruple decanted again one (1) hour later.
Color very dark garnet (almost inky) with garnet edges. Nose fruity, maturing, Pauillac or St. Julian in character, rich fruit, elegant, ¼ open. Tastes dry, well balanced, fairly well knit, fruity, with an agreeable sour character in the back of my mouth. The after taste is like the middle at first, then emphases the sour fruity development, medium to long. (All sourness went away after tasting the next wine.) Has some tannins which are mostly integrated. Because the wine opened up so much in the prior two hours, I did not place it as the Bordeaux until after trying the other three wines. Eventually everyone decided it was the Bordeaux.
The nose improved the rating; the aftertaste dropped it.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No
/ Comment
We paired this with a 1986 Monticello Cellars Cabernet Sauvignon Corley Reserve to compare French and California wines from the same year with a roast beef dinner. Double-decanted both wines. I preferred the Bordeaux. Fine color, just a bit of bricking at the edge. Dusty nose that carried over to the palate was the first impression, with dark fruits and leather coming out. The wine continued to develop over the next hour into a graceful, aged red. Lovely wine. I think that this is in the middle of a long plateau -- I don't sense it's in decline yet. Just evolving into a fine old wine.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No
/ Comment
Still young. Even with decanting still isn't coming together as I believe it will a few years into the future. I need to let the remaining bottles rest. At New Year's Eve dinner with close friends. Had with a wild venison steak. Worked well after being open for a while. Will be better in the future.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No
/ Comment
Second Sunday Group: 2010 California Merlot (Our house): Opened with dinner, this really needed an hour in the glass to open up and show much of anything. Red currants, earth and mineral with a cigar box undertone. Balanced and fairly well-integrated, with earthy red fruit, forest floor and spice qualities on the palate.
Two-thirds of the bottle was set in the fridge overnight and on the second night this was truly open. More of everything- the fruit had come up a bit more and tobacco and forest floor notes remained. A bit more full in the mouth as well, with a brighter palate.
Give this a good decant if drinking now. There's definitely enough fruit here, so my last bottle will rest for a few years yet.
1 person found this helpful, do you? Yes - No
/ Comment
4th Saturday Brown Bagger (Sue & Mike's): Soft garnet color. Red berry fruit with Wyler's bouillon cube undertones. The palate follows the bouquet; tired red fruit on the finish. The bouillon qualities soften and almost disappear, leaving some ripe, but tired, dark fruit. Guessed old Zin.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No
/ Comment
Nose of earth, barnyard, dark fruit which opened slowly over forty minutes, more of the same on the palate, medium body, past its prime, went well with he short ribs, medium finish.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No
/ Comment
Two words: bottle variation. C'est la vie, it's almost 30 yrs old ;) From 750ml, fill in the neck. Cork soaked but still tore in two. Dbl decant and served shortly thereafter with fois gras. This bottle just didn't show very much. Nice garnet color with a touch of browning. Nothing at all to note on the nose. The palate was just soft, mature and very unremarkable. Decent, drinkable and disappointing. Cross your fingers and drink up.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No
/ Comment
Bought ep. Unclear exactly the fault. I suspect mild cork taint though this didn't seem to worsen with air. Hard and rather lifeless. I've had better bottles and know not to expect a fruit bomb. Waste of 26 years storage!
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No
/ Comment
Deep and youthful red color. Fresh and fruity on the nose, with some green notes. Still noticable oak. Very modern Bordeaux for its time: powerful and fruity with plenty of oak. Impressive, indeed. Will last.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No
/ Comment
Cork was 3/4 the way out and broke but not a problem. Dark ruby color with minimal signs of age. Dark red fruit and must aroma. Nice depth of character with fading fruit and resolved tannin. Medium body with lengthy finish.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No
/ Comment
PnP fr 750 ml. TS fill, cork wet and came out in one piece (though it was close). Shocking how dark ruby the color was, no bricking. Red fruit on the nose, but not much depth or richness of aroma. Sipped on its own for a couple of hours. Fruit is starting to fade a bit, but nice structure of tannins still in place. It improved slightly in the glass. Day 2-3, starting to fade a bit more. Enjoyable bottle. Drink up!
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No
/ Comment
Finally!!! After three half-dead oxidized bottles in a row, one of my '86 Sociando-Mallets is good! Good color, purple, no bricking, looks young. Mostly tertiary nose with leather, mushrooms, cedar, but unequivocal fruity currants lurking. On the palate, once again the fruit perservered; cassis, joined by moderate tannins. I had low hopes for this wine. No blockbuster, but a nice surprise. My kitchen sink drain was looking forward to it, but will have to wait for a different bottle.
1 person found this helpful, do you? Yes - No
/ Comment
Cork pulled out whole but was close to crumbling. No leakage was evident but looked as if cork had not sealed. Surprisingly wine was fine but past prime with fruit beginning to fade and tannin on the finish. Body on the lighter side. All in all, it was fine to drink with savory hors d'oeuvres. If you own it I recommend you drink up but have a bottle of something else available. I think it's 50/50 or less my remaining 1 bottle will be drinkable.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No
/ Comment
also bought from WineBid. substantial oxidation underneath the capsule. looks like a loose cork, as it hadn't soaked through but the cork sides were streaked with long-dried wine. wine did not taste oxidized, and did improve with a 2 hour decant, but even at its peak was not above average.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No
/ Comment
IWFSC Kendall College Scholarship Dinner (Kendall College - Chicago): Bought on release. Deep red with no color change noted. It took about 30 minutes in the glass to start to open up after five hours of slow oxygenation. Primary cabernet sauvignon notes of cassis and cedar with plenty of tannins and acid. Not yet fully mature, with seemingly 10-15 years of life still ahead of it.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No
/ Comment
0.375 - Still dark and intensive red. Looks much younger but a typical 86, even out of the half bottle! Lots of leather, tar with only little sweetness remaining. A good mouthful of Cabernet, rustic old-school wine, just questionable if the fruit will be enough in order that the wine does not dry out. Tannic, muscular, minerals with hints of cassis. Surprisingly good. Will last for at least another decade.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No
/ Comment
Dark and almost opaque. Earthy and rich nose that was surprisingly floral for its age. Except for a very slight metallic taste, this was surely one of the best of the many '82 and '86 Sociandos I've had and enjoyed. It was also my last one. Very full bodied, mature, and of great depth. Still youthful enough to show a lot of fruit. Some leather, mushroom, and lots of complexity going on while being rich in mellowed tannins and well balanced. No question that I would buy again if I could find it.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No
/ Comment
This clearly benefited from a 3 hour decant. Very nice nose of sweet green pepper, slight cedar and cassis. Deep dark fruit with moderate complexity that went smashingly good with a steak with blue cheese. I thought it had a surprising amount of life left considering its age. I will save my last bottle for a special event in the next year or so.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No
/ Comment
Stood the bottle up for 48hrs before decanting. Not a heavy sediment, but the last 1/8th of the bottle was opaque and a bit muddy. That which found its way into the decanter was clear enough though, albeit dark at the core and bright at the rim - no sign of bottle age to look at. The nose was quite dusty/musty at first, some berry fruit, became less closed over an hour or two. The palate was pretty straightforward fruit with a touch of cocoa powder and a medium long finish. A nice bottle of mature claret but if I had more of this (which I don't) I would wait at least 5-10 years to see where it goes next.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No
/ Comment
This still needs air time. Five hours after opening and it's still getting better. Lots going on under the hood of this one. A terrrific bottle of wine.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No
/ Comment
When corona forces you to work at home (March 28, 2020) than you go cleaning, so I found this tasting note. The colour is even deeper than the Léoville-Barton. Compared to this wine, a bit more spices, a tad sweeter, at the moment a bit more fun in the glass, but missing some of the concentration and of the complexity the Barton shows.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No
/ Comment
cork n good condition, exceptional in color, still very very deep, (almost to the rim) black, amazing at age 24! powerfull nose of classic cabernet, lead pencil, earth and leaves; much better even after 2 hours; strong taste, tannins are still there but not harsh. this bottle had decades more to live, but it is empty now.... I am amazed about this one, as previous bottles did not show as rich and powerful as this particular bottle; clearly surpassing in stength, but not in complexity, the Gruaud Larose 1986 tasted a week earlier.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No
/ Comment
Lovely traditional claret nose of pencil lead, cassis and cherry fruit, touches of earth and faint green pepper elements. It's surprisingly youthful, showing barely any signs of its 24 years with a firm spine of tannins and acids and I'd guess its best years are still ahead.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No
/ Comment
audouzed for 7hrs. semi-mature nose of earth, leaves, mushroom with currants. still youthful. juicy currants/cassis with pepper on the palate. mineral finish with firm tannins. lacking some of the finesse on the palate of the '96 & '90 tasted alongside. excellent.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No
/ Comment
It may finally be time to drink up. This bottle just didn't have nearly as much going on as the many previous ones I've had the pleasure of enjoying. Not that it was bad, it was good, but far from the great ones from the recent past.
1 person found this helpful, do you? Yes - No
/ Comment
More decompost bunch of leaves, twigs and wet soil on the nose. There were hints of violet petals but trampled with a muddy boots. Secondary aged black fruits framed by green cab franc cabbage notes. Good vintage but moderately good producer assured that this wine could last till now. Just at the end of it's drinking window. Finish quite full and mellowed.
1 person found this helpful, do you? Yes - No
/ Comment
Due to age, popped and poured, but this needs time - whether in decanter or cellar. Still tight and a bit tannic, this is delicious, but austere. Unquestionably Old World style.
1 person found this helpful, do you? Yes - No
/ Comment
Crimson colour, quite youthful for its age. Lots of sweet bell pepper and cassis on the nose with nice tobacco and clove spice hints. The palate was silky, medium-bodied and the tannins fully resolved. Slightly sweet. Medium finish. Time to drink.
2 people found this helpful, do you? Yes - No
/ Comment
Drunk at Anvil Club. Showed very nicely, ready to go, good deep fruit, medium finish. It was overshadowed by its company, most notably the 90 La Mission HB and the 90 Montrose.
1 person found this helpful, do you? Yes - No
/ Comment
An Evening of Bordeaux (The Anvil Club, East Dundee, IL): Notes of new leather, blackberry and cassis with subtle floral undertones. Nicely balanced, with loads of dark fruit on the palate. Tannins have begun to integrate. Plenty of fruit here, so give it a couple of more years to let the tannins integrate a bit more, unless you have it in good quantity, in which case it's worth checking in on now. 93+ pts.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No
/ Comment
Nice mature drinking good today. Deep color, good but light fruit, lots of cedar nuances, balanced acidity and tannin. Not a great wine, but very good for current drinking. Maybe another 5 years left.
1 person found this helpful, do you? Yes - No
/ Comment
Decanted for almost 45 mins. Satisfying and mature claret, with all the harshness gone and very faint tannins. I suspect I can cellar these another eight - ten years without much dropoff in taste. Medium-bodied, pencil and leather to go with subtle dry fruit. If you like old Bordeaux this one works. Not a superstar but very solid.
1 person found this helpful, do you? Yes - No
/ Comment
The nose is full of black loamy earth and mushrooms. The wine is bright red with no browning evident. On the palate the wine has a medium long flavor profile of black fruits wonderfully balanced and smooth. Decanted (sat for half hour) then drank over two hours.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No
/ Comment
Fill to shoulder level, solid cork. well hydrated. No nose at the opening but opened within one hour. A solid wine with good residual fruit, no residual tannins and a modest finish. Excellent with chicken marbella. Will hold for at least another five to seven years I think. I'm not a leather, cherry, vine, leaf etc. smeller or taster, just have learned to appreciate a good thing when it comes along. Held its own with two other olded Bordeauxs.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No
/ Comment
From Magnum and from Memory. I felt this had mild TCA, overall fairly flat but not DOA. Dusty, dark fruit maintained an obvious bordeaux character with some secondary earthiness. Tannins were resolved for the most part. Not indicative compared to the other bottle I've had.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No
/ Comment
This was fun to taste. I ordered a 6 bottles of this recently; they showed up in less than a pristine state, so I wanted to sample one to see if I should return the rest. A friend happened to have a 375 ml stored in his cellar since release, so we decided to square them off... Well, it was no contest-- the half bottle was far superior, with better aromatics, much better freshness, and a slightly richer palate. The remaining bottles are going back; provenance is so key. This note is for the half bottle: slightly funk bouquet of tobacco and old leather, a classic thrown-back bouquet. The tannins were surprisingly in check/resolved and the palate was definitely on the austere side. This can be consumed without much decanting. To my tastes, this actually seemed a little dried out and a bit disappointing, but it was still very nice in a rustic, old school style. No comparison to the great '86s we tasted in NYC by the way.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No
/ Comment
This 1/2 bottle was tasted side by side with a 750 from a questionable source. This difference was amazing. The 1/2 bottle from my cellar was significantly more vibrant, forward, and structured. The 750 must have been mistreated at some point.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No
/ Comment
Cork was wet up to the top so I was worried about the wine being gone, but after 20-30 mins of decanting and opening up in glass this was a very mellow, nice mature Bordeaux. Seems to be at or just past its peak. After 2 hours of being open the wine was fading. But, before that, lots of nice smoke, mature fruit, etc.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No
/ Comment
A little acidic. Surprisingly still very young in colour and flavour. Great length and complexity but I felt the fruit wasn't quite there. Others enjoyed this a lot more than I did.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No
/ Comment
Again the cork was wet and just a little over the rim but the wine was excellent. It looks like it was bottled recently. Very dark and almost no bricking. Earthy fruit improved over a couple of hours. Jarlesburg cheese muted it a little and Manchego brought the fruit out. This wine was undrinkable for many years but recently has been providing lots of pleasure. Drink or hold. Should last for many years to come.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No
/ Comment
This is not a wine everyone will like. It stinks. A lot of barnyard. In the mouth a lot of earthy tones and mushrooms, but also cassis and blackberries. The tannin and bitterness is very firm. The color dark and even still some purple in it. On one hand it seems to be completely mature and maybe even past its prime. On the other hand there is still so much power in this wine that you wonder what to think. Given a lot of air time (10+ hours) the wine seems to open up a bit more and offers some gentleness. Personally I can appreciate the tertiary tastes in combination with the not very submissive power, but I guess many will not really enjoy it. I wonder what to do with my last bottle. I will probably keep it for another 5 - 10 years to see what happens. The score is a compromise. Could be 84 when it is really on its way down, could be 94 when it will evolve in an extremely complex wine. I simply don't know. Together with this note nevertheless a score just for my own reference.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No
/ Comment
Füllstand: Base of neck. Angeblich klimatisiert gelagert und im März 09 probiert
Farbe: dunkle Farbe:
Nase: dunkle Früchte, keine Altersnoten
Geschmack: Vorab. Dieser Wein zeigte in keiner Form an, dass er bereits 22 Jahre alt ist. In einer Blindprobe hätte ich ihn auf maximal zehn Jahre geschätzt. Er zeigt alles, was man von einem typischen, klassischen Medoc erwartet. Dunkle Frucht, keine Süße. Ein klassischer Esswein aber auch pur schön / gut zu trinken. Mittlerer Körper / Länge, ausgeglichen. Insgesamt nichts großes, was viel Spaß macht. Parker hat mit 90 Punkten, die ich auch glatt geben würde, recht. Nicht mehr aber auch nicht weniger. Hielt sich auch noch am zweiten Tag auf gleichem level
90 Punkte. A point wird aber noch mindestens weitere 10-12 Jahre diese Form halten.
Wenn man ihn für 20-25 € bekommt ok. Mehr auf keinen Fall!
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No
/ Comment
High level in the bottle, but the label is severly damaged from moisture. Strong nose of black currant, juniper and sligthly unclean cedarwood. The nose is still impressive and complex. The taste is more lean, with very high levels of tannin and green ruccola notes. Not very much evolved despite the age, but I doubt that this will be much better in the future. The high and rough tannins show that this is not a classified growth - but it is still pleasureable. I would drink any Poujeaux over this.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No
/ Comment
Starts out with an appealing juicy stalkiness that gives the wine a nice edge, but the material it's framing is disappointingly hollow. With airtime the structure recedes without a countervailing gain in richess, so it becomes a little listless without much here to hold my interest.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No
/ Comment
Color is very youthful - only slightly bricking. Wine itself is very soft, smooth tannins, with lot of acidity. I couldn't say that finish is very long. Good wine but not great. Drink now or hold.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No
/ Comment
Nearly opaque with a narrow orange disc. The nose is extremely port-like, evolving to show oak, red fruits, and a hint of mustiness. A like bit of spice, paprika on aeration. Similar palate plus black fruits, stone. Chunky, old-style. Good finish. Still high in tannin; this isn't in danger of drying out any time soon.
Remains dark; blackcurrant, cedar wood, correct; foursquare, solid, chunky, old fashioned; vigour on an assertive finish. Sound but.....No rush to drink.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No
/ Comment
Part of a blind tasting dinner party paired with a beef tender loin stuffed with sun-dried tomatoes & Pine nuts. An excellant pairing. The wine was old but still seemed balanced, nose of dusty old leather and a little tar. Tasted a little gravelly with raspberries. Soft tannins with a long soft finish.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No
/ Comment
Sociando vertical (83-86-88-89-90-96); all good, but the '86 was my favorite for drinking now. Still youthful color, remaining tannin perfect for rack of lamb. Excellent concentration and balance. There was a minty component I've noted before, but that's the only thing New World about the wine. It will live a long time further, but not sure it will get any better than it is now.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No
/ Comment
Last bottle. Like losing an old friend. This looked and tasted like it could go another 20 years. Youthful, rich, full but not overpowering tannins. Great fruit and complexity. Long, lingering finish.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No
/ Comment
Decanted for about 2 hours. Still lovely dark red colour, impressive. Nose : Massive red fruits with an underlying earthiness, some cigar boxes. Lovely. Palate : Still very fresh and alive, dark red fruits, a touch of smoke and tobacco underneath. Mmmm, really yummie. Too bad this was the last one...
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No
/ Comment
Thin and bland when first opened but after an hour of decanting the wine changed totally. Became much fuller and refined. Could be a bit past prime now but beautifully aged wine especially with food.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No
/ Comment
This must have been a brawny kid, but at 21 years old, it is coming into its prime. Not decanted, still ruby red with edges of brown. A bit of funk, then wet earth and currants on the nose. Rich but elegant palette, with ripe red fruits, crushed stones and tobacco, followed by a long finish. This is one of those bottles that always seems to disappear too quickly.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No
/ Comment
Only three left in the case. Although there has been variance from bottle to bottle, the range has been no lower than 92 with a high of 94 or even 95. If you can lay hands on this reasonably, it wioll reward you. This has that deep, complex, aged, Bordeaux/Pauillac taste that is part of why we drink wine. 50 bucks for this is money well spent.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No
/ Comment
Much more accessible and less tannic than from a full bottle a few months ago. Beautiful mature Bordeaux nose of cedar, tobacco, and herbs; nice balance of acids and integrating tannins, pure blackcurrant fruit with an underlying note of graphite. Absolutely lovely claret, a pointe from the half.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No
/ Comment
Didn't like the way the capsule looked so I decided to open. The top of the cork was moldy and the cork was wet all the way though but intact. The wine was supurb. What a difference a few years can make. It has gone from undrinkable to a very enjoyable wine. I never thought this would settle down but this bottle was actually soft and elegant. Subtle but very adequate fruit. No browning. Day 3 - Has filled out a little in the middle and has a little different flavor profile but still very good. Almost no sediment?? This wine has some life left in it.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No
/ Comment
Deep red fruit, graphite and backgrount florals, the nose seems much younger than it's years, as it is in the mouth as well. Tannic fruit has not quite integrated, but shows smoke earth and pencil shavings with nice unobtrusive acidity. Good balance, finished strong. Legs to go a while.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No
/ Comment
DUO, Miami Medoc BYO Wine Dinner (DUO, S Miami Avenue, Miami, FL): Flight 2 #1. Ed & Elaine Davis' contribution. Bottle 1 was double decanted shortly before serving. I commented that I couldn't differentiate between #1 and #2. Sure enough, Charlie and Ed were up to their old tricks. Bottle # 2 was the same wine decanted for 7 hours. Clearly bottle #1 was tighter than #2, but not significantly so.It drinks well, but I preffered all of the wines in flight 1, to the Sociando-Mallet's. I felt pretty cocky, as I was the only one who didn't know, to think they could be the same wine.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No
/ Comment
Still quite dark in color. Really quite delicious. Fruit just transitioning primary black fruits to secondary flavors. A surprising but pleasant mint note on palate. Ready to drink and enjoy, but will still evolve nicely.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No
/ Comment
Not decanted. Cork was intact, barely! Initial odor of damp earth, almost rot, which gradually blew off. Deep vermillion color, with only slight browning at the edges. Full flavors of old cedar, pencil lead, chalk. Mature smooth texture with crisp dry medium finish. This was PERFECTLY matched with Reblochon cheese. A real treat shared with great friends, and if not for the somewhat off-putting nose, would have scored even higher.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No
/ Comment
The beast! Big black fruit, but still wrapped up in big tannins. This screams for meat, but by time main courses arrived there was none left. I'm supposed to have a bottle coming in fall, I either need to wait 8 years or serve with rare 2" porterhouse. I'm not tanninphobic, so B+
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No
/ Comment
Inky dark color. Intense aromas and taste of violet, cassis, vanilla, earth and meat. Strong, but well integrated tannins. Lingering finish. Very good stuff.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No
/ Comment
beautiful. rich smells of currents, dark plums, and the musty inside of wooden boxes. after open for about 15 minutes, scents of menthol and tobacco became more apparent (instead of wooden boxes). finely balanced fruit (dark cherries and currents), alcohol, and tannins (fine and well integrated). a hint of iron or something metallic on the finish.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No
/ Comment
Another great bottle of this wine. Deep, bright, youthful red color. Loads of ripe red fruit on the palate, along with gravel, coffee, and iodine. Long, complex finish. Great balance for an '86. Drinking beautifully now, but given proper storage this should easily last another 20 years.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No
/ Comment
Big, full but integrated tannins. Still partially closed even after over an hour. Full bodied and way better than it's humble appelation of Haut-Medoc. Will revisit this in '06, but it will probably need til 2010. Great stuff.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No
/ Comment
The nose is subdued and after an hour almost completely gone. This is not a great bottle of wine. Still possessing much tannin, it's hard to see this wine evolving into more than it currently is. In the mouth, faint hints of syupy cheery liqueur. Finish is short and harsh, with some coffee and tobacco on the finish. Drink this wine up, it wont' be getting any better with time. Tasting best after about 15 minutes of decanting, it will start to degrade rapidly after an hour. Bottle was purchased from a private collection with unknown conditions - it's possible that this bottle is not in the best of condition.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No
/ Comment
An easy afternoon with close friends (@ My place): Am I chewing on my lead pencil now? Very full bodied and loaded with black currants. A lot of acidity and firm but fairly soft tannin. This wine is soft and ready now but can last for many more years.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No
/ Comment
With MPL and BLR at Singer & Foy survey of '86 Bordeaux. Extremely dark ruby-purple, probably the most inky and backward-looking of the bunch. Nose suggests a dense and powerful wine, with loads of underlying fruit. It's packed, but still very closed. On the palate, very tannic and closed, but very fruity. Will take at least ten years to open. Almost like a barrel sample ever though it's been in bottle for nearly three years. 5-10-15-8: 88/100.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No
/ Comment
3/18/2024 - DaleW wrote:
Mine so no guesses. Others' guesses in the 90s. Light barnyard, black currant and plum fruit, a little green pepper. Mature and fun B+/B
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
1/2/2024 - DaleW wrote:
Still some hearty tannin, cassis fruit, some cedar and a hint of bell pepper. B/B+
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
12/15/2023 - jonboy74 wrote: 92 Points
in a great spot but still a long way to go. perfect provenance for this bottle. still tons of fruit, medium acidity and baby tannins. had i tasted blind Id think max 10 yr old bordeaux. needs at least 30 min of air but absolutely singing now. easily will go another 20 yrs if not more!
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
12/10/2023 - rocknroller wrote: flawed
Annual Tasting Group Holiday Party (St. Genevieve, Mpls, MN): Small taste. Seemed stewy to me.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
11/18/2023 - Jake Barnes wrote: 86 Points
Second of three 750s purchased together on the secondary, this one with a top shoulder fill and the cork soaked all the way up.
This bottle was nowhere near as youthful as my first bottle from March 2022, which was unbelievably concentrated and young. This bottle was decanted for an hour, pouring deep ruby with just a touch of garnet at the rim. Initially, there was heavy cellar stink and decaying undergrowth on the nose, but the wine was fairly sound underneath the stink with a core of simple, dried red fruits and medium-plus acidity. The moldy cellar smell receded with time but never really went away, detracting from the experience. There was no particular complexity to be found on the nose or the palate. The famous ‘86 tannins were completely resolved, and despite having a fair amount of fruit left, there was a good deal of acidic dryness in the finish, suggesting this bottle was pretty much done. Short finish. 12.5% ABV (good/**/14/86)
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
6/17/2023 - KeithAkers wrote:
This was good, but it was also drying and getting long in the tooth for me. It hasn't gone all tertiary yet, but the primary fruits have dried out a good bit and the tertiary flavors have taken over. I'm not rating this as this is just a wine in decline
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
4/19/2023 - GrapeScott wrote: 91 Points
I just reloaded on this but hadn't tried a bottle in a few years so thought I would pull one from the cellar to check in on whether my new purchase was wise or impulsive. Top shoulder fill with an intact but 90% saturated cork. Slightly musty aromas upon opening had we worried about TCA, but the wine is clean. Medium-dark purple color with little bricking. I coravined a glass each on nights one and two and then finished it off on night 3. Still incredibly youthful and unevolved on the palate, with a really lovely aromas of cassis, cigar box, leather, lavender and cedar. Giving more on the nose than the palate, with abundant acidity and slightly dusty tannins. This could easily be a 50+ year wine. Glad to have picked up more at under $50/btl.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
3/29/2023 - DaleW wrote:
Some of that ‘86 burliness, cassis and smoked meats, cigarbox/cedar. Loads of life left. B+
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
11/7/2022 - hargy wrote:
three bottles, my last and all seen much better days - not rated
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
11/5/2022 - vanpe003 wrote: 92 Points
Lots of secondary and tertiary aromas and flavors. Fruit is still good, but this definitely shows its age, albeit in a quite elegant way. Couldn't believe it when I saw the $16.99 price tag on the bottle. Try doing that today!
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
10/4/2022 - MJM4032 Likes this wine: 92 Points
Still big and bold like most Sociando’s I have had over the years - this wine could go several more years as a nicely balanced Bordeaux !
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
10/4/2022 - DaleW wrote:
Cassis, cigarbox, mushrooms. Sturdy but approachable. B+
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
8/5/2022 - adnorthup wrote:
soft and elegant, everything perfectly resolved, light cherry, earth, leather. Nicely aged Bordeaux.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
7/23/2022 - Nutty08 Likes this wine: 92 Points
Amazing color and intensity. No bricking despite being over 35! Cork was soaked through but no seepage and fill top shoulder.
Needed an hour air to open up. Had a strong ferrous note along with mint, tobacco and teriary fruit notes on the nose. Pretty solid. Palate was rather linear and sharp with firm tannins and repeating fruit notes. Goes into a rather clipped finish.
Seems like it needs more time? Seriously.The nose is the there but pretty firm unyielding palate. Clipped finish keep this was reaching higher level.
Not sure this cork could last much longer.
(After writing note I see the notes of loss of fruit. This could be drying out)
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
7/10/2022 - boillatm wrote:
How should you rate a 36-year-old Bordeaux that tastes like a young Beaujolais?
More seriously, I think Jake Barnes's note is spot on: the wine looks amazingly young and fresh, but does not offer much beyond that.
1 person found this helpful, do you? Yes - No / Comments (2)
5/17/2022 - DaleW wrote:
Another good showing of this. Still some 1986 tannin, but balanced by good fruit and juicy acids. Blackcurrant, lead pencil, and soem green tobacco. So fun, A-
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
3/25/2022 - Jake Barnes wrote: 88 Points
From a 750ml bought on the secondary with a base-neck fill and a cork soaked all the way up in some spots. An old price tag on the bottle indicated that it once sold for $12.79.
The wine was dark and concentrated and packed with tart cassis, pencil shavings, and some iron filings. There was a rusticity to the copious tannins and a bright acidity, and there was a touch of brett. There were some tertiary things going on, which grew with time in the decanter, but they were fairly basic.
While the concentration of fruit and the excellent condition this bottle was in amazed me and initially tempted me to give it high marks, ultimately, this was a simple wine, which had impressively managed to hold on to its fruit and much of its youth. It was enjoyable enough, but I couldn’t quite get over the brett. 12.5% ABV. (Adequate—simple; average/**/14.5/88)
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
3/21/2022 - BordeauxSt.Louis Likes this wine: 87 Points
The color is “bricking out” nicely. Its lost some of its fruit from when we tasted it 5 yrs ago. Tannins have also softened. Good nose....classic cigar box, lite cassis and slightly smoky. Decanted 1 hr prior to tasting. DRINK NOW!
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
3/21/2022 - DaleW wrote:
Blackcurrant, cigarbox, and green herbs. Balanced and long, Everyone’s favorite red, if maybe trailing the Barolo and Burg for duck matching. B+/A-
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
3/14/2022 - DaleW wrote:
Still some structure, but quite approachable (couple hours decant). Cassis, graphite, cedar with just a hint of Sociando herbaceousness. Really quite lovely and enjoyable. A-/B+
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
1/16/2022 - GrapeScott wrote: 90 Points
A stern wine, very much in the style of the vintage and still requiring more time to unwind. There is a lot of structure here, with subdued cassis, tobacco leaf, leather and rustic blackberry fruit, firm acidity and a wall of tannins on the back end. Those who claim this wine is over the hill must have bottles with questionable storage. This needs time, although like '75s, I am not sure the fruit will outlive the tannins in this '86.
2 people found this helpful, do you? Yes - No / Comment
1/14/2022 - Maximilian Eyle Likes this wine: 96 Points
Before opening, I had read about this vintage in a Robert Parker book which predicted it would be best drunk within 10-25 years. Since it had spent 35 years in the cellar, I opened this bottle with come apprehension. Happily, my worries were for nothing: the wine opened up beautifully after a short time and did not even require decanting.
My first sip shortly after opening the bottle was delicious but surprisingly tannic. This subsided as the wine mellowed and when we drank it with dinner some 3 hours later, it had opened up nicely and was really delicious. Smoother and more delicate than other Bordeauxs of this vintage, but still big enough to stand up to a heavy dinner (we had a leg of lamb).
In sum, it's drinking really nicely now if you have it!
3 people found this helpful, do you? Yes - No / Comment
12/3/2021 - Wylie_coyoti Likes this wine: 93 Points
Couldn't ask for a better bottle, despite the cork not showing it's best. Very little visual signs of aging and definitely opened with some time in glass. Fantastic balance, still plenty of fruit, resolved tannins and a good finish. Started to fade after 2+ hours.
2 people found this helpful, do you? Yes - No / Comment
12/1/2021 - rhit wrote:
This was drinking nicely after a 2.5 hour decant. Structured and fresh with fine tannin and very little sediment. Stones, a green element, and secondary flavors on the palate, but not a lot of fruit. Paired decently with burgers and sauteed chard. This bottle had plenty of energy and could probably have lasted a while.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
11/20/2021 - pa1966stang wrote: flawed
DOA. Raisin and balsamic vinegar on the nose. Cork broke in half on the way our, 3/4 of the way saturated. I had another '86 last year that was much much better. So goes life...
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
10/9/2021 - Guido L. wrote: 88 Points
The wine was past its prime. Port in the nose, what indicates rather not perfect storage to me. However, still fruit left, but pretty dry in the finish. Better hunt for 1982 and 1990.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
6/4/2021 - Smoky86 Likes this wine: 94 Points
Hard to believe this is 35 years old. Deep garnet with an only slight brownish rim. On the nose, leather and tobacco, cherries and dried plum. On the palate, well-balanced with refreshing acidity, smooth, largely resolved tannins. Long and very pleasant finish. Benefits from some aeration (recommend 30-45 min). Impressive showing for a lesser Bordeaux appellation, confirms the longevity of this vintage. This bottle was still at peak.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
3/10/2021 - Nanda wrote: 91 Points
Shows far younger than its 35 years. Complex aromas of dried plum, bell pepper, dried tobacco and spice. Palate has plenty of fresh fruit that has medium concentration with svelte tannin. Peaked/peaking but a delight, especially with food.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
2/26/2021 - Kim Gerner wrote: flawed
1986 vertical Bordeaux Grand cru Classé etc (19 wines) - Wine tasting dinner semi blind (Nordsjaelland): Corked but still green pepper
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
12/5/2020 - canan wrote: 89 Points
Needs a bit of time, 30-60 min. When it opens up there is a fresh elegant black current fruit. The tannins are nicely integrated and the wine presents itself very nicely.
Fresh and earthy showing aged meat, blood and wet leaves. It is certainly at the level where it might have already peaked but it still tastes very nicely. If I had more I would consider drinking them soon as the backbone doesn't seem to hold up for a lot longer. Still, it's a solid wine for drinking right now.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
10/29/2020 - pavel_p wrote: 89 Points
Hmm... I have had really great 86 Bordeaux, Palmer and Brane Cantenac come immediately to mind, and I do like Sociando, particularly in off-vintages where it seems to do consistently well (eg 97, 99, 04), but this is another excellent Bordeaux vintage where this wine in my eyes underperforms. Top shoulder fill, a somewhat musty nose that I get quite often when the cork is fairly soaked. No TCA though. While this is still showing an impressively dark garnet, the fruit is understandably on the retreat already with a fair bit of leather coming through, while the tannins are still rock'n rolling (medium +). A wine that will dry out in my eyes and based on this bottle.
1 person found this helpful, do you? Yes - No / Comments (1)
10/16/2020 - AllRed wrote: 92 Points
Friday Night Brown Bagger (J&J's): Double blind. Deeper color than the first two wines with aromas of herbs, black fruit and earth. Currants and dark fruit on the palate and there's something a little stemmy/woody that I think works nicely here. Soft tannins. Black fruit and tobacco as it opens. Guessed Bordeaux, and was surprised to see an '86. Drinking nicely at the moment, the hardness of the vintage somewhat tamed. Long life ahead at this level. 92+ pts. (R&D)
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
7/4/2020 - LightDancer wrote: 91 Points
Keeps getting better. Similar to previous note, but more integrated and balanced. Cork was soaked but came out in one piece. Good color with slight bricking. Classic old Bordeaux nose and palate. More subtle than powerful. Thoroughly enjoyed it. Have two more bottles, and will wait a few years for the next one.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
11/18/2019 - paulst Likes this wine: 89 Points
Light nose; cedar and blackberry; still some tannin; moderate finish.
1 person found this helpful, do you? Yes - No / Comment
5/10/2019 - srh wrote:
Friday Tasting Group: In HONOR of 1 of the Group's Mentors (Vintage Wines Ltd., San Diego, CA): N: Earthiness, though the majority seemed to think it was corked. (I was in the minority that disagreed.)
P: Med body; NICE, ALMOST swtish frt with the "corked" component *1st* on the P, but only lasting a couple of secs, then vanishing, though it (or a VERY slight bitterness?) seemed to resurface from time to time. One way or the other, NOT a particularly noteworthy bottle. 12.5% ABV; My VG+/EXC-. 94 pts ea WS & Jean-Marc Quarin, 90 RJonWine, 19/20 La Revue du Vin de France, 18+/20 winedoctor.com, 17/20 Bettane et Desseauve, 16.5/20 The World of Fine Wines, & 16/20 Jancis Robinson.
IF interested, check out the winery's URL where the Bettane et Desseauve review cited above mentions the high % of bottles contaminated by TCA, which would seem to be corroborated by scanning over the TNs here. :(
1 person found this helpful, do you? Yes - No / Comment
12/25/2018 - vanpe003 wrote: flawed
Corked
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
12/9/2018 - Diane (LI) wrote:
Last bottle of this. The nose is lush with dark fruit and black olive. The palate shows vegetal and earthy with just a little fruit remaining. Time to drink up and still get pleasure.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
11/16/2018 - Zweder wrote: 89 Points
Dark berries, minerals, firm acidity and sticky tannin. A firm wine, not extremely refined, but still very ok and with still some future.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
10/23/2018 - cweiss wrote:
Holding up well, as expected. Classic Bordeaux. Structure but tannin tamed by years. Cedar notes. Drink or hold.
1 person found this helpful, do you? Yes - No / Comment
10/5/2018 - RajivAyyangar wrote: flawed
Corked.
Seemed somewhat intact with modest ripe pyrazines, hints of black fruit, and good acid and medium tannins - mostly resolved. However the TCA / wet cardboard obliterated most of the fruit and any savory tertiary complexity. Sad.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
8/31/2018 - Boneguru Likes this wine: 93 Points
Cork was intact, amazingly fresh, still with fruit. After 1 hour decant was just silky smooth. Purchased from HDH auction and these bottles obviously had great provenance.
1 person found this helpful, do you? Yes - No / Comment
6/23/2018 - Nanda wrote: flawed
Sadly a shot bottle. Aromatically dead and tastes maderized. I have another bottle from a different source, and hoping that one shows better.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
4/25/2018 - rwpalmer wrote: 90 Points
Very dark--almost as much as the 1996. Bright colour. Nose complex, truffly, yet adequately clean. Palate enters sweet before becoming lean and dry as expected. Certainly not deteriorating even if the fruit isn't there for it to improve.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
1/14/2018 - Gunakadeit Likes this wine: 94 Points
Just classic. Cork was a disaster (it promptly fell in when I tried to extract it), but, much to my surprise, the wine was wonderful. Cedar, graphite, tobacco were all there, along with a nice amount of fruit and fine-grained tannins. A real pleasure.
1 person found this helpful, do you? Yes - No / Comment
12/24/2017 - liber Likes this wine: 91 Points
23rd of 24, decanted an hour, stained cork, mid shoulder, most attractive bottle for years, usual fine structure with earth and tobacco notes, but with attractive cassis, bramble and plum fruit flavours, the dry tannins usually so obtrusive have integrated nicely in this bottle which showed better than the not quite ready (but potentially finer) 96 and 03 on same night. Just about F (17.5).
1 person found this helpful, do you? Yes - No / Comment
12/24/2017 - LT98 wrote: 92 Points
This was my next to last bottle. In previous bottles, the wine was nice, but lacked depth and seemed a bit thin. Not sure why, but tonight was much more impressive. A stained but moist cork that was easily to pull. Despite the age it needed to breathe for about 30 min, revealing a balanced surprisingly full bodied wine. There was tobacco, velvet, earth, bramble, and that "old wine" flavor that my son and I love (although my wife and daughter do not)!
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
12/10/2017 - Jack wrote: 93 Points
Last bottle an this one was back on form. Same as 2009 note.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
11/11/2017 - Aravind Asok wrote: flawed
Sadly, this bottle was badly corked.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
2/13/2017 - davidspieker wrote: 88 Points
Cork was 3/4 the way out and broke - second bottle this has happened with. Dark ruby color with minimal signs of age. Dark red fruit and must aroma. Minimal fruit with cedar and leather. Medium body. Still seems young.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
12/24/2016 - liber wrote: 85 Points
22nd of 24, decanted 30 minutes, stained cork, level top shoulder, as previous notes, eg August 15, promises more on nose than delivers on palate where dry tannins dominate showing absence of fruit, drink up. At best QG+ (14.5).
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
12/24/2016 - paulst Likes this wine: 94 Points
Earthy; integrated with velvety elegant touch; cherry-blackberry and sweet finish.
1 person found this helpful, do you? Yes - No / Comment
12/20/2016 - Comte Flaneur wrote: 91 Points
Deep opaque garnet. Bit of mustiness on the nose. Superb thick-textured, medium full-bodied palate. The rough edges seem to have smoothed out, but it still has a decent grip and the once monstrous tannins linger, albeit no longer in an obtrusive way. Not very expressive - the fruit is in the background - but neither is it a mere tannic shell - satisfying, resolutely old school claret now well into middle age. Still has another 5-10 years left in the locker.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
12/3/2016 - Caruso wrote: 87 Points
Ruby with only a little lightning at the edge. Level into neck. Restrained nose of coffee, black currant fruit, tobacco, forest flor, spices. On the palate still dominating adstringent tannin, that will never be shed. This is a good example of the truth that unbalanced wines keep unbalanced even after extended cellaring. To much focus on longevity and structure, but the concentration of fruit doesn't fit. It delivers not enough for the price and for the time. But nevertheless even if it don't meet my expectations (as the 1982), it is still a good wine like those you can drink immediately and buy for less than 15€ or less than 10€ if you leave Bordeaux. I would prefer a Guigal Cotes du Rhone without hesitation as a everyday wine. This Sociando Mallet will hold for some years but will not get better. The danger is that it looses its fruit and only the tannins remain. Drink it up!
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
11/8/2016 - DaleW wrote:
Took a little while in the decanter to sort itself out, but quite nice once it does. Still a bit of tannin, but not intrusive, solid cassis fruit with cedar, green herbs, and a little anise. Good length, pretty classic Sociando. B+
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
10/28/2016 - rossi.wine wrote: 91 Points
Served blind. Evolved in colour. Still good fruit on the nose - earthy, herbal with notes of tobacco and spices. On the palate rather backward. Still quite grippy, there is good fruit and acidity. A great bottle. 90-92
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
10/4/2016 - rwpalmer wrote: 91 Points
4th to last from an ep case. This bottle high shoulder. Dark colour, more immediate ripeness and impact compared to the Haut Batailley 86 consumed with it. This bottle actually seemed quite ripe and the structure was not boney as I had feared. Tannins not fierce. Dare I say "complete" and no rush to drink the remainder.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
9/14/2016 - derekastoria Likes this wine:
This is quite a good condition bottle within the case. Fully matured while still has firm structure and tannin backbone. Ruby garnet colour but no sign of tiring from nose nor palate. Fruits developed but still have a bit of freshness. Great value wine and this is one of the reason I like the 1986 Bordeaux. 15.5/20
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
9/3/2016 - paulst Likes this wine: 93 Points
Structured and balance; deep blackberry; youthful but still shows maturity with lively sweet tannins.
1 person found this helpful, do you? Yes - No / Comment
7/25/2016 - Rupert wrote:
At 67PM: a fine example of an austere 86; a touch of mustiness on the nose, but it was just dry tannins, not TCA, a bit of green, some pure cab fruit, a still a whack of tannin on the finish - I liked it
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
6/29/2016 - Bruce 1er wrote: 90 Points
Distinct cedar bouquet. Nice fruit. Still youthful, probably due to its structure and good acid in the finish. Dusty tannins. A very nice wine.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
5/27/2016 - ProfBainbridge Likes this wine: 85 Points
I have two prior notes on my blog (www.ProfessorBainbridge.com) on this wine. One from 2007 and one from 2013. In 2007, I wrote in part that: "This cru bourgeois from one of Bordeaux's lesser regions could blow a lot of classed growths out of the water. It's the same age as Lindsay Lohan and just about as immature, although not as blowsy, as Ms Lohan. Of course, immaturity at age 21 is a much more desirable characteristic in wine than people. ... Given the Sociando-Mallet's youthfulness, intense fruit, richness, and over-the-top intensity, in a blind tasting I likely would have said it was a 10-year old Napa cabernet. Fans of the austere style of claret likely would regard all that as a fault, but I find this wine to be very fine."
In 2013, I wrote in part that: "Ms. Lohan seemingly has not matured, but the 1986 Chateau Sociando-Mallet has. This bottle's cork was stained almost to the top and the bottle was showing ulllage down to the very bottom of the neck, which was quite worrisome. But all was well. Although it still had dark fruit in plenty (and remained a deep garnet color), this bottle offered many more maturity markers such as smoke, leather, dried fruits, and so on. With two bottles left in my cellar, I will not be looking for more at auction. Instead, I'll probably open the next in 2016 and see where we go from there with respect to the last bottle."
It's 2016 and so I opened the penultimate bottle. It showed ullage down to very high shoulder. The deeply stained cork crumbled on opening, which necessitated showing the remanent through into the bottle and then decanting it through a funnel lined with unbleached coffee filters (2 sufficed). Given the considerable sediment, decanting would have been required even if the cork had not disintegrated.
Sadly, this bottle had not rewarded additional aging. It was still healthy, with a surprising amount of tannin and good acidity. It had no faults but it also had few merits. It was pretty one dimensional. Some dark fruit and a dash of cedar, but that was about it. Drinkable. Enjoyable. But not memorable. So I think the final bottle gets drunk in the next year or so. Seemingly, there is nothing to be gained by waiting.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
5/23/2016 - canan wrote: 90 Points
Excellent mature Bdx wine. Still some fruit left but it will not improve a lot beyond this point. It is drinking really nicely now!
1 person found this helpful, do you? Yes - No / Comment
5/23/2016 - Kriz wrote: 91 Points
Give it some time and air after opening. Then there is the fine nose of matured Bordeaux. Sweetness of purple winegums combined with autumn leafs. The taste becomes better and better during the evening. Still fruity, tannic and sharp with a great long finish.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
4/16/2016 - Tavastgatan wrote: 91 Points
30 years on this Sociando is still tannic. Imagine it on release!
Wonderful nose and cool dark cab fruit. Very good, but last bottle.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
3/23/2016 - paulst Likes this wine: 92 Points
Earth and tar nose; layered; blackberry; coarse; nice finish.
2 people found this helpful, do you? Yes - No / Comment
3/19/2016 - Butzemann wrote: flawed
This wine was tasted as part of a bigger Bordeaux tasting, so the note might be a little bit short:
quite dark for a wine of this age, has a slight hint of cork in the nose, behind this there is blackberry, it's a pity that this is (slightly) corked, behind the cork it didn't seem very complex, though.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
2/14/2016 - M DU VIN Likes this wine: 89 Points
A bit tart and the fruit is fading. Time to drink up.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
2/4/2016 - wailes wrote: 85 Points
Probably past its peak. Very mello. No distinctive fruit or tones. No tannins at all. Very drinkable, but nothing special.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
10/30/2015 - Vinnut Likes this wine: 90 Points
Deep, dark, reddish garnet in color with slight clearing at the edges. Forward, attractive & fragrant nose of mature and developed ripe fruit aromas of cherries, berries & cassis with classic cigar box overtones of cedar & aged tobacco, floral notes of violets, earthy, dusty, olives, leather, minty, a bit of green bell pepper & dried herbs and minerals. Medium bodied with a good concentration of balanced & smooth textured, mature & developed, ripe red fruit flavors of sour cherries, sweet berries & plums with earthy, herbs, minerals with a slight touch of vanilla. Lingering dry finish. Drinks quite well at present & should hold here for a few more years although I doubt any further development will occur.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
10/12/2015 - EhrlichDY Likes this wine: 90 Points
Opened and decanted for an hour before enjoying with dinner. Starts out with some cab franc like green pepper notes. With air it fleshes out adding some savory elements as well and gains some richness as well. Perhaps lacking complexity or depth or a great wine but a very satisfying Bordeaux. Drink now.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
9/20/2015 - paulst Likes this wine: 89 Points
Austere and earthy blackberry; soft tannins; decent finish.
1 person found this helpful, do you? Yes - No / Comment
8/6/2015 - liber wrote: 86 Points
21st of 24, decanted an hour, top shoulder and stained cork - as per my June note, another dodgy bottle......classy entry, but dry coarse tannins, little fruit and rapid fade.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
6/19/2015 - liber Likes this wine: 87 Points
20th of 24, level top shoulder, seepage and "rust" on cork, decanted an hour, previous notes very variable with none better than very good indeed, several corked bottles - deep, dusty garnet, pronounced brown rim; earthy quite nuanced and attractive bouquet, trace of violet and liquorice over stewed plum base; fullish, nice entry, but very short and slightly odd and hard to see these bottles improving. Although bought en primeur and kept in a cold cellar I strongly suspect these bottles were badly stored (eg boiled on the quay)before delivery and they have never lived up to their promise - thanks Ballantynes. At best good plus (15.5).
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
5/17/2015 - paulst Likes this wine: 89 Points
Musty; a bit off; still some tannin; nice blackberry with sweet finish.
1 person found this helpful, do you? Yes - No / Comment
5/3/2015 - paulst Likes this wine: 88 Points
Cedar and earth; musty with leather; light blackberry.
1 person found this helpful, do you? Yes - No / Comment
4/17/2015 - OW_SOSPEL Likes this wine: 89 Points
Belle couleur rubis profond, ocelle orangée, assez lourd, Larmes moyennes et assez rapides.
Quelques volatils peu agréables qui disparaissent rapidement à l'oxygénation. Nez de fruits rouges surmûris (fraises), de cassis, avec une légère pointe herbacée.
Attaque assez vive, légèrement sur l'acidité, qui laisse place à de belles notes de fraises des bois écrasées, de cassis, avec un fond réglissé et herbacé. Bois bien intégré. Belle minéralité.
Belle finale avec de beaux tanins résiduels qui présente une puissance inattendue pour ce 86.
Un belle exemple de Sociando-Mallet qui aura duré trois décennies sans encombre et qui présente encore un joli fruit expressif. A boire dans les cinq prochaines années toutefois.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
3/25/2015 - paulst Likes this wine: 87 Points
Unimpressive musty nose; light musty blackberry; fair balance; rather short finish; hopefully an off bottle.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
3/19/2015 - Panapul wrote: 86 Points
Midweek Tasting (Arguably- or Nearly-mature Red Bordeaux and Some Competitors) Tasted single blind to me; double blind to the others.
Kept in my cellar since 1989. Decanted six (6) hours early. When first opened, its nose was barely recognizable as a Bordeaux, and showed little fruit or character. The wine tasted tight and similar to the nose. Quadruple decanted four (4) hours later. Quadruple decanted again one (1) hour later.
Color very dark garnet (almost inky) with garnet edges. Nose fruity, maturing, Pauillac or St. Julian in character, rich fruit, elegant, ¼ open. Tastes dry, well balanced, fairly well knit, fruity, with an agreeable sour character in the back of my mouth. The after taste is like the middle at first, then emphases the sour fruity development, medium to long. (All sourness went away after tasting the next wine.) Has some tannins which are mostly integrated. Because the wine opened up so much in the prior two hours, I did not place it as the Bordeaux until after trying the other three wines. Eventually everyone decided it was the Bordeaux.
The nose improved the rating; the aftertaste dropped it.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
3/8/2015 - LightDancer wrote: 89 Points
We paired this with a 1986 Monticello Cellars Cabernet Sauvignon Corley Reserve to compare French and California wines from the same year with a roast beef dinner. Double-decanted both wines. I preferred the Bordeaux. Fine color, just a bit of bricking at the edge. Dusty nose that carried over to the palate was the first impression, with dark fruits and leather coming out. The wine continued to develop over the next hour into a graceful, aged red. Lovely wine. I think that this is in the middle of a long plateau -- I don't sense it's in decline yet. Just evolving into a fine old wine.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
12/31/2014 - LightDancer wrote: 89 Points
Still young. Even with decanting still isn't coming together as I believe it will a few years into the future. I need to let the remaining bottles rest. At New Year's Eve dinner with close friends. Had with a wild venison steak. Worked well after being open for a while. Will be better in the future.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
12/22/2014 - paulst Likes this wine: 88 Points
Light rather unresponsive nose; some blackberry; astringent at times; tannins still rough and need time; moderate finish.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
10/24/2014 - jamesdlandis wrote: flawed
Corked. Had planned to drink this with a 1986 Talbot, after a 1985 Malartic-LaGraviere blanc, about both of which see my CellarTracker notes. Sad.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
10/12/2014 - AllRed wrote: 91 Points
Second Sunday Group: 2010 California Merlot (Our house): Opened with dinner, this really needed an hour in the glass to open up and show much of anything. Red currants, earth and mineral with a cigar box undertone. Balanced and fairly well-integrated, with earthy red fruit, forest floor and spice qualities on the palate.
Two-thirds of the bottle was set in the fridge overnight and on the second night this was truly open. More of everything- the fruit had come up a bit more and tobacco and forest floor notes remained. A bit more full in the mouth as well, with a brighter palate.
Give this a good decant if drinking now. There's definitely enough fruit here, so my last bottle will rest for a few years yet.
1 person found this helpful, do you? Yes - No / Comment
6/28/2014 - AllRed wrote: 86 Points
4th Saturday Brown Bagger (Sue & Mike's): Soft garnet color. Red berry fruit with Wyler's bouillon cube undertones. The palate follows the bouquet; tired red fruit on the finish. The bouillon qualities soften and almost disappear, leaving some ripe, but tired, dark fruit. Guessed old Zin.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
2/12/2014 - bestdamncab Likes this wine: 86 Points
Nose of earth, barnyard, dark fruit which opened slowly over forty minutes, more of the same on the palate, medium body, past its prime, went well with he short ribs, medium finish.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
1/19/2014 - cweiss Likes this wine:
Cafe Mangal. Fully mature and classic Bordeaux.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
12/6/2013 - nortonnose wrote: 86 Points
Two words: bottle variation. C'est la vie, it's almost 30 yrs old ;) From 750ml, fill in the neck. Cork soaked but still tore in two. Dbl decant and served shortly thereafter with fois gras. This bottle just didn't show very much. Nice garnet color with a touch of browning. Nothing at all to note on the nose. The palate was just soft, mature and very unremarkable. Decent, drinkable and disappointing. Cross your fingers and drink up.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
11/22/2013 - anonymoose12345 Likes this wine: 90 Points
Big wine. Give this one a bit more time.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
11/7/2013 - rwpalmer wrote: flawed
Bought ep. Unclear exactly the fault. I suspect mild cork taint though this didn't seem to worsen with air. Hard and rather lifeless. I've had better bottles and know not to expect a fruit bomb. Waste of 26 years storage!
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
10/4/2013 - AudunG wrote: 90 Points
Deep and youthful red color. Fresh and fruity on the nose, with some green notes. Still noticable oak. Very modern Bordeaux for its time: powerful and fruity with plenty of oak. Impressive, indeed. Will last.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
8/11/2013 - davidspieker wrote: 90 Points
Cork was 3/4 the way out and broke but not a problem. Dark ruby color with minimal signs of age. Dark red fruit and must aroma. Nice depth of character with fading fruit and resolved tannin. Medium body with lengthy finish.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
7/13/2013 - Burgundy Al wrote: flawed
Another Saturday at Knightsbridge - mostly blind (Northbrook, IL): Stewy, flawed, partly driven by lots of brett. some thought this corked but I can't agree.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
6/23/2013 - nortonnose Likes this wine: 90 Points
PnP fr 750 ml. TS fill, cork wet and came out in one piece (though it was close). Shocking how dark ruby the color was, no bricking. Red fruit on the nose, but not much depth or richness of aroma. Sipped on its own for a couple of hours. Fruit is starting to fade a bit, but nice structure of tannins still in place. It improved slightly in the glass. Day 2-3, starting to fade a bit more. Enjoyable bottle. Drink up!
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
4/6/2013 - Zweder wrote: flawed
Corked
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
3/25/2013 - LightDancer wrote: 85 Points
Good, but seemed closed, even after decanting. Nothing "off" but just less there than I'd hoped.
1 person found this helpful, do you? Yes - No / Comment
2/5/2013 - WST wrote: 87 Points
Finally!!! After three half-dead oxidized bottles in a row, one of my '86 Sociando-Mallets is good! Good color, purple, no bricking, looks young. Mostly tertiary nose with leather, mushrooms, cedar, but unequivocal fruity currants lurking. On the palate, once again the fruit perservered; cassis, joined by moderate tannins. I had low hopes for this wine. No blockbuster, but a nice surprise. My kitchen sink drain was looking forward to it, but will have to wait for a different bottle.
1 person found this helpful, do you? Yes - No / Comment
12/24/2012 - Pichon66 wrote: 84 Points
Cork pulled out whole but was close to crumbling. No leakage was evident but looked as if cork had not sealed. Surprisingly wine was fine but past prime with fruit beginning to fade and tannin on the finish. Body on the lighter side. All in all, it was fine to drink with savory hors d'oeuvres. If you own it I recommend you drink up but have a bottle of something else available. I think it's 50/50 or less my remaining 1 bottle will be drinkable.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
12/17/2012 - SoundinBetween wrote: 87 Points
also bought from WineBid. substantial oxidation underneath the capsule. looks like a loose cork, as it hadn't soaked through but the cork sides were streaked with long-dried wine. wine did not taste oxidized, and did improve with a 2 hour decant, but even at its peak was not above average.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
12/11/2012 - WST wrote: flawed
Drinkable, but leaky cork; more advanced than other '86 Sociando's I've had.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
12/11/2012 - WST wrote: flawed
both bottles from WineBid were oxidized with leakage; it was not noticeable until the foil was removed. BN ullage. Very disappointing.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
12/1/2012 - WST wrote: flawed
oxidized
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
10/23/2012 - Border Boss wrote: 93 Points
IWFSC Kendall College Scholarship Dinner (Kendall College - Chicago): Bought on release. Deep red with no color change noted. It took about 30 minutes in the glass to start to open up after five hours of slow oxygenation. Primary cabernet sauvignon notes of cassis and cedar with plenty of tannins and acid. Not yet fully mature, with seemingly 10-15 years of life still ahead of it.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
9/9/2012 - Wine_lvr wrote: 88 Points
0.375 - Still dark and intensive red. Looks much younger but a typical 86, even out of the half bottle! Lots of leather, tar with only little sweetness remaining. A good mouthful of Cabernet, rustic old-school wine, just questionable if the fruit will be enough in order that the wine does not dry out. Tannic, muscular, minerals with hints of cassis. Surprisingly good. Will last for at least another decade.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
8/28/2012 - Amerique wrote: 90 Points
Fruit has faded a bit. Wine is very dry and leathery with a short finish. Maybe even a lttle weedy.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
6/29/2012 - grapist wrote: 94 Points
Dark and almost opaque. Earthy and rich nose that was surprisingly floral for its age. Except for a very slight metallic taste, this was surely one of the best of the many '82 and '86 Sociandos I've had and enjoyed. It was also my last one. Very full bodied, mature, and of great depth. Still youthful enough to show a lot of fruit. Some leather, mushroom, and lots of complexity going on while being rich in mellowed tannins and well balanced. No question that I would buy again if I could find it.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
3/30/2012 - Brett Pitt Likes this wine: 88 Points
Hoped for more
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
1/1/2012 - Radboy wrote: 93 Points
This clearly benefited from a 3 hour decant. Very nice nose of sweet green pepper, slight cedar and cassis. Deep dark fruit with moderate complexity that went smashingly good with a steak with blue cheese. I thought it had a surprising amount of life left considering its age. I will save my last bottle for a special event in the next year or so.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
12/24/2011 - Nohedes wrote: 90 Points
Stood the bottle up for 48hrs before decanting. Not a heavy sediment, but the last 1/8th of the bottle was opaque and a bit muddy. That which found its way into the decanter was clear enough though, albeit dark at the core and bright at the rim - no sign of bottle age to look at. The nose was quite dusty/musty at first, some berry fruit, became less closed over an hour or two. The palate was pretty straightforward fruit with a touch of cocoa powder and a medium long finish. A nice bottle of mature claret but if I had more of this (which I don't) I would wait at least 5-10 years to see where it goes next.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
12/23/2011 - Jack wrote: 89 Points
Mouth drying tannins and the color make you think it was a recent bottling. Drinking nicely now but fruit seems to have faded a little.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
12/2/2011 - grapist wrote:
This still needs air time. Five hours after opening and it's still getting better. Lots going on under the hood of this one. A terrrific bottle of wine.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
11/14/2011 - FransS wrote: 91 Points
When corona forces you to work at home (March 28, 2020) than you go cleaning, so I found this tasting note. The colour is even deeper than the Léoville-Barton. Compared to this wine, a bit more spices, a tad sweeter, at the moment a bit more fun in the glass, but missing some of the concentration and of the complexity the Barton shows.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
1/8/2011 - costamalfitana wrote: 93 Points
cork n good condition, exceptional in color, still very very deep, (almost to the rim) black, amazing at age 24! powerfull nose of classic cabernet, lead pencil, earth and leaves; much better even after 2 hours; strong taste, tannins are still there but not harsh.
this bottle had decades more to live, but it is empty now....
I am amazed about this one, as previous bottles did not show as rich and powerful as this particular bottle; clearly surpassing in stength, but not in complexity, the Gruaud Larose 1986 tasted a week earlier.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
1/1/2011 - michaelhgraham wrote: 89 Points
Getting better with age...perfect cork, full above shoulder, gorgeous deep dark color, not much nose, no tannins and a whole lot of fruit...mmmmm!
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
12/17/2010 - Lord Rayas wrote: 82 Points
Christmas lunch with Eric, Jon, Carlos and Michael (H One): mature old style nose of lead pencil and graphite. rustic tannins. too much soy sauce and wet forest for my liking.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
12/11/2010 - salil wrote: 89 Points
Lovely traditional claret nose of pencil lead, cassis and cherry fruit, touches of earth and faint green pepper elements. It's surprisingly youthful, showing barely any signs of its 24 years with a firm spine of tannins and acids and I'd guess its best years are still ahead.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
11/14/2010 - cweiss wrote:
Lawtons' with David Seidner. Stylish classic Bordeaux. Still significant tannins but drinking well.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
10/24/2010 - celtic67 wrote:
audouzed for 7hrs. semi-mature nose of earth, leaves, mushroom with currants. still youthful. juicy currants/cassis with pepper on the palate. mineral finish with firm tannins. lacking some of the finesse on the palate of the '96 & '90 tasted alongside. excellent.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
10/19/2010 - grapist wrote:
It may finally be time to drink up. This bottle just didn't have nearly as much going on as the many previous ones I've had the pleasure of enjoying. Not that it was bad, it was good, but far from the great ones from the recent past.
1 person found this helpful, do you? Yes - No / Comment
10/3/2010 - cweiss wrote:
Cape Cod Sept 2010 with Trung and Martha.
What a nice wine. What Bordeaux is, or should be, all about. Drink or hold.
1 person found this helpful, do you? Yes - No / Comment
9/25/2010 - Alex H wrote: 85 Points
More decompost bunch of leaves, twigs and wet soil on the nose. There were hints of violet petals but trampled with a muddy boots. Secondary aged black fruits framed by green cab franc cabbage notes. Good vintage but moderately good producer assured that this wine could last till now. Just at the end of it's drinking window. Finish quite full and mellowed.
1 person found this helpful, do you? Yes - No / Comment
9/4/2010 - grapist wrote: 92 Points
Due to age, popped and poured, but this needs time - whether in decanter or cellar. Still tight and a bit tannic, this is delicious, but austere. Unquestionably Old World style.
1 person found this helpful, do you? Yes - No / Comment
8/23/2010 - mimik wrote: 93 Points
Crimson colour, quite youthful for its age. Lots of sweet bell pepper and cassis on the nose with nice tobacco and clove spice hints. The palate was silky, medium-bodied and the tannins fully resolved. Slightly sweet. Medium finish. Time to drink.
2 people found this helpful, do you? Yes - No / Comment
6/20/2010 - grossie wrote: 92 Points
Drunk at Anvil Club. Showed very nicely, ready to go, good deep fruit, medium finish. It was overshadowed by its company, most notably the 90 La Mission HB and the 90 Montrose.
1 person found this helpful, do you? Yes - No / Comment
6/19/2010 - AllRed wrote: 93 Points
An Evening of Bordeaux (The Anvil Club, East Dundee, IL): Notes of new leather, blackberry and cassis with subtle floral undertones. Nicely balanced, with loads of dark fruit on the palate. Tannins have begun to integrate. Plenty of fruit here, so give it a couple of more years to let the tannins integrate a bit more, unless you have it in good quantity, in which case it's worth checking in on now. 93+ pts.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
5/30/2010 - greg spencer wrote: 86 Points
Nice mature drinking good today. Deep color, good but light fruit, lots of cedar nuances, balanced acidity and tannin. Not a great wine, but very good for current drinking. Maybe another 5 years left.
1 person found this helpful, do you? Yes - No / Comment
4/1/2010 - roygui wrote: 93 Points
Club de Dégustation GLP: Club de dégustation GLP
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
3/17/2010 - PhDP wrote:
Verticale de Sociando-Mallet (groupe du mercredi, Bruxelles, Belgium, chez PhDP): 15 pour moi en ligne avec une moyenne de 15,3. Nez assez crispé, pas 100% net. Bouche élégante, stricte, de longueur moyenne.
1 person found this helpful, do you? Yes - No / Comment
3/16/2010 - ekenneth wrote: 92 Points
Excellent old bordeaux, still young and sharp, and after a few hours; delicious. It drank so young upon opening, that I wasn't sure it would open.
2 people found this helpful, do you? Yes - No / Comment
2/15/2010 - johnecase wrote: 91 Points
Decanted for almost 45 mins. Satisfying and mature claret, with all the harshness gone and very faint tannins. I suspect I can cellar these another eight - ten years without much dropoff in taste. Medium-bodied, pencil and leather to go with subtle dry fruit. If you like old Bordeaux this one works. Not a superstar but very solid.
1 person found this helpful, do you? Yes - No / Comment
2/11/2010 - KimberlyDo wrote: 92 Points
The nose is full of black loamy earth and mushrooms. The wine is bright red with no browning evident. On the palate the wine has a medium long flavor profile of black fruits wonderfully balanced and smooth. Decanted (sat for half hour) then drank over two hours.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
1/1/2010 - michaelhgraham wrote: 88 Points
Fill to shoulder level, solid cork. well hydrated. No nose at the opening but opened within one hour. A solid wine with good residual fruit, no residual tannins and a modest finish. Excellent with chicken marbella. Will hold for at least another five to seven years I think. I'm not a leather, cherry, vine, leaf etc. smeller or taster, just have learned to appreciate a good thing when it comes along. Held its own with two other olded Bordeauxs.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
12/25/2009 - joshbryer wrote:
From Magnum and from Memory. I felt this had mild TCA, overall fairly flat but not DOA. Dusty, dark fruit maintained an obvious bordeaux character with some secondary earthiness. Tannins were resolved for the most part. Not indicative compared to the other bottle I've had.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
11/8/2009 - blanquito wrote: 89 Points
This was fun to taste. I ordered a 6 bottles of this recently; they showed up in less than a pristine state, so I wanted to sample one to see if I should return the rest. A friend happened to have a 375 ml stored in his cellar since release, so we decided to square them off... Well, it was no contest-- the half bottle was far superior, with better aromatics, much better freshness, and a slightly richer palate. The remaining bottles are going back; provenance is so key. This note is for the half bottle:
slightly funk bouquet of tobacco and old leather, a classic thrown-back bouquet. The tannins were surprisingly in check/resolved and the palate was definitely on the austere side. This can be consumed without much decanting. To my tastes, this actually seemed a little dried out and a bit disappointing, but it was still very nice in a rustic, old school style. No comparison to the great '86s we tasted in NYC by the way.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
11/4/2009 - robmatic wrote: 90 Points
This 1/2 bottle was tasted side by side with a 750 from a questionable source. This difference was amazing. The 1/2 bottle from my cellar was significantly more vibrant, forward, and structured. The 750 must have been mistreated at some point.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
10/14/2009 - johnecase wrote: 91 Points
Cork was wet up to the top so I was worried about the wine being gone, but after 20-30 mins of decanting and opening up in glass this was a very mellow, nice mature Bordeaux. Seems to be at or just past its peak. After 2 hours of being open the wine was fading. But, before that, lots of nice smoke, mature fruit, etc.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
6/17/2009 - Hazeo wrote: 91 Points
A little acidic. Surprisingly still very young in colour and flavour. Great length and complexity but I felt the fruit wasn't quite there. Others enjoyed this a lot more than I did.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
5/17/2009 - Jack wrote: 94 Points
Again the cork was wet and just a little over the rim but the wine was excellent. It looks like it was bottled recently. Very dark and almost no bricking. Earthy fruit improved over a couple of hours. Jarlesburg cheese muted it a little and Manchego brought the fruit out. This wine was undrinkable for many years but recently has been providing lots of pleasure. Drink or hold. Should last for many years to come.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
5/1/2009 - Zweder wrote: 89 Points
This is not a wine everyone will like. It stinks. A lot of barnyard. In the mouth a lot of earthy tones and mushrooms, but also cassis and blackberries. The tannin and bitterness is very firm. The color dark and even still some purple in it. On one hand it seems to be completely mature and maybe even past its prime. On the other hand there is still so much power in this wine that you wonder what to think. Given a lot of air time (10+ hours) the wine seems to open up a bit more and offers some gentleness. Personally I can appreciate the tertiary tastes in combination with the not very submissive power, but I guess many will not really enjoy it. I wonder what to do with my last bottle. I will probably keep it for another 5 - 10 years to see what happens. The score is a compromise. Could be 84 when it is really on its way down, could be 94 when it will evolve in an extremely complex wine. I simply don't know. Together with this note nevertheless a score just for my own reference.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
3/29/2009 - Vinophil2000 Likes this wine: 90 Points
Füllstand: Base of neck. Angeblich klimatisiert gelagert und im März 09 probiert
Farbe: dunkle Farbe:
Nase: dunkle Früchte, keine Altersnoten
Geschmack: Vorab. Dieser Wein zeigte in keiner Form an, dass er bereits 22 Jahre alt ist.
In einer Blindprobe hätte ich ihn auf maximal zehn Jahre geschätzt. Er zeigt alles, was man von einem typischen, klassischen Medoc erwartet. Dunkle Frucht, keine Süße. Ein klassischer Esswein aber auch pur schön / gut zu trinken. Mittlerer Körper / Länge, ausgeglichen. Insgesamt nichts großes, was viel Spaß macht. Parker hat mit 90 Punkten, die ich auch glatt geben würde, recht. Nicht mehr aber auch nicht weniger. Hielt sich auch noch am zweiten Tag auf gleichem level
90 Punkte. A point wird aber noch mindestens weitere 10-12 Jahre diese Form halten.
Wenn man ihn für 20-25 € bekommt ok. Mehr auf keinen Fall!
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
11/27/2008 - Amerique wrote: 91 Points
Medium-bodied, cherry fruit with currant, plum, leather, and cedar flavors, good structure and tannins, very dry, little short finnish
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
11/21/2008 - grapist wrote: 92 Points
I'll stand by Sociando as some of the best bang for the buck in Bordeaux. This shows no sign of being past its prime.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
11/7/2008 - Amerique wrote: 91 Points
medium-bodied, currant and cedarwood flavors, very dry, smooth, slightly leathery, ample length, tannins still need to soften but fruit might not last
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
10/31/2008 - Barbalax wrote: 85 Points
High level in the bottle, but the label is severly damaged from moisture. Strong nose of black currant, juniper and sligthly unclean cedarwood. The nose is still impressive and complex. The taste is more lean, with very high levels of tannin and green ruccola notes. Not very much evolved despite the age, but I doubt that this will be much better in the future. The high and rough tannins show that this is not a classified growth - but it is still pleasureable. I would drink any Poujeaux over this.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
10/30/2008 - Keith Levenberg wrote: 82 Points
Starts out with an appealing juicy stalkiness that gives the wine a nice edge, but the material it's framing is disappointingly hollow. With airtime the structure recedes without a countervailing gain in richess, so it becomes a little listless without much here to hold my interest.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
10/27/2008 - dbkitc wrote: 82 Points
This was hard and lean in more than just profile. Little fruit and not showing well compare to other bottles on the table. (82)
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
8/10/2008 - G.O. wrote: 88 Points
Color is very youthful - only slightly bricking. Wine itself is very soft, smooth tannins, with lot of acidity. I couldn't say that finish is very long. Good wine but not great. Drink now or hold.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
6/30/2008 - englishman's claret wrote:
Nearly opaque with a narrow orange disc. The nose is extremely port-like, evolving to show oak, red fruits, and a hint of mustiness. A like bit of spice, paprika on aeration. Similar palate plus black fruits, stone. Chunky, old-style. Good finish. Still high in tannin; this isn't in danger of drying out any time soon.
* * * 1/2
0 = undrinkable, 1 = poor, 2 = mediocre, 3 = good, 4 = very good, 5 = superb
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
6/22/2008 - chbeaumont wrote: 88 Points
Remains dark; blackcurrant, cedar wood, correct; foursquare, solid, chunky, old fashioned; vigour on an assertive finish. Sound but.....No rush to drink.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
6/14/2008 - JWA wrote: 91 Points
Part of a blind tasting dinner party paired with a beef tender loin stuffed with sun-dried tomatoes & Pine nuts. An excellant pairing. The wine was old but still seemed balanced, nose of dusty old leather and a little tar. Tasted a little gravelly with raspberries. Soft tannins with a long soft finish.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
3/28/2008 - cweiss wrote:
Sociando vertical (83-86-88-89-90-96); all good, but the '86 was my favorite for drinking now. Still youthful color, remaining tannin perfect for rack of lamb. Excellent concentration and balance. There was a minty component I've noted before, but that's the only thing New World about the wine. It will live a long time further, but not sure it will get any better than it is now.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
3/8/2008 - espia wrote:
Not particularly impressive or memorable. Drank at Pedro Auger's
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
2/27/2008 - grapist wrote: 93 Points
Last bottle. Like losing an old friend. This looked and tasted like it could go another 20 years. Youthful, rich, full but not overpowering tannins. Great fruit and complexity. Long, lingering finish.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
2/14/2008 - Jack wrote: 92 Points
Needs a couple hours of air and to warm up from the cellar, then it shines.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
1/1/2008 - Ltim BE wrote: 92 Points
Decanted for about 2 hours. Still lovely dark red colour, impressive. Nose : Massive red fruits with an underlying earthiness, some cigar boxes. Lovely. Palate : Still very fresh and alive, dark red fruits, a touch of smoke and tobacco underneath. Mmmm, really yummie. Too bad this was the last one...
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
12/31/2007 - SBA Guru wrote: 93 Points
Nice bordeaux, plenty of depth, earthy tabacco, a bit off on the nose, opened up nicely.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
11/11/2007 - plhew wrote: 92 Points
Thin and bland when first opened but after an hour of decanting the wine changed totally. Became much fuller and refined. Could be a bit past prime now but beautifully aged wine especially with food.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
10/29/2007 - Tumour tigers wrote: 92 Points
Blind tasting in North Avoca Australia. Mahogany and semi-opaque. Aged typical bordeaux nose. Still going. Well liked by other tasters.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
10/26/2007 - Fielding wrote: 93 Points
This must have been a brawny kid, but at 21 years old, it is coming into its prime. Not decanted, still ruby red with edges of brown. A bit of funk, then wet earth and currants on the nose. Rich but elegant palette, with ripe red fruits, crushed stones and tobacco, followed by a long finish. This is one of those bottles that always seems to disappear too quickly.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
7/10/2007 - grapist wrote: 94 Points
Surpassed the '99 Cos it followed. Still life ahead.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
7/7/2007 - grapist wrote: 93 Points
Only three left in the case. Although there has been variance from bottle to bottle, the range has been no lower than 92 with a high of 94 or even 95. If you can lay hands on this reasonably, it wioll reward you. This has that deep, complex, aged, Bordeaux/Pauillac taste that is part of why we drink wine. 50 bucks for this is money well spent.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
6/6/2007 - jivey wrote: 86 Points
No notes.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
6/6/2007 - goofy Yno wrote: 92 Points
very earth, leather, cigar, was a touch hot and tannicy at first but opened up as we sat and kept improving.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
6/6/2007 - mattiasjansson wrote: 93 Points
Backstreet - Bordeaux (Backstreet Wine Salon, Phoenix): Some barnyard on the nose. The tannins are a bit drying - well balanced fruit and nice secondary characteristics.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
6/6/2007 - kstoddard wrote: 92 Points
Phoenix eRP Offline - Bordeaux (Backstreet Wine Salon, Phoenix): Blackberry. Mouth coating tannins. Nice depth and finish. Impressive showing.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
5/6/2007 - DaleW wrote: 92 Points
Much more accessible and less tannic than from a full bottle a few months ago. Beautiful mature Bordeaux nose of cedar, tobacco, and herbs; nice balance of acids and integrating tannins, pure blackcurrant fruit with an underlying note of graphite. Absolutely lovely claret, a pointe from the half.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
2/24/2007 - Jack wrote: 94 Points
Didn't like the way the capsule looked so I decided to open. The top of the cork was moldy and the cork was wet all the way though but intact. The wine was supurb. What a difference a few years can make. It has gone from undrinkable to a very enjoyable wine. I never thought this would settle down but this bottle was actually soft and elegant. Subtle but very adequate fruit. No browning. Day 3 - Has filled out a little in the middle and has a little different flavor profile but still very good. Almost no sediment?? This wine has some life left in it.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
2/13/2007 - grapist wrote: 93 Points
Consistant with previous. Drinks bigger than its appelation.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
1/28/2007 - joshbryer wrote:
Deep red fruit, graphite and backgrount florals, the nose seems much younger than it's years, as it is in the mouth as well. Tannic fruit has not quite integrated, but shows smoke earth and pencil shavings with nice unobtrusive acidity. Good balance, finished strong. Legs to go a while.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
1/16/2007 - markellen.foodies@gmail.com wrote:
DUO, Miami Medoc BYO Wine Dinner (DUO, S Miami Avenue, Miami, FL): Flight 2 #2. Same as #1, but decanted for 7 hours. See other note.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
1/16/2007 - markellen.foodies@gmail.com wrote: 89 Points
DUO, Miami Medoc BYO Wine Dinner (DUO, S Miami Avenue, Miami, FL): Flight 2 #1. Ed & Elaine Davis' contribution. Bottle 1 was double decanted shortly before serving. I commented that I couldn't differentiate between #1 and #2.
Sure enough, Charlie and Ed were up to their old tricks. Bottle # 2 was the same wine decanted for 7 hours. Clearly bottle #1 was tighter than #2, but not significantly so.It drinks well, but I preffered all of the wines in flight 1, to the Sociando-Mallet's.
I felt pretty cocky, as I was the only one who didn't know, to think they could be the same wine.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
10/7/2006 - cweiss wrote:
Still quite dark in color. Really quite delicious. Fruit just transitioning primary black fruits to secondary flavors. A surprising but pleasant mint note on palate. Ready to drink and enjoy, but will still evolve nicely.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
9/30/2006 - Cilantro wrote: 93 Points
Not decanted. Cork was intact, barely! Initial odor of damp earth, almost rot, which gradually blew off. Deep vermillion color, with only slight browning at the edges. Full flavors of old cedar, pencil lead, chalk. Mature smooth texture with crisp dry medium finish. This was PERFECTLY matched with Reblochon cheese. A real treat shared with great friends, and if not for the somewhat off-putting nose, would have scored even higher.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
9/12/2006 - DaleW wrote: 90 Points
The beast! Big black fruit, but still wrapped up in big tannins. This screams for meat, but by time main courses arrived there was none left. I'm supposed to have a bottle coming in fall, I either need to wait 8 years or serve with rare 2" porterhouse. I'm not tanninphobic, so B+
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
7/2/2006 - grapist wrote: 93 Points
Inky dark color. Intense aromas and taste of violet, cassis, vanilla, earth and meat. Strong, but well integrated tannins. Lingering finish. Very good stuff.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
6/16/2006 - cweiss wrote:
Molana. Has arrived at early maturity. Good wine.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
6/3/2006 - brooklynguy wrote: 92 Points
beautiful. rich smells of currents, dark plums, and the musty inside of wooden boxes. after open for about 15 minutes, scents of menthol and tobacco became more apparent (instead of wooden boxes). finely balanced fruit (dark cherries and currents), alcohol, and tannins (fine and well integrated). a hint of iron or something metallic on the finish.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
5/20/2006 - taster wrote: 90 Points
Drinking quite well, but still youthful with a wonderful nose and good fruit and balance.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
1/24/2006 - Spencer wrote: 93 Points
Another great bottle of this wine. Deep, bright, youthful red color. Loads of ripe red fruit on the palate, along with gravel, coffee, and iodine. Long, complex finish. Great balance for an '86. Drinking beautifully now, but given proper storage this should easily last another 20 years.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
1/14/2006 - Scheper wrote: 85 Points
TASTING: Montepulciano versus Montalcino (Apeldoorn): butter on the nose. bit tired/ closed nose
very ripe juice. dry tannines bit one dimensial
just okay wine
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
1/1/2006 - winefool wrote: 89 Points
Not bad, but nothing special. 1/06
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
12/12/2005 - Russell Faulkner wrote:
Three Format Winston Churchill 1988 Tasting (and others...) (Snows, London): Quickly double decanted. Vibrant ruby, midium weight, acidity leads attack, balanced tannin that moves to rule finish, nice bright ripe dark cherry. Very good.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
9/5/2005 - grapist wrote: 92 Points
Big, full but integrated tannins. Still partially closed even after over an hour. Full bodied and way better than it's humble appelation of Haut-Medoc. Will revisit this in '06, but it will probably need til 2010. Great stuff.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
7/10/2004 - Mark wrote: 82 Points
The nose is subdued and after an hour almost completely gone. This is not a great bottle of wine. Still possessing much tannin, it's hard to see this wine evolving into more than it currently is. In the mouth, faint hints of syupy cheery liqueur. Finish is short and harsh, with some coffee and tobacco on the finish. Drink this wine up, it wont' be getting any better with time. Tasting best after about 15 minutes of decanting, it will start to degrade rapidly after an hour. Bottle was purchased from a private collection with unknown conditions - it's possible that this bottle is not in the best of condition.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
3/7/2004 - Zweder wrote: 92 Points
Special Bordeaux tasting for a group that wanted to taste mature wines (@ Klap by AS and me): Beautiful bouquet with leather, cassis and other black berries and well dosed oak. On the palate the same impressions, very juicy fruits, firm and good acidity, tannin and a firm dose of bitterness in the long finish. Suppressed power. Has a long future ahead.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
4/12/2003 - Zweder wrote: 92 Points
An easy afternoon with close friends (@ My place): Am I chewing on my lead pencil now? Very full bodied and loaded with black currants. A lot of acidity and firm but fairly soft tannin. This wine is soft and ready now but can last for many more years.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
4/14/2002 - Henman wrote:
N: a little cassis.
P: good structure,fruity,generous.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
1/19/1990 - MicklethePickle Likes this wine: 88 Points
With MPL and BLR at Singer & Foy survey of '86 Bordeaux. Extremely dark ruby-purple, probably the most inky and backward-looking of the bunch. Nose suggests a dense and powerful wine, with loads of underlying fruit. It's packed, but still very closed. On the palate, very tannic and closed, but very fruity. Will take at least ten years to open. Almost like a barrel sample ever though it's been in bottle for nearly three years. 5-10-15-8: 88/100.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment