Chateau Sociando Mallet Haut Medoc Bordeaux Wine

 

Chateau Sociando Mallet, Haut Medoc, Bordeaux wine producer profile, with wine tasting notes, wine ratings, a history of the property, information on wine making and terroir, along with wine tasting reviews. If you want to read about other important, Bordeaux Chateaux: Links to all Bordeaux Wine Producer Profiles

Sociando Mallet takes its name from two previous owners. A nobleman known as Sociando held the property in 1633 and over a century later, the second part of the estates name came from a captain in navy named Mallet. The modern era of Sociando Mallet began in 1969, when it was purchased by Jean Gautreau.

When Gautreau purchased Sociando Mallet, the property had fallen into poor conditions in both the facilities and Bordeaux wine vineyards. Gautreau expanded and replanted the vineyards and remodeled the wine making facilities adding new temperature controlled stainless vats and repairing the older concrete vats.

The Bordeaux wine vineyard is located next to the Gironde on gravel based soils. It’s planted to 55% Cabernet Sauvignon and 40% Merlot with the balance taken up by Cabernet Franc and Petit Verdot.

Most Bordeaux wine estates believe in green harvesting to control yields and add concentration. But that is not the case with Sociando Mallet. They have some of the highest yields in the entire region at close to 80 hectoliters per hectare. Jean Gautreau prefers to allow nature to decide on the level of the yields. Those high yields are part of what gives the wine its rustic and often green character, as well as its charm.

in 1995, Sociando Mallet produced a special wine, Sociando-Mallet Cuvee Jean Gautreau. The wine was made from a barrel selection. Gautreau pulled eighty barrels from over 1,500. Those barrels were aged separately. Then, out of those 80, Gautreau pulled what he considered the top 15 barrels. Those 300 cases were bottled for his own use. When he discovered he was running out of room, the wines were sold in the market place.

On average, the estate produces close to 25,000 cases per year of Sociando Mallet. The estate also makes a second wine. La Demoiselle de Sociando Mallet.

Sociando Mallet is one of the most popular of the classified Cru Bourgeois Bordeaux wines. Until recently, they held a reputation for selling their Bordeaux wine at low prices. The wine has a distinctive rustic, brawny style that appeals to some tasters more than others.

www.sociandomallet.com