Château Sociando-Mallet

"I have a superb terroir which I want to express in the wine. I try to make a classic Médoc for long keeping."
- Jean Gautreau

Hailing from the Haut-Médoc, this Cru Bourgeoius producer brings us age worthy, elegant wines. Château Sociando Mallet is one of the few wineries today that you will find the owner on property, working, as a daily and integral part of operations. Over 130 acres make up the property, planted to the usual suspects: 60% Cabernet Sauvignon, 25% Merlot and 5% Petit Verdot. Contrary to most of their neighbor’s practices, the wines are bottled sans fining and filtering. There is an anecdote told by a winemaker and friend in regards to filtering. It’s like taking something wonderful and trying to slam it through a wall.

Moving on, longevity is an important attribute, so stylistically the wines are dense, heavy, and structured. The vines are pruned in the winter rather than the summer, which is unique. It is rumoured and often said that the way to find the best wines in Médoc is to find the vineyards with the best view of the Gironde, and Sociando happens to boast the best. Vintages to get your hands on include 1969, 1975, 1982, 1986, 1987, 1991, 1992, 1994, 1996, 1997, 1998, 2000, 2001, 2003, 2005, 2006