Château Sociando-Mallet--Vintage 2000

ParcelWineBuyers from within the EU: VAT payable … Read more

CHATEAU SOCIANDO-MALLET In 1969 Château Sociando-Mallet was purchased by Jean Gautreau, who increased plantings which currently stand at 74 hectares; 55 Cabernet Sauvignon, 40 Merlot and 5 Cabernet Franc. Jean Gautreau has invested heavily in the estate and has mastered its elevation to arguably the greatest non-Cru Classé wine in Bordeaux. The soil is a mix of well drained gravel, with a sub soil of clay-limestone that helps to retain moisture in dry years such as 2002 and 2003. Jean Gautreau does not believe in green harvesting and this is reflected in higher yields than many of his competitors, as he believes that a fine terroir should be able to produce yields of around 50 hectolitres per hectare without a drop in quality. In 2002 when most properties were managing 30 to 35 hectolitres, Sociando-Mallet achieved yields of 55 hectolitres. The grapes are picked by hand and fermented in a combination of concrete and stainless steel vats. The fermentation temperature can reach a high of 33 degrees which encourages the extraction of tannins and anthocyanins. Maceration can last up to thirty days and then the wine is transferred into barrels for about 12 months. Importantly, there is a very high percentage of new oak with 80 to 100 of the barrels renewed each year. The wine is bottled without fining or filtration and production is approximately 450,000 bottles per year. The second label is called La Demoiselle de Sociando-Mallet which contains a higher proportion of Merlot and is aged in about 25 new oak.

12 bottles per lot

Details

Château Sociando-Mallet--Vintage 2000
Haut-Médoc, cru grand bourgeois
Tasting Note: A breathtakingly beautiful Sociando-Mallet with a dense ruby/purple colour and a bouquet of ink, mineral, graphite, vanilla, and crème de cassis, the 2000 boasts superb concentration, great definition and intensity, ripe tannin, and a long finish of more than 40 seconds. This is top-flight, classified growth-quality stuff. Robert Parker, Wine Advocate 146, April 2003.
12 bottles per lot

Special notice

ParcelWineBuyers from within the EU: VAT payable at 17.5% on just the buyer's premium (NOT the hammer price) Buyers from outside the EU: VAT payable at 17.5% on hammer price and buyer's premium. If a buyer, having registered under a non-EU address, decides that an item is not to be exported from the EU, then he/she should advise Christie's to this effect immediately. Please note that all the lots in this Sale are offered in Bond Only. UK Excise duty, Clearance VAT and delivery charges will not be included on any Sale invoices. Should you require your purchases to be delivered to a UK mainland address duty paid, we can arrange for the applicable UK Customs and delivery charges to be invoiced to you separately. For more information please contact Shona McIntosh or Antonia Essex in the Wine dept. smcintosh@christies.com aessex@christies.com

More from Highlights from the Superlative Millennium Vintage

View All