Château de Sociando-Mallet

Château de Sociando-Mallet, traces of which can be found as early as 1633, has truly developed over the past 40 years. Located in the commune of Saint-Seurin-de-Cadourne in the Haut Médoc, it was purchased in 1969 by Jean Gautreau, who fell in love with this magnificent property with its stunning view over the Gironde estuary, which was then in very poor condition and partly neglected. The passionate and visionary man would from then on dedicate himself entirely to updating the estate, renovating the buildings, constructing a cellar, and improving the grape varieties.

Within a few years, he revealed the magnificent potential of this property. It is not part of the grand crus classés, nor of the crus bourgeois, yet it is now readily compared to the best second or third classified growths of the Médoc. Indeed, the estate benefits from an incredible terroir, often compared to that of the wines from the Saint Estèphe vineyard. Initially consisting of 5 hectares and then expanded over time to 95 hectares of property, the vines are planted on gravelly soils that benefit from excellent drainage on a clay subsoil that provides freshness, conducive to the greatest wines. The grape varieties consist of 55% Cabernet Sauvignon, 40% Merlot, and 5% Cabernet Franc.

During harvesting, the selection is very important and is followed by a relatively long aging process, making the wines of the Sociando-Mallet estate long-aging wines (capable of evolving with elegance over 10 to 25 years). Considered by some specialists as one of the unclassified wines of the Médoc most suitable for aging, these are "wines with an ink-black robe, extremely concentrated and full-bodied and endowed with powerful tannins that coat the palate" (Robert Parker).

This is a wine that is also very approachable in its youth, like the Sociando Mallet 2011 today, which has allowed it to surpass, in blind tastings, first or second classified growths of the Médoc during the tastings of the Grand Jury Européen.

Each year, nearly 500,000 bottles are produced. They are divided between the first wine and the second cuvée "La Demoiselle de Sociando-Mallet" made from the youngest vines of the estate. These wines are a safe bet, always highly appreciated by enthusiasts. The estate's motto sums it up perfectly: "Neither classified, nor Bourgeois… Sociando Mallet quite simply"….

– Great vintage: 1990, 2000, 2001, 2005, 2010, 2011, 2014

– Fine vintage: 1975, 1982, 1989, 1994, 1995, 1996, 1998, 1999, 2002, 2003, 2004, 2006, 2008, 2009, 2012, 2013

– Lesser vintage: 1988, 1992, 1993, 1997