A.G. has expressed concerns: over-production, larger sized berries, skin to juice ratios lower. Is 2012 really going to be the best vintage since 2007?
Larry Schaffer gets credit for questioning this vintage first, long ago, as being over hyped. I think he was more politically correct “we’ll see”.
My doubts started in 2011. ![[snort.gif]](/uploads/db3686/original/2X/b/bdc3944606213c4dca6c1169cf0a166c8bc4f8c9.gif "snort.gif"){kind=small}
My impression of the 2012 Paso Robles Vintage:
A solid vintage that shows good richness, depth and weight on the palate. Good acidity, but not particularly delineated or precise. Approachable with good aromatics, but less focus than 2010, 2011 or even 2013 (from my one barrel sample). Rounder and fleshier than 2010 and 2011, but still retains some freshness.
Quality producers created wines with good structure and texture. These are balanced and expressive, but not “profound”. Some will cellar mid-term and most will benefit from another year or so in bottle but these are more near term drinkers I believe as they will hold, but not necessarily “improve” with extended aging.
I believe 2013 will be a better vintage with a better combination of precision and richness, but 2012 is a good year nonetheless. I personally think the 2010 was a great year and several producers in Paso Robles made very good wines in 2011. For my palate, 2010 is still the recent vintage to beat - but 2013 might do it. We’ll see.
Note: My initial impression of 2012 last year in barrel was that it had the potential to be truly great vintage. I think it’s sheer charm and approachability created the sense that it would be excellent. Tasting since that point has tempered some of that enthusiasm.
Well, 2012 in Napa is an really excellent. Easily the best since 2007, for my tastes. That being said, now that things are in bottle, it is not a candidate for being up there with 2001 and 2002 or 1994 or 1991. But it’s not far behind them.
AG is completely correct about lower skin to juice ratios. Crops were large and more importantly, the skins were thinner than most outstanding vintages. I am not sure how much this actually reduces its quality, though. Many just did larger saignees to equalize skin to juice. It just means the wines are not massive and extremely full-bodied and have a bit less concentration that the uber-great vintages. They remind me of the styles of top Cabs from the mid-90s, which I really liked!
But 2012 creams 2008, 2009, 2010 and 2011, for me. At least for Cab.
Roy, any comments on 2013 vs. 2012? Thx.
Do you feel like the 2012 and 2013 is going to be like Bordeaux 2009 and 2010? Bordeaux '09 seemed like it was the all-super-awesome-vintage-of-the-past-millenium … and then 2010 came out and people had to admit under their breath “gee, this one is kinda-sorta-better … well … better if you’re in to ‘aging’ wines and ‘structure’ and ‘balance’ …” …
Don’t get me wrong - I’m lining up money for the California 2012s … but I’m also wondering if I shouldn’t be sparing a few dollars to buy more 2013? (And I know the typical WB answer: “buy both!”)
I’ll go out there and speak from my own Napa Cab world. What a joy 2012 was to farm, to taste from the tank, to enjoy as it went to barrel. Each barrel tasting was easy and smooth, and so far, the early results from bottle (60 days into its infancy) are that this is an easy vintage to like. I happen to like reliability. 2007 has had few “temper tantrum” outings over time (by far) than most vintages. My sense is that 2012 is from the same family. I am just starting to show it, and I am certain that our friends here will report back - that you can count on.
2013, at less than a year in barrel, is a bit more temperamental. It wowed me upon going to barrel, but has shown some inconsistency since. More ins and outs; more variability. I did taste from each of my barrels just yesterday, and right now they are in a very, very good place. Such prominent fruit, and already elegance in the mouthfeel and finish. I went very easy on the new French oak. 75 days ago it was harder to decipher, and honestly, harder to like.
I’m going to go out there and say, from here, with my limited view, 2012 has got it going on. 2013 has it going on in a different way, and has yet to truly reveal itself.
Merrill, very neat vintage perspective, thx for sharing your firsthand experience. Aside from variability do you find 2013 to have similar potential to 2012 or other “easy” vintages?
Great time to be a fan of Napa Cab, that’s for sure!
Alex - I am not sure at this time. The flavors are there, as I said, and the mouthfeel and finish are extraordinary. This is a very tiny sample size - my own farm to production. Other growers’/winemakers’/vintners’ experiences may vary (though my experience, overall, tells me not by much).
If you are in the Napa area in the next 8-10 months, give a holler and we can taste barrel by barrel together. I have the samples pulled at the winery, and I taste them in depth at my home later in the day. Usually I have some one or two join me, but that was not the case yesterday. And it was time, because I am in for an early harvest.
Right now, I would give a nod to 2012 over 2013. This is not a commercial consideration, as I have already offered out both my 2012 “regular” and Special Selection.
In Sonoma I am starting to think that the 11 (“bad year”) are much more to my palate then 12 (“Great year”). My 11 Pinot collection is growing while my 12 is shrinking.
I tell my customers, as I explain vintage differences: if all you want is to drink the same wine, night after night, year after year, just find one you like, back up the truck, fill your cellar, and be done with it. If you want to learn about wine, if you want to increase your understanding of it and all that goes into its production, then check out all the vintages. Of course you get to “vote” with your wallet. But each vintage is unique, each vineyard and wine produced has its own signature.
+1
Very well said!!
Many of the 2012 California wines that I have just finished tasting for the upcoming issue are disappointing.
I respect your opinion Doug (maybe not enough to drop off lists should someone get a negative review, but it certainly impacts the new wines I try based on the good ones!) - can’t wait to read about it - when’s the issue release?
I think we first need to quantify what ‘great vintage’ means to each individual. I really loved 2006 when compared with 2007 (same for 2002, 2004, 2005, 2009 and 2010), but that’s just me. If the 2012s start behaving anything like 2007 I will run for zee hills. I have tasted almost if not all of Mike Smiths wines so far with astounding results. There has been no more of an exciting time to be a Napa Cabernet lover in my memory (33 years wine) than now. I am giddy. 
I tasted a fair amount of 2012’s in the barrel and since in the bottle. I think it is an excellent vintage, the best since 2007 in California. I think 2012 allowed the wineries to make the kinds of wines they like to make. Starting with the whites as they came out, I thought they were great. The reds have also been great. It was a rare vintage that had high quality and high yields. It happens. I know some people disagree. Each to their own.
Disclaimer, we make a small amount of wine (less than I buy). From my perspective our 2012 Whitehawk is the best we have had since we started in 2009. Our 2012 Halcon was impressive, but since it is the first year we bought grapes from Paul, I have no comparison. I was psyched with both wines from the time I saw the grapes in the parking lot at the winery (we don’t go into the vineyard). We are making two wines, and they are both great in my biased opinion.
The thing about 2012 is the wines can be deceiving. They appear soft and accessible on opening. Yet, with air they put on weight and structure and I believe are built for the long haul. I have left many open for 2 or 3 days and been amazed at how they developed over that time.
In every great vintage there are detractors. For some its a matter of personal taste or style, and that’s fair. For others, I think they are just trying to distance themselves from the crowd and show how much they know that others don’t.
As for 2013, I think its more concentrated and yields down from 2012. Still, another great vintage. An apt comparison might be 09 vs 10 in Bordeaux.
JM2C.