Chateau Sociando-Mallet 2017 Haut-Medoc  (375ml)《FH069A》

Château Sociando-Mallet is in the commune of Saint-Seurin-de-Cadourne, ten kilometres north of Pauillac, in the Haut-Médoc appellation. A document dating from March 1633 refers to land here belonging to an aristocrat of Basque origin named Sociondo. A member of his family was Bishop of Bayonne. Another document, from 1750 mentions vines belonging to Demoiselle Anne de Sossiondo. Due to various misspellings over the years, "Sossiondo" became "Sociando".

The archives show that Guillaume de Brochon, a royalist solicitor who lived at Sociando, was arrested during the French Revolution in 1793. His estate was impounded, sold at auction by the revolutionary government, and acquired by his father-in-law, Jean Lamothe.

In 1831, Marie-Elisabeth Alaret, Lamothe's niece and owner of Sociando, married Achille Mallet, a naval officer. As it was the custom at the time to add one's name to an estate, the château was thereafter known as Sociando-Mallet.

The Alaret family owned Sociando-Mallet until 1878, when it came into the hands of Léon Simon.

Between then and the arrival of Jean Gautreau, the château belonged to: the wine merchant firm of Delor, Louis Roullet (Mayor of Saint-Seurin), and then Emile Tereygeol, who also owned Pontoise-Cabarrus at that time.

Château Sociando-Mallet produces full-bodied wines with a deep, dark colour. Their complex bouquet is usually dominated by black fruit aromas with a touch of minerality and well-integrated, elegant oak. Often somewhat "virile" when young, the wines gain in balance and complexity with age. They are fresh, straightforward, and have a wonderful length.

Château Sociando-Mallet has always been a wine with great ageing potential. A wine to be enjoyed even after 30 years in great vintages.

【James Suckling 93 pts】

Freshness and brightness to this. Medium to full body with firm, juicy tannins. A little chewy now, but will come around nicely with bottle age. Excellent for the vintage. 

【Vinous 91 pts】

The 2017 Sociando-Mallet has turned out well. Pliant and supple on the palate, the 2017 has quite a bit of aromatic complexity as well. I would prefer to drink it on the young side given its mid-weight structure. The 2017 is not quite as overt as it was en primeur, but it is impeccably balanced and very nicely done.Cool savory accents round out the finish.