1999 Sociando-Mallet

"A great cabernet year, very complex, a great vintage," says proprietor Jean Gautreau, adding that the infant 2000 resembles the '82 at this stage. Grape sugars were actually a bit lower in '00 than in '99, but the sugar levels in the various lots were more consistent in 2000. Sociando-Mallet relies on short pruning to keep yields reasonable, as Gautreau eschews green harvesting. Although Gautreau experimented with reverse osmosis in both '98 and '99, in 2000 he used only saignee to concentrate the must. "Osmose inverse takes the place of chaptalization; it simply to raise alcohol. But this was unnecessary in 2000," Gautreau explained.

This first-rate estate has been on a roll in recent years, having produced a stunning '96 and highly successful wines in both '98 and '99. Proprietor Jean Gautreau considers the '99 "one of the more aromatic, elegant vintages at Sociando," though its very dark color and strong underlying structure indicate it will age slowly. Although the estate prefers to use the saignee method to concentrate the must, it experimented with reverse osmosis in '98 and used this technique in '99 as well. "But it wasn't as necessary in '99 since the merlot was so ripe," notes vineyard manager Vincent Faura, adding that the merlot harvest began here quite early, on September 13.