2018 Sociando Mallet 6 Pack

95 POINTS

James Suckling

There is fantastic purity of black fruit with blackberries and ripe raspberries. Floral and bright. Full-bodied, compact palate with super polished tannins. Really fantastic.

95 POINTS

James Suckling

I like the blueberry, chocolate, blackcurrant and dark chocolate. Some tar and crushed lead pencil, too. Full body and firm, creamy tannins with a lovely texture and roundness. Extremely well polished and exciting. One of the best Sociandos in a long time. Best after 2025.

94 POINTS

Jane Anson - Decanter Magazine

A beautiful rich damson colour, this is powerful, intense, classic Sociando - and for me it's even better than the 2016. It has good tannins, and lots of them, with a core of plum, damson and cassis with a side of fresh herbs, liquorice and subtle spice. It shows great persistency. A wine to look out for.

93 POINTS

Neal Martin - Vinous

The 2018 Sociando Mallet, which comes wrapped in a resplendent 50th-anniversary label to celebrate the late Jean Gautreau’s acquisition of the estate, takes some time to really coalesce on the nose, eventually revealing boysenberry and mulberry scents and cedar and light earthy aromas. The palate is medium-bodied with supple tannins that belie the concentration of this Sociando-Mallet. Very cohesive, it delivers plenty of red fruit mixed with sous-bois and tobacco, though there is just a little more dryness on the finish than I was expecting. Give it 3–5 years in bottle if you can.

92 POINTS

Wine Spectator

Offers a good dose of currant and blackberry paste flavors, coated with tobacco and tar details. Shows more guts than polish, but solid nonetheless. Merlot, Cabernet Sauvignon and Cabernet Franc. Drink now. Score range: 90-93

91 POINTS

Antonio Galloni MW - Vinous

The 2018 Sociando Mallet is magnificent. Deep, powerful and resonant, the 2018 has so much to offer. Black cherry, plum, leather, licorice, gravel, cloves, licorice menthol and chocolate meld together in a wine of real distinction. There is a real sense of density and textural resonance that makes the 2018 compelling. Stated simply, the 2018 Sociando is magnificent. Don't miss it. Tasted three times.

Julia Harding MW - JancisRobinson.com

66% Merlot, 30% Cabernet Sauvignon, 4% Cabernet Franc. pH 3.5-3.6. 48 hl/ha. Barrel sample. Black and barely a purple rim. Intense and very slightly charry on the nose. Dense and introvert. A little charry on the palate, too. Massive tannins and the wine is all locked up in the tannins at the moment. Needs a lot of time. Very chewy but the fruit is fresh enough. Score: 16.5/20