Sociando Mallet's renowned quality and exceptional value have made it a treasure trove among seasoned wine lovers. Perhaps most notably, it was awarded second place in the 1982 Grand Jury Europeen, beating out 100 Bordeaux red wines and only losing to Château Pichon Lalande. The 1996 vintage even took first place! Since then, its fame has remained undiminished, fueled by years of high reviews from major wine critics.

The winery was founded in 1633 by a local nobleman, Sossiondo. Whether due to a similarity or a misinterpretation, the name later became Sociando. In 1831, the owner, Marie-Elisabeth Alaret, married a sailor, Achille Mallet, and the family name was added, becoming Sociando Mallet. In 1969, Jean Gautreau took over the estate. At the time, the estate was in dire straits, with only five hectares of vineyards remaining and the buildings in disrepair. However, Jean had a keen eye for the terroir, believing that its high proportion of gravel allowed for a higher proportion of Cabernet Sauvignon to be grown than in the Haut Médoc. Today, the winery has grown to over 80 hectares and is managed by his daughter, Sylvie. In fact, the vineyards are very similar to Saint-Éstère-Montrose, so wine critics often describe it as having Saint-Éstère notes. Robert Parker even called it a "low-brow Latour/Montrose" and called it one of the most age-resistant Bordeaux wines.

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