Oregon Pinot 2011 vs. 2012

Will Oregon Pinot Noir 2011 and 2012 be somewhat like the 1993 and the 1994?
The latter vintage gains the press hype but the earlier vintage is a more classic one that does better in the cellar.? Just wondering.

OK, a couple of caveats. First, I’m a believer in 2011. Second, I’m too young to have tasted the 93’s and 94’s on release and only have experience with them as mature wines. I’ve heard 94 was riper on release than 2012, but again, I can’t say from personal experience. But I think it’s a pretty good analogy. I’ve had some 93’s that aged beautifully and wouldn’t be disappointed if some of my 2011’s ended up being that good.

This is not a bad comparison, however my opinion is that 93 was a better year the 11. My Oregon wine experience began with 92, 93, 94 vintages of primarily Adelsheim, Archery Summit, Bethel Heights, Domaine Serene, Foris and Rex Hill as that was what the distributor I worked at sold. 1994 was easy money on release.

I must have purchased a dozen cases of the 94 Kings Ridge PN. Amazingly good qpr at wholesale.

Not quite a dozen, but that was a go to wine back then. My how times have changed in 20 years.
Drinking the '12s, cellaring the '10s & '11s.

Not to be an ass but many the folks who have met me from this board know that I don’t suffer from a lack of opinions and curtailing them is something I struggle with. 2011 is not like 1993 and 2012 is not like 1994. Their similarity is only of a cool, late developing vintage followed by what is increasingly becoming the perception of a warm vintage which 2012 was not (don’t go bringing up heat units and degree days) and 1994 was. 2011s do not, in general, have the darker fruit profile and rich, sauvage-y nature that the 93s brought to the table. There are more better wines in 2011 because, well, way more wine. 93 was cool but not insanely late and terrifying like 2011. 1994 was a very warm summer. Lots of young vine stuff got very ripe in the sultry summer sun. 2012 was not a warm summer. Maybe 3 or 4 days over 90. Much more mature vine stuff. Better vineyard management and wine making. 94s were generally flashy and many lacked acidity and/or tannin structure. Less of a big deal back then. The best 94s would not touch the best 2012s for quality and ageworthy capacity. 93 would likely be a heralded vintage would it happen now or in the future. 2011 would have been a disaster likely had the vintages been reversed.

Rambling. In summary. 1993 had many excellent if misunderstood wines and generally very few got aged to their pinnacle. 1994 was flashy, warm and see but many lauded examples were toast early on. 2011 has great successes beyond what the general public likely knows about but also horrible flops. 2012 is not a hot vintage. A ripe one for sure but not one of hot weather. The wines are darker toned but have the structure and acidity to withstand that. Best examples will blow past 20 years in fine shape.

I have not been reserved in expressing my fondness for the 2012s and I won’t stop until I feel it is not warranted. Anyone had the 2012 Bergstrom Bergstrom Vineyard? Mind blowingly good wine. Not trying to diss on the OP but having been around and had the wines I thought adding some old school perspective would be helpful.

What are you trying to say?

Very similar to my thoughts on the 93 vs. 2011 comparison. The OR Pinot biz (i.e.: experience, quality, techniques, size) has not stood still since '93.

If '06 was hot and '09 was extremely warm…I’d consider '12 to be very warm. Maybe there’s an “average warm/cool vintage” in OR but I’m not sure how to describe it. There are certainly some refreshing (and frightening) swings towards the edges.

Pretty sure Josh poured that '12 Bergstrom at IPNC. I bought some. Showing darker fruit, muscle and ripeness but a certain prettiness and still enough balance. It’s near the edge of my strike zone and a Pinot for the long haul.

RT