Description

• Alcohol %: 12.5%
• Decant Time: 60-90 minutes
• Taste: cassis, black cherry, dark chocolate, cedar, tobacco, minerality, firm tannins, fresh acidity, elegant oak, long finish
• Food Matching: Ribeye steak, Beef (sirloin, ribeye), Venison and other game, Mature cheddar and hard cheeses, Braised beef dishes
• Grape Variety: Cabernet Sauvignon : 55%, Merlot : 40%, Cabernet Franc : 5%, Petit Verdot , Malbec , Other ,

Tasting note

品飲筆記：杯中呈現深紫色，1996 年的香氣濃郁，黑醋栗與深色莓果為主，帶有黑巧克力、雪松與菸草的香調，礦物氣息清晰。口感飽滿但不笨重，酸度清爽支撐結構，丹寧結實、有嚼勁，橡木味與香草、辛香料微妙融合，收結綿長。 酒莊與釀造：瑪利城堡以傳統工法聞名，葡萄以人工採收（約三週完成），裝小箱運抵酒窖，僅使用田間天然酵母，於溫控不鏽鋼與混凝土槽發酵，日常澆帽以萃取色澤與香氣，之後約 12 個月橡木桶陳年。整體風格重視產地表現與陳年潛力。 葡萄園與土壤：坐落於 Haut-Médoc，砾石與礫質土壤賦予礦物感與緊緻單寧，嚴謹的園務與分地管理帶來果香純淨與集中度。 飲用建議：建議醒酒一小時左右以柔化丹寧並打開香氣，飲用溫度 16–18°C。配餐方面非常適合烤或煎的紅肉、野味與成熟乳酪，口感更能互相襯托。

Tasting Note: Saturated purple in the glass, the 1996 shows an intense nose of cassis liqueur, black cherry, dark chocolate, cedar and tobacco, underpinned by a stony minerality. On the palate it is dense and medium–full, with outstanding purity, firm fresh acidity and muscular yet well-defined tannins. The oak is elegant and well integrated after ageing, contributing spice and a touch of vanilla. Producer & Winemaking: From Château Sociando-Mallet, this vintage is made in a traditional style: hand-harvested fruit brought in small crates, vinification with native yeasts in temperature-controlled stainless steel and concrete vats, daily pump-overs to extract colour and tannin, followed by roughly 12 months of oak ageing. The approach favours precision, terroir expression and longevity. Vineyard Notes: Sited in the Haut-Médoc, the estate’s gravelly soils lend the wine its mineral spine and structure. Careful plot selection and a three-week harvest ensure physiologically ripe fruit with concentrated flavours. Cellaring & Service: Drinking window extends broadly; while approachable now with decanting, further bottle age will reveal more secondary complexity. Decant 60–90 minutes to round the tannins and open the aromatics. Serve at 16–18°C. Food Pairing: Best with grilled or roasted red meats, ribeye or sirloin, braised venison, and mature hard cheeses.

Winery

瑪利城堡位於 Haut-Médoc，以傳統而紮實的風格聞名，注重園間管理與手工採收。酒莊重視呈現產地特質，採用溫控發酵槽與自然酵母，搭配橡木桶陳年，釀出適合陳放的經典波爾多酒款。

Château Sociando-Mallet is a respected Haut-Médoc estate known for producing classically styled, structured wines with strong terroir expression. The property emphasizes careful vineyard work, hand-harvesting and traditional vinification techniques to achieve wines built for ageing.