2013-CHÂTEAU-SOCIANDO-MALLET-Cru-Bourgeois-Haut-Médoc-Château-Sociando-Mallet

CHÂTEAU SOCIANDO MALLET

2018 Haut Médoc

Colour Red
Origin France, Bordeaux
Sub-district Haut Médoc
ABV 13.5%

This Sociando Mallet showed fantastically every time we tried it. Red and dark fruit with plenty of presence. Good weight, nice structure with vivid energy. Long finish. This is a real treat and will only improve with time in bottle. Drinking range: 2022 - 2033 L&S (Apr 2019)


Alternatively, we may well have some bottles in one of our shops - why not give us a call on 0207 244 0522 or send an email to: sales@leaandsandeman.co.uk.

Or, check the RELATED PRODUCTS below for different vintages or wines of a similar style.


Yes, it is slightly crazy to suggest drinking a Sociando Mallet now, when we all know how well it can age, but 2018 is a vintage that is full of rich damson and blackberry fruits, intense and concentrated, and one that begins to sing after three or four hours in a carafe. Lots of tannins, chocolate shavings and liquroice. You could also look for the 2nd wine, Demoiselle de Sociando Mallet, which wouldn't need a carafe. Drinking range: 2024 - 2038 Rating: 94 Jane Anson, Decanter (Oct 2021)

The 2018 Sociando Mallet, which comes wrapped in a resplendent 50th-anniversary label to celebrate the late Jean Gautreau’s acquisition of the estate, takes some time to really coalesce on the nose, eventually revealing boysenberry and mulberry scents and cedar and light earthy aromas. The palate is medium-bodied with supple tannins that belie the concentration of this Sociando-Mallet. Very cohesive, it delivers plenty of red fruit mixed with sous-bois and tobacco, though there is just a little more dryness on the finish than I was expecting. Give it 3–5 years in bottle if you can. Drinking range: 2023 - 2048 Rating: 93 Neal Martin, www.vinous.com (Mar 2021)

I like the blueberry, chocolate, blackcurrant and dark chocolate. Some tar and crushed lead pencil, too. Full body and firm, creamy tannins with a lovely texture and roundness. Extremely well polished and exciting. One of the best Sociandos in a long time. Drinking range: 2025 - Rating: 95 James Suckling, www.jamessuckling.com (Mar 2021)

Château Sociando Mallet

The first village as you travel north out of Saint Estèphe is Saint-Suerin-de-Cadourne, home to a small cluster of cru bourgeois, not the least of which is Château Sociando-Mallet commanding fine views over the River Gironde to the east of the village. In the early 17th Century it was the estate of a Basque family called Sossiondo, the other half of the name coming from naval captain Achille Mallet who married the owner in 1831. As with many Bordeaux estates, the late 19th and early 20th Centuries were not kind to Sociando-Mallet, so when local merchant Jean Gautreau happened upon it in 1969 it was in a sorry estate. Realising the potential, Jean bought the estate and owns it to this day. With only 5ha under vine, no cellar and the buildings in decay he had a lot to do. Vineyards were replanted, and plots were purchased from neighbours – today Sociando-Mallet, on various plots around the village spreads to 85ha – and the château and winery were refurbished and restored. The amount of Merlot in the blend has slowly risen over the years and now accounts for 47% of the vineyard alongside 48% Cabernet Sauvignon with a little Cabernet Franc; average vine age about 30 years. The wines of Sociando-Mallet were once relatively under-priced but demand for the wine has risen as more people have come to know it, although being from outside the famous Haut-Médoc villages and the 1855 classification keeps the price under some control. Quite robust wines.

This wine isn't currently part of a mixed case, but you can always browse our full selection of mixed cases here.
  • For full delivery details see our Delivery page.
  • We offer free nationwide* delivery for all orders over £150 with our own vans. We also offer an express delivery service for an additional charge.
  • Order & Collect from any of our 5 London shops. Order by Midnight for collection the next working day from 11am.
  • Private wine storage: we offer a full In Bond and Duty Paid private wine storage service - find out more here.

RELATED PRODUCTS

ORDER     COLLECT

ORDER ONLINE AND COLLECT FROM ONE OF OUR SHOPS