1962 Wine

1962 Wine

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The 1962 vintage belongs to the line of great Bordeaux classics, long eclipsed by the legend of 1961. A warm, dry May encouraged even flowering, and a season with little rain ripened a plentiful, healthy crop: the 1962 reds are balanced, with acidity that has preserved their freshness, and are now reaching full maturity. The Médoc produced the clearest successes, exemplified by Château Latour 1962, while Sauternes reached a rare high point in a year for sweet wines considered superior to 1961, exemplified by Château d'Yquem 1962. Burgundy rounds out the picture with reds of great finesse and whites ranked among the decade’s finest. To see where 1962 stands among the vintages of its era, consult our Vintage Guide.

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Our article on the 1962 vintage

Our article on the 1962 vintage
Bordeaux classified growths

Bordeaux classified growths
Our vintage guide

Our vintage guide
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The FAQ

Was 1962 a good vintage?

Yes, 1962 was a very good vintage that remained under the radar because it followed the legendary 1961. A hot, dry May ensured even flowering, and a season with little rain produced a healthy, abundant harvest. In Bordeaux, the reds were balanced from the outset, with acidity that helped preserve them: the Médoc produced the most consistently good wines, such as Château Lynch-Bages, while Sauternes enjoyed one of its finest years of the decade. These wines are now fully mature and are best chosen for their finesse rather than their power.

Is a 1962 wine a good gift idea?

A 1962 wine is a meaningful gift to commemorate a birth year, a wedding anniversary, or an important date. Produced more than six decades ago, it has now reached maturity and offers a moving tasting experience, provided you choose a well-preserved bottle. The great growths of the Médoc and the sweet wines of Sauternes are the safest choices for a gift that has stood the test of time. Every bottle in our cellar comes with carefully documented provenance and has been stored under controlled conditions, offering reassurance for a wine of this age.

Which 1962 wines should you choose today?

With a vintage that has now reached maturity, careful selection matters more than reputation alone. Well-preserved Bordeaux classified growths from the Médoc remain the most reliable reds, alongside the sweet wines of Sauternes, which rank among the vintage’s finest. Burgundy lovers should look first to the white wines, which were exceptionally successful that year, and the finest Pinot Noirs of the Côte de Nuits. Before buying any bottle more than sixty years old, check its fill level, wine color, and label condition.

The 1962 vintage: a great classic to rediscover, long overshadowed by 1961

The 1962 vintage holds a special place among postwar years: an honest, elegant classic that had the misfortune of following one of the century’s most legendary vintages. The contrast in conditions explains it all: where 1961 produced a very small, highly concentrated crop, 1962 yielded a plentiful, healthy harvest, helped by a warm spring and a dry growing season. The result is less showy but wonderfully balanced wines, with acidity that gave them a longevity few expected. More than sixty years later, 1962 lives up to its promise: mature reds, sweet wines at their peak and white Burgundies that rank among the decade’s finest.

Bordeaux 1962 — Classic, easy-drinking reds now at maturity

In Bordeaux, 1962 is a classic vintage, in the spirit of the great traditional years before winery modernization. The harvest was plentiful and healthy, and the summer’s lack of rain concentrated the ripe grapes without pushing them to extremes. The resulting wines are not about power: they appeal through their balance, freshness and now-mellow tannins, with tertiary aromas of tobacco, forest floor and leather. The Médoc, the most consistent area, produced the year’s clearest successes.

On the Left Bank, Château Léoville Las Cases and Château Montrose are among the vintage’s reliable choices, alongside Château Pichon Longueville Baron and Château Gruaud-Larose, all recognized by critics as offering some of the year’s best value for drinking pleasure. Château Latour, mentioned earlier, remains the benchmark wine of the vintage. On the Right Bank, the finest terroirs of Pomerol and Saint-Émilion round out the picture, though their bottles now call for careful selection, one by one.

Cellaring potential: well-preserved Médoc grand crus are ready to drink now; check the fill level and color, and briefly decant the firmer reds.

Sauternes 1962 — Sweet wines at their peak, surpassing even 1961

Sauternes is where 1962 reaches its full potential. After a dry summer, well-timed rains triggered the development of botrytis, the noble rot that concentrates the grapes and gives sweet wines their richness and complexity. Unusually, the year was generous in both quantity and quality, and most observers rate it above 1961 for sweet wines. The 1962 Sauternes combine richness, notes of honey, candied citrus and spice, and acidity that has carried them beautifully through the decades.

Château d’Yquem, mentioned earlier, produced a generous wine that has become a benchmark for the vintage. Alongside it, the classified growths of the Sauternes appellation, such as Château Rabaud-Promis, a Premier Cru Classé, offer a more accessible introduction to older sweet wines, with a mellow texture and aromas of candied apricot and wax. They are among the year’s most reliable age-worthy wines for anyone seeking a bottle that is both old and dependable.

Cellaring potential: at their peak, the sweet wines of 1962 are among the vintage’s most reliable choices; serve chilled after a brief decanting.

Burgundy 1962 — Reds of great finesse, whites among the decade’s finest

Burgundy, too, enjoyed an excellent 1962, long overshadowed by the brilliance of 1961. A late start and slow ripening, culminating in an October harvest, produced elegant, distinguished reds of great finesse, described by critics as easy-drinking and perfectly balanced. These are not powerful wines, but the best, from the great terroirs of the Côte de Nuits, have stood the test of time remarkably well.

The whites, above all, set the vintage apart: the Burgundy grand crus of 1962 are described by Decanter as probably the finest whites of the entire decade, born of a small, concentrated harvest and fine acidity. For reds, Domaine de la Romanée-Conti remains the benchmark for an exceptional Pinot Noir from the year, provided its provenance and fill level are checked scrupulously.

Cellaring potential: drink the whites without delay, choosing only impeccable bottles; for reds, limit purchases to grand crus from the most reliable estates.

Champagne 1962 — A great vintage declared by the leading houses

Champagne counts 1962 among its great vintage years. After a long winter and a spring disrupted by storms, summer turned the season around and allowed the grapes to ripen well. The leading houses declared the vintage, a sign of their confidence in the wines’ quality and aging potential. Over time, 1962 Champagnes have developed the complexity of mature wines, with notes of dried fruit, brioche and honey.

From Krug to Louis Roederer, by way of Bollinger, Veuve Clicquot and Dom Pérignon, the 1962 vintage cuvées are among the bottles most prized by collectors of Champagne. A Champagne of this age calls for reliable provenance and impeccable storage: when verified and inspected, these bottles offer a rare experience to save for special occasions.

Cellaring potential: for knowledgeable enthusiasts only; buy only a bottle with an impeccable fill level and color, and drink it without leaving it lying down for too long.

Rhône and age-worthy wines of 1962 — Hermitage leads the way, with fine Armagnacs and Ports

In the Rhône Valley, 1962 ranks among the good years for the northern Rhône. On the granite slopes of the north, Syrah ripened steadily, producing wines of moderate structure but good staying power, with black fruit, olive and spice notes. The Hermitage appellation leads the field, ahead of a more robust Côte-Rôtie, in reds that should now be opened without delay.

Finally, the 1962 vintage shines through its other age-worthy wines. The year’s fine Armagnacs, unaffected by the quality of grapes destined for winemaking, are among the most reliable and highly rated spirits of 1962: made for long aging, they suit both gifting and the cellar. Meanwhile, the Ports of the Douro, aged for years in cask, offer an accessible and reliable introduction to old wines, with notes of walnut, coffee and dried fruit.

Cellaring potential: Hermitage and Côte-Rôtie are ready to drink now; Armagnacs and Ports are in no hurry and can withstand long-term cellaring.

Buy a 1962 wine from SoDivin

A 1962 wine is for the enthusiast seeking the emotion of a mature classic rather than a show of power: a distinguished Médoc chosen with care, a Sauternes among the decade’s finest, a white Burgundy of rare finesse or, for the cellar, a fine age-worthy Armagnac. Every bottle in our 1962 selection is assessed by experts, checked for authenticity and provenance, then stored in optimal conditions before shipping. Same-day shipping for orders placed before 2 p.m., careful and secure packaging, and high-definition photographs to help you choose. To compare vintages and refine your choice, see the SoDivin Vintage Guide.

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