
Château Sociando-Mallet is located 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".
Jean Gautreau discovered Sociando-Mallet when looking for a wine estate to buy on behalf of a Belgian client. It was love at first sight, despite the fact that the property was in a sorry state. However, the terroir was excellent and the domain afforded a magnificent view overlooking the Gironde Estuary. There were only 5 hectares of vines at the time. The buildings were in bad shape and there was no barrel cellar – just a small vat room and garage. With help and advice from Gérard Cler, a previous employee at the château, Jean Gautreau made an acceptable first vintage and a superb second one. He was helped by the fact that Sociando-Mallet's extraordinary terroir, consisting of Günz gravel with clay subsoil, is propitious to growing excellent Cabernet Sauvignon and producing wines with wonderful freshness. Jean Gautreau expanded the vineyard year after year by buying vines from his neighbors. Seeking the best possible quality, he also renovated the estate’s buildings, built a barrel cellar, and gradually improved the choice of grape varieties, matching the appropriate ones to each vineyard plot.
Today, the property stretches over a total of 120 hectares, of which 83 are under vine. Jean Gautreau sold his négociant business in 2000 to focus on managing his wine estate. He passed away in October 2019, leaving his daugther and only child Sylvie the property she had been managing since 2015. She favours viticultural methods close to nature, following in her father’s footsteps, with the same love and respect of the land. She can be found participating in the various technical tastings and choosing the blend with her team.
Sociando Mallet Haut-Medoc is made from 53% Merlot, 46% Cabernet Sauvignon and 1% Cabernet Franc.
Château Sociando-Mallet produces full-bodied wines with a deep, dark color. The complex bouquet is dominated by red and black fruit aromas with a touch of minerality, floral and spicy notes. Fresh, harmonious and nicely balanced in the mouth with a solid tannic structure and good acidity that promises a long aging potential. The mid-palate is pleasant with a nice density of fruit. A silky and fruity finish.
Red meat, dishes in sauce, poultry, strong goat or cow cheeses.
Boekenhoutskloof Syrah Swartland is made from 100 percent Syrah.
Grapes for our Boekenhoutskloof Syrah are picked from selected parcels of the finest Syrah, grown at our Swartland farms, namely Porseleinberg and Goldmine, close to the small town of Riebeek-Kasteel. These vineyards were planted on the rocky bedrock of decomposed Mica-Schist, a unique terroir, finding its expression in our concentrated and structured wines made from this Rhône grape.
The nose is perfumed, forthcoming and fresh, offering an array of rich dark fruits with a spicy, floral, even feral character, derived from complex aromas of dark berries, plums, violets, black olives, star anise and potting soil. The black fruits and earthy character of the nose follow through onto a dark, brooding palate with flavours of wild berries, brambles, liquorice, tobacco, cloves and black cardamom. The mid-palate is concentrated, deep, dense and slightly dusty, with dry, very fine cocoa-powdery tannins lending structure. The wine is very precise, with a medium to full body, a tight, grainy texture and vibrant acidity to balance. Blackberries, blueberries and notes of garrigue and dark chocolate linger on a savoury finish.
Review:
Using fruit from two exceptional Swartland sources – Goldmine and mostly Porseleinberg – this foudre-aged Syrah is fresh, subtle and intensely aromatic, as schist Syrahs often tend to be. Complex, floral and refined with remarkable freshness and palate length. Drink: 2020-2028.
– Tim Atkin MW, 95/100
Turley Kirschenmann Vineyard Zinfandel is made from 100 percent Zinfandel.
Organically farmed, own-rooted, head-trained and dry-farmed vines planted in 1915 in the silica-rich sandy soils of the east side of the Mokelumne River AVA. Marking the 10th vintage of this wine, bright ripe red fruits, raspberry preserves, and white pepper burst forth from the glass. Precise on the palate like a perfectly seasoned piece of meat, with more red berries and a sumptuously complex texture.
Review:
The 2023 Zinfandel Kirschenmann Vineyard is one of the best wines I have tasted from this site, as it has more textural depth and resonance than is typically the case. As always, the Kirschenmann Zinfandel is aromatic and lifted. In 2023, it is a bit more complex and nuanced than it often is. Bright red-toned fruit and floral overtones linger. This is such a pretty wine.
Vinous 92-94 Points