2012

BORDEAUX 2012 Vintage Report by Château Palmer:

The main characteristic of the 2012 vintage is that of a remarkable contrast between spring, summer and the beginning of autumn.

In spring, abundant precipitation from April to June is well above average.
This cool and humid weather caused late but heterogeneous budburst. Flowering also has the same characteristics. It starts much later and lasts longer compared to the previous vintage. Ta...

The 2012 Bordeaux vintage report.

The 2012 Bordeaux vintage is a year for vineyard management and workers. Call it a winemakers vintage, or change your tune and call it vineyard managers vintage. Either descriptor works perfectly. Wineries with the financial capacity to take the necessary measures in the vineyards during the season, coupled with the willingness to severely downgrade unripe grapes, will produce the best wines. Even then, it will be a difficult vintage with small quantities of wine. From start to finish, the 2012 Bordeaux vegetative season and harvest were stressful for the winemakers, the vines and with the grapes being vinified, the winemakers.

The 2012 Bordeaux vintage did not get off to a good start. After a cold winter and a wet spring, the April rains soaked the Bordeaux wine region. After the April rains, there were outbreaks of mildew, which required spraying. The month of May was warmer than April. Things calmed down a bit in June. All this resulted in late and uneven flowering. This resulted in small clusters of berries that ripened at different times, lowering quantities and requiring serious work in the vines and intensive sorting at harvest.

Although a growing season is never over until it is, uneven flowering never bodes well. Late flowering pushed back the entire vintage by 2 to 3 weeks, depending on the château. Generally speaking, late harvests are not generally a harbinger of good things to come.

If everything that happened up to the end of June didn't offer what happened next offered additional challenges with the 2012 Bordeaux vintage. After an average July, Bordeaux experienced a heat wave torrid weather and drought in August and September which stressed the vines, particularly the young vines. At one point, temperatures soared to 42 degrees Celsius, or 107 degrees! Other days crossed 100 degrees. It was extremely hot and dry. The vines stopped and the vintage was on track to be even later than expected. Towards the end of September, things improved with the much-hoped-for combination of warm days, cool nights and desperately needed rain, which helped nourish the vines. The first few days of October offered reasonably warm temperatures during the day, coupled with cooler weather at night for growers with Merlot ready to pick.

In the Médoc, you had to hurry and wait. Tom Petty could have exploded with “Waiting is The Hardest Part” because producers had to wait because Cabernet Sauvignon had difficulty maturing. It was already October. Conventional wisdom says that at one point there was little to gain by waiting and more to lose, so the 2012 Bordeaux harvest began to take place. Some estates began picking young Merlot in late September, but most held back until around October 1, and a few producers waited a week or more. Most growers brought in all their fruit by mid-October.

Pomerol is usually the first appellation to harvest, due to their Merlot dominated vines. It is interesting to note that the picking took place simultaneously on the left bank on October 1st. Many properties in Pessac Léognan started their harvest before Pomerol. Château Haut Brion began work on their young Merlot vines on September 17th and Château Haut Bailly was not far behind, with a start date of September 27th. Most castles were in the thick of things on October 4, although Domaine de Chevalier waited until October 8.

While the pleasant, cooler weather was initially forecast to continue, on October 8 things changed quickly when massive amounts of rain fell across the entire Bordeaux region. With accompanying temperatures in the mid-60s and higher in some areas, winemakers were concerned about the potential for Botrytis, due to the humid tropical conditions. At this point, the fruit had to be picked, regardless of the state of ripeness. Like last year with the 2011 Bordeaux vintage, maturation was uneven. It wasn't just the bunches that weren't ripening, individual grapes in bunches reached varying degrees of ripeness, making sorting more important than ever. Optical sorting was used more than ever with the 2012 Bordeaux harvest.

2012 was beset by unusual weather that didn’t spare the vines! A mild winter, spring-like March, cool spring with frosts, summer-like May, cooler, wetter June, a variable summer with heatwaves, hail and storms… Because of the cold damp spring, some of the vine flowers didn’t set and form fruit, there was millerandage (where the flowers aren’t fully fertilised and give small berries) and high pressure from mildew and odium. Temperatures went right up during the short periods, over-heating and scorching the berries. This weather caused a significant fall in yields, without, however, impacting on the quality of the grapes, as well spread out bunches with small berries guarantee concentration and intensity.
All in all, the grapes achieved good ripeness in aromas and good sugar to acidity balance. The white wines are characterised by their finesse and concentration. The reds set themselves apart with their lovely colours, ripe and silky tannins and their harmonious mouthfeel

The next most exceptional vintage since 2008. A truly difficult growing season saw severe frosts in the winter. March brought warmth but early budbreak made the vines vulnerable to spring frosts. Overall, the early growing season was wet, and mildew became a serious issue. However, conditions improved dramatically in the later summer months. An August heatwave resulted in a rapid accumulation of sugar, but fortunately the nights remained cool, which helped to preserve acidity. Although yields were low (averaging at 9,210 kg/ha) due to frost, hail and disease early in the season, the 2012 harvest was exemplary in its maturity, acidity and grape health. A rare high acid, high sugar September harvest with impeccable concentration of flavour and refreshing vibrancy. Pinot Noir is the superstar of the vintage, though Pinot Meunier excelled too. A vintage that promises great longevity for the finest cuvées, it was widely declared by producers. However, Krug decided to invest in its reserve wines on this great year, and no Vintage was produced. The quality of 2012 is universally high, with the greatest releases so far including Louis Roederer Cristal and Cristal Rosé, Bollinger La Grande Année and La Grande Année Rosé, as well as Perrier-Jouët Belle Epoque Rosé.

Lower-than-average yields in Australia, as across much of Europe. This was blamed on high winds, drought and low fruitfulness resulting from the poor 2011 vintage. Quality, however, was much better than in the exceptionally damp 2011, with South Australia avoiding some of the weather extremes experienced by other states. Strong varietal typicality is a commonly cited feature of the 2012 crop.

SPAIN 2012 VINTAGE REPORT

The Control Board has given the 2012 Rioja vintage the official rating of ‘VERY GOOD’. The global rating reflects the heterogeneous nature of the vintage. The drought affected both grape volume and grape quality in some vineyards but also resulted in a significant quantity of wine of extremely high quality, in line with the wines of the two previous vintages, both rated ‘excellent’.

In general, Rioja’s vineyards showed good canopy growth and health throughout the growing season. Phenological development was normal in terms of dates compared to the average of the last few years. Although fertility rates were lower than those of the last two seasons, they were still within normal values for the grape varieties of the D.O.Ca. Rioja. The continuing drought that has affected the Region in the past two years curtailed the production of part of those vineyards located in drylands. In late August grape ripening was normal, with average values for hat time of the year.

After a growing cycle beset by drought, the late September rains had a significant impact, with a very positive effect on ripening, improving final berry balance and raising hopes about final production figures for a large part of Rioja vineyards. Most of the harvested grapes were in excellent health with a great balance between alcohol content and polyphenols, leading to wines of superb quality, with good polyphenolic structure , particularly suited for ageing in barrels and laying down for a long time.

Another reason behind the positive outcome of the 2012 vintage was the professionalism of growers and wineries in scheduling the harvest, given the uneven ripening found among different plots, which required selective harvesting to ensure the best quality was obtained from each vineyard. The total production volume of the 2012 harvest in Rioja came to 354.9 million kg of grapes —one of the lowest yields per hectare of the last two decades (5,710 kg/ha) and a significant drop compared to the 387 million kg harvested the previous year.

A cool, wet summer in Germany, saved by late warmth in September and October. Yields were overall in line with long term averages, although the Mosel lost up to 25% of its crop. Quality is widely agreed to be very good indeed, and dry Riesling as well as Spätburgunder managed to flatter early, but could be found lacking in acidity. To be drunk sooner rather than later. Noble sweet wines are in even smaller supply than usual.

Bordeaux Vintage 2012 by Lafite

The year 2012 was characterized by difficult climatic conditions in the Bordeaux region.
After a relatively mild winter, the spring was mainly wet and rainy, especially in April, with a hailstorm on the 24th. Such conditions hampered fertilization, leading to fears of reduced yields. Work in the vineyard was more vital than ever.
June and July alternate heat and humidity. The weather became more stable from the beginning of August, allowing healthy grapes to complete their maturation in good conditions. However, their degree of maturity was very variable and a lot of sorting work was carried out by our teams from the end of September.

Napa Vintage Report by Colgin: The 2012 begins a series of three exceptional vintages for the Napa Valley. Each season has an immense purity and balance whose distinct characters will make it fascinating to follow in the decades to come. The 2012 season was classic in nature as it was quite temperate and long. The season began with moderate precipitation, much of which fell in early March. Budburst of the vines began the first week of April. A few small spells of rain occurred over the next few weeks and helped nourish the soil, and by mid-May we began a steady cycle of wonderful weather. Good weather during flowering is a notable indicator for many great vintages.

The climatic conditions were so ideal that the vines produced a fairly healthy harvest. As the summer progressed, we got a feel for bunch quantities and began meticulously removing excess fruit to ensure a higher level of quality. A textbook August and September followed, with few heat waves. Our harvest began in mid-September and continued steadily for the next month. The wines have been crafted with a keen eye for preserving freshness and capturing the distinct fruit flavors and textures of this sensational vintage. The resulting wines are incredibly appealing as they contain exceptional intensity and a beautiful, seductive opulence!

A classic vintage for Napa Valley from start to finish

“Classic” and “perfect” are just two accolades bestowed upon Napa Valley’s 2012 growing season and harvest. School conditions saw near ideal spring bud break, regular flowering, uniform fruit set and a long period of warm days and cool, often misty nights during the long summer months. Late, light rains held off until precious Napa Valley wine grapes found optimal ripeness, bringing exceptional quality to the crush platform and winery.

The abundance of perfectly ripe grapes – with a smooth balance of acids and sugars – provided a wide range of opportunities for winemakers to pick only the most select fruits. Napa Valley vineyards are intentionally farmed at lower yields, bringing only the best grapes to harvest. Growers here, year after year, bring in an average of 4 tons per acre to grind overall, which is consistently half the California state average. This is one of the many reasons why Napa Valley wines are so consistent from vintage to vintage and acclaimed for their high quality in the bottle. This vintage, while up to 30% higher than the smaller crops of the past two years, is on par with a near-normal quantity.

Stay tuned as the fruit, now juiced on its careful and complex path to wine, develops in the cellar. We can't wait to see how the flavors of Napa Valley's 2012 harvest turn out.

The 2012 Port vintage was always going to be in the shadow of the exceptional 2011 vintage. An early drought led to a very small harvest, but some excellent Ports were produced.
Quinta do Naval and Quinta do Vesivio declared the vintage, while the bigger players (Fladgate, Symmington) chose to make single quintas.
David Guimaraens, head winemaker, said: “A dry winter followed by a cool spring led to low yields but plenty of aromatic intensity. The cool ripening season was balanced by healthy growth giving the Ports lively acidity and remarkable purity of fruit.

A rather unusual year and one where tensions were high at times, but in the end, thanks to the low yields and relatively low temperatures during the summer, the results were very good and an excellent Quinta Vintage Single Port was bottled.

Champagne and Italy Vintage Report: Widespread frosts in April touched 131 villages (of 319). Very cold, sunless weather for flowering. Long rainless period from mid-July to September. Total yield: 9,208 kg/ha, lowest volume since 2003, ~40% below 10-year average. Highest average sugars across all varieties. Overall maturity equals 2009. A vintage year is anticipated.

Italy by Sassicaia: The climate for the 2012 vintage was rather special. Autumn and Winter were long and cold, to the point that at the end of January the Bolgheri hills were covered with snow. Bolgheri experienced a cold, yet rainless fall and winter, which was not the case for other parts of Tuscany. Cold temperatures were favorable for the halting of the vegetative growth and the natural elimination of some pests of the vine. The spring started with a slight delay, causing the vines to bud 10-15 days later than the seasonal average. From the beginning of May, however, the temperatures rose and accelerated the arrival of summer.

June rainfall partially reconstituted the water reserves of the soil. The summer was very hot, with sunny days and temperatures above the seasonal average. Although some have likened the summer of 2012 to that of 2003, the difference lies in the considerable fluctuations in temperature between night and day which prevented water stress in plants in 2012. During the fruit set period, strong sea winds were partially responsible for a production loss of about 10% . The summer was long, with very high daytime temperatures requiring an early harvest of the Merlot as well as part of the Cabernet.

Vintage Reports from Rhône and Burgundy: 

NORTHERN RHÔNE: Very wet spring compromised flowering, reduced crop. Warm and sunny summer. Good harvest conditions. Sound, mature grapes. Red wines are supple, possess ripe fruit, soft tannin & complementary acidities. Not a vintage for the long term.  Very attractive white.

SOUTHERN RHÔNE: Erratic spring, irregular flowering, late harvest. Extremely dry April to July, similar to 2010. Rain at end of August controlled water stress. Variable levels of maturity often required several tries to pick ripe fruit. Mourvèdre struggled to ripen. Sorting also key to outcomes. Moderately concentrated reds with forward fruit & freshness, likely to develop in near term. Whites reveal ample fruit, definition & show well early.

BURGUNDY: Highly irregular, challenging season. Extremely cold February injured old vines. Oidium & mildew. Rainy April & June, difficult flowering. Hail in Pommard and Volnay. Crop cut in half vs. 5-year norm. Hot, sunny, dry from mid-July through September. Low yields. Best reds are dense, perfumed, rich & sensual with fine-grained tannins. Irregular in hail-affected communes.