Bordeaux 2011 Primeurs: Médoc & Haut-Médoc Tasting Notes
The second of the two wines worthy of our attention, and slightly more impressive than Cantemerle I think, was that from Sociando-Mallet. This was tasted at the château, as always, as Jean Gautreau is not one to be bothered with the UGC, alliances of cru bourgeois estates or similar. As such Jean pulls in the primeur crowds with a delicious lunch of boeuf en daube, cooked in Les Demoiselles, the second wine, this year using the 2011 vintage. I can’t help thinking that both Monsieur Gautreau and the lucky diners would be benefited if there was a broader element to the tasting, perhaps if ‘super’ cru bourgeois estates such as Gloria (never really a cru bourgeois I know, even when that designation had a consistent meaning, but then the same is true of Sociando-Mallet), Chasse-Spleen and Poujeaux were invited to show their wines alongside. But I know that Gautreau – who I paid a lengthy visit back in 2006 – sees his peer group as third-growth estates such as Giscours, so I don’t think such a move would ever be on the cards.
One feature of tasting at Sociando-Mallet I do welcome is the regular opportunity to retaste the previous vintage, and so alongside the two wines from 2011 I also took another look at the first and second wine from 2010. This is a brave move by Gautreau, as it has the potential to expose the weaknesses of a lesser vintage, and in 2011 we have just such a set up. Speaking about Bordeaux as a whole, it’s fair to say that the 2011 vintage has been difficult, whereas the 2010 vintage was excellent, a different and more classic style to the much-lauded 2009, but certainly a top vintage. In addition, I had just finished a morning of first growths, super-seconds and similarly regarded pretenders (Lafite, Mouton, Pontet-Canet, Cos d’Estournel, Montrose) and so by all rights the wines should have looked weak, cast against the context of both more lauded estates, or a greater vintage. And so I was really taken aback by how well the wines were showing. The 2011 at Sociando-Mallet showed a good depth of pure fruit, with a sense of finesse to the tannins which is rare in this vintage. It was without doubt my favourite wine from the Médoc and Haut-Médoc communes. I should also point out that the second wine also had some pleasing characteristics, although the real stunner at this level was the 2010 Les Demoiselles. This was a delicious, easy-going wine which – for those on a tight budget – would be worth considering.
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