Saint-Seurin-de-Cadourne Haut-Médoc estate, bought by Jean Gautreau in 1969, with Merlot led reds and French oak ageing.
The producer
Jean Gautreau bought Château Sociando-Mallet in 1969, when the property was derelict and its land greatly reduced. The estate now covers 120 hectares, with 88 hectares in production, in Saint-Seurin-de-Cadourne at the northern end of Haut-Médoc. Merlot leads the vineyard, followed by Cabernet Sauvignon and Cabernet Franc. The wines have a cool style with red and black fruit, mineral, floral and spicy notes, and the harvest is raised in approximately 90 to 95 percent new oak for about 12 months.
Known for
Cool Haut-Médoc reds with Merlot
Notable facts
The property was the residence of Basque nobleman Sièvre Sociando in 1633.
Madame Mallet acquired the property around 1850, giving it the name Sociando-Mallet.
Jean Gautreau bought the derelict estate in 1969.
Sylvie Gautreau took over management in 2017.
The property covers 120 hectares, with 88 hectares in production.
The story
Jean Gautreau Buys The Estate
In 1969, Jean Gautreau, a négociant from Lesparre, bought Sociando-Mallet when the property was forgotten and derelict, with its land greatly reduced. He then made a second deliberate choice: he declined to enter the property for the 1855 classification system. Château Sociando-Mallet remained outside that hierarchy. The property had earlier been the residence of Sièvre Sociando in 1633, and Madame Mallet acquired it around 1850, but the modern estate began with Gautreau's purchase. Jean Gautreau lived from 1927 to 2019, and his daughter Sylvie took over management in 2017.
From the atlas
Château Sociando-Mallet
A Haut-Médoc estate in Saint-Seurin-de-Cadourne, with Merlot led vineyards and French oak ageing.
At A Glance
Field
Detail
Region
Bordeaux
Appellation
Haut-Médoc
Village
Saint-Seurin-de-Cadourne
Main grapes
Merlot, Cabernet Sauvignon, Cabernet Franc
Signature wine
Château Sociando-Mallet
Defining feature
Cool style and gravel terroir
The Producer
The property was the residence of a Basque nobleman named Sièvre Sociando in 1633. Madame Mallet acquired it around 1850, giving the estate the second half of its name. Today the property covers 120 hectares, with 88 hectares in production. Its vineyard is planted 54 percent to Merlot, 42 percent to Cabernet Sauvignon and 4 percent to Cabernet Franc.
Jean Gautreau's daughter Sylvie took over management in 2017. The estate makes Haut-Médoc red wine from those three grape varieties.
Place
Saint-Seurin-de-Cadourne lies at the far northern end of the Haut-Médoc appellation, less than five kilometers north of Saint-Estèphe. Château Sociando-Mallet overlooks the Gironde river. Its gravel lies over clay, sand and limestone, while the river position protects the vines from frost and significant temperature fluctuations.
Wines
Château Sociando-Mallet 2023 is the grand vin, the estate's principal Haut-Médoc red. La Demoiselle de Sociando-Mallet is the second wine. The grand vin is aged in approximately 90 to 95 percent new oak for about 12 months.
In the glass, the wine has a complex bouquet of red and black fruit with mineral, floral and spicy notes. It has a cool style with the gravel character of the left bank. New French oak can add spice and texture while allowing gradual oxygen exposure during ageing, placing those fruit and mineral notes in a firmly oaked Bordeaux style.
Final Word
Château Sociando-Mallet is an unclassified Haut-Médoc château with a named grand vin and a second wine, La Demoiselle de Sociando-Mallet.