Chateau Sociando Mallet 2012 (WA90)

55% Cabernet Sauvignon,

40% Merlot, 5% Cabernet Franc

只使用重力作用下的自流汁，全天然酵母發酵，然後在全新的法國橡木桶中熟成12個月，再入樽進行18個月的瓶中陳年才推出市場。

Chateau Sociando-Mallet是酒莊的正牌酒，酒莊如此描述這款酒：Sociando-Mallet是一款顏色深濃，酒體飽滿的酒。它香氣複雜，主要以黑色水果香氣為主，伴隨著微妙的礦物質，以及融合度高、優雅的橡木氣息。當它年輕時通常帶有“男子氣概”的硬朗，隨著陳年，這款酒的平衡度和復雜度都將得到提升。它的顯著特質是：清新的口感，美妙的香氣，絕佳的餘味長度。這款酒一直是極具陳年潛力的葡萄酒，在出色的年份，陳年潛力超30年。

Chateau Sociando-Mallet位於盛產中級酒莊的Haut-Medoc地區，但她卻不是中級酒莊，唔係因為不夠資格，而是酒莊認為其卓越的品質唔需要經過外人來評定，所以在1855年的Medoc列級酒莊和1932年的中級酒莊評比中都沒有參加。但以酒莊佳釀的絕高素質，絕對有機會問鼎中級酒莊的冠軍，甚至進入列級酒莊的行列！

憑藉莊主Jean Gautreau一絲不苟的釀酒理念和良好的管理方式，酒莊的佳釀很早便具有了能與列級名莊一較高下的水準。其正牌酒有著良好的酒體結構和結實的單寧，餘韻悠長，這通常是在列級莊以上的水平才能同時表現出的特點。其有著如此的優異表現能力，所以一直被譽為“整個Haut-Medoc地區最高品質的酒莊之一”！

 *90 pts Robert Parker's Wine Advocate:* 

Once again proprietor Jean Gautreau has hit pay dirt with a beautiful blend of 55% Cabernet Sauvignon, 40% Merlot and 5% Cabernet Franc. Wonderfully sweet, ripe tannins seem to be a rule of thumb from this great terroir just to the north of St.-Estèphe’s Château Montrose. A beautiful deep ruby/purple color, decent acidity, medium to full-bodied mouthfeel and stunning fruit put this wine right in the midst of the best classified crus from the Médoc, yet it has never been classified. Go figure. Softer than I would have suspected (and I’ve been following and buying this wine since the mid-1970s), this wine will still age beautifully for 10-15+ years.

 *90 pts James Suckling* 

Intense aromas of red and black cherries with light floral notes. Full body, silky tannins, lovely acidity and long, fruity finish. Polished tannins. Needs to open. Better in 2018.