25/07/09
Sociando Mallet 1996
at St John
with roast bone marrow with parsley
Opened at 9.00am double de-canted for the journey to St John, WOTN for most, drinking very well with expressive blackcurrant, coffee and cedar nose. Medium-full bodied smooth and frankly delicious if not the most complex wine...poised and perfectly balanced.

Sociando Mallet 2000
with sweetbreads , peas and bacon
WOTN for me on the nose, with great complexity. Graphite, violets with host of dark fruits including blackcurrants and blueberries. A tad austere on the palette with a more prominent tannins than the 96, but a fleeting hint of very deep and dark black cherry on the finish...both wines were dark ruby with the 2000 still purple at the rim...so young.