The Tb points given to this wine are the world’s most valid and most up-to-date evaluation of the quality of the wine. Tastingbook points are formed by the Tastingbook algorithm which takes into account the wine ratings of the world's best-known professional wine critics, wine ratings by thousands of tastingbook’s professionals and users, the generally recognised vintage quality and reputation of the vineyard and winery. Wine needs at least five professional ratings to get the Tb score. Tastingbook.com is the world's largest wine information service which is an unbiased, non-commercial and free for everyone.
Wine Description
The Story
The property is located 10km north of Pauillac in the Haut-Medoc and has since grown to 85 hectares. With overall plantings of 48% Cabernet Sauvignon, 47% Merlot and 5% Cabernet Franc and an average vine age of over 30 years, Sociando-Mallet has gained a reputation as one of the finest Haut-Medoc wines outside of the 1855 Bordeaux classification. 100% hand-harvested, the grapes are fermented using natural yeasts and, post-fermentation, are aged for over 12 months in all new French oak barrels.
With vines growing on gravel slopes lying over a clay sub-soil, Sociando-Mallet is characterised by great freshness, persistence and structure.
Grape Variety: 48% Cabernet Sauvignon, 47% Merlot And 5% Cabernet France
Vintage 1962
Bordeaux Vintage Report by Tb / If 1962 was also a fabulous year, it fell irrevocably in the shadow of 1961. The cold winter, with its biting frosts, allowed the vines to get a well-deserved rest after their hard work in 1961. The growing season started three weeks late. When the vines finally sprouted in mid-June, the weather improved. Toward fall, the weather warmed measurably, with the resulting drought ultimately having a negative impact on the vines. The few bountiful September harvests arrived just in time to save the grapes from vine wilting. The harvest, which resulted in the largest harvest of the 1950s and 1960s, did not begin until October 1. Few people believed that the vintage would be as good as it became. An excellent vintage for dry whites, reds and Sauternes. As for Sauternes, the year 1962 is clearly better than that of 1961. The best reds were Cheval Blanc, Pétrus and Mouton-Rothschild. A common characteristic of the best wines from 1962 today is their serene and balanced appearance. Only a few show real body and complexity, but they work well especially as dinner wines, also because of their excellent availability and affordability. Even the best wines should not be decanted for more than an hour.