Château Sociando-Mallet - Haut-Médoc 2017

Bettane & Desseauve

About the estate:

A leading figure in the Médoc, Jean Gautreau is one of the architects of the region’s wine renaissance. Respected by his peers, he has elevated Sociando-Mallet to the status of a classified growth, significantly expanding the vineyard since his purchase in 1969. Today, of the estate’s 85 hectares, some 50 meet the standards of a third- or even second-growth classified wine. Assisted by his daughter, Jean Gautreau is one of the few owners who personally oversees the winemaking process. These are benchmark wines, with an inimitable character and identity. Medoc at their core, they always exhibit great finesse. The estate now features a guesthouse, Villa Sociando, located at the Port de la Maréchale, 3 kilometers from the estate.

Guide Hachette des vins

About the wine:

This vintage is one of the last produced by Jean Gautreau. A superb expression of the appellation, it is a true wine for aging, yet already very enjoyable. Both its bouquet, which harmoniously blends ripe fruit and wood, and its full-bodied, long finish, featuring dense, well-integrated tannins that blend beautifully with the fruit’s most appealing aromas. 2024–2030

About the estate:

In the 17th century, it was a noble estate belonging to a Basque family, the Sossiandos. Confiscated during the Revolution, it has had several owners. At the end of the last century, Jean Gautreau recognized its potential. A broker at Miailhe, he founded his own company in the late 1950s to sell wines in the Benelux region. A client asked him to find a property with excellent terroir. He discovered Sociando-Mallet: overlooking the estuary, a superb gravelly hilltop on a clay subsoil. Since the client did not follow through, he bought it for himself in 1969, restructured it, expanded it (originally 5 ha, now 82), and built a winery. Unclassified, it is one of the key estates in the appellation, now run by Sylvie, daughter of Jean Gautreau, who passed away in 2019

Robert Parker - Wine Advocate

About the estate:

RVF - La Revue du Vin de France / Guide des Meilleurs Vins de France

About the wine:

The 2017 vintage is pleasant, refined, fresh, and well-balanced. A fairly approachable Sociando.

About the estate:

Sociando-Mallet is a well-known brand that has won the hearts of true wine lovers. Many vintages from this lovely estate in the northern Médoc are on par with top-tier classified growths. Jean Gautreau, who spent half a century building Sociando-Mallet, passed away in late 2019, passing the torch to his daughter Sylvie. Widely available in France and Belgium, the wine remains a safe bet and, above all, offers consistently excellent value for money. A major replanting project was initiated about ten years ago, forcing the estate to produce wines with a higher Merlot content. They possess more roundness, but likely less character. We no longer quite find the magical brilliance of the 1982, 1990, or 1996 vintages, which remain benchmarks.

Wine Enthusiast

About the wine:

Generous, well-crafted, with refined tannins; it lacks a bit of depth in the mid-palate compared to the top wines, but it’s a lovely example of a Médoc style. I highly recommend it!

James Suckling

About the wine:

Lovely freshness and plenty of vibrancy. Medium-bodied with firm, juicy tannins. A bit soft right now, but it will only improve with a little bottle aging. Excellent for the vintage. Best after 2021.

Le Figaro vins

About the wine:

Juicy, fruity, elegant, with a long finish, supple tannins, and great character.

Yves Beck

About the wine:

What a rich bouquet this Sociando has—I detect notes of red berries, spices, and a hint of mocha. The attack is fruity and well-structured. On the palate, the wine is characterized by the freshness of its structure and its tannins. These tannins have the substance needed to balance the wine’s liveliness while also lending fullness to the entire palate. Good aromatic intensity from the first sip. A fruity and lingering finish. A truly beautiful Sociando-Mallet. 2023–2034