1989 Chateau Sociando-Mallet Haut Medoc

Once again this estate revealed its excellent quality/price ratio. As one taster so appropriately stated after learning the identity of both the 1989 and 1990 Sociando-Mallets, "I'd rather have the '89 or '90 Sociando-Mallet than the '89 Margaux or '90 Mouton in my cellar." Both wines showed surprisingly well, performing at second or third-growth levels. The 1989 reveals a youthful, unevolved purple color, followed by a sweet nose of black fruits, minerals, and vanillin. The wine is extremely young (much more so than most 1989s), with medium to full body, good tannin, and not nearly as much of the vintage's soft, evolved personality in evidence. Dense, rich, and concentrated, this wine needs another 4-5 years of cellaring; it should keep for 20+ years. 90 WA