Chateau Sociando-Mallet 1997

Chateau Sociando-Mallet (Haut-Médoc) 1997: This wine offers plenty of 'wow' factor as it is poured. The colour impresses, it being a typically youthful, deep red wine, with just a tinge of purple, but it is the nose that excites. It offers so much character, with aromas of black olives, lead-pencil shavings, mineral edged black fruits with a cassis edge, and a tarry, cigar-box, smoky elegance which pleases no end. This rich display is continued on the palate, which has sweet and spicy fruit, with a full weight and rich, fat texture, cut through by a healthy presence of ripe tannins which very much dominate towards the endpalate. The acidity is fairly low, but this makes the wine all the more approachable. Nevertheless, I don't think I would broach another bottle for two or three years. Although from a weaker vintage, the team at Sociando-Mallet have crafted a stunner here. Excellent. (17/5/02)