2002 Sonoma Vintage

These conditions cover Napa, Sonoma and other parts of the North Coast together, so they apply to the North Coast broadly rather than to Sonoma alone. The winter months were relatively warm and dry. There was frost damage in April, and rains arrived in late May, though it was the dry winter rather than the May rains that gave small berries and small clusters. June temperatures were moderate, and at one winery low morning temperatures seemed to follow throughout the summer, so that by August an October harvest looked likely. Then the weather pattern changed dramatically in September, with high daytime temperatures and dry north winds, and these hot spells made many varieties, Cabernet included, ripen quickly. A second heat spike during harvest in September stressed the vines and dehydrated the berries slightly. Cabernet picking began by early September and continued well into late October. For Sonoma County specifically, Bill Knuttel, who moved from Chalk Hill Vineyards to Dry Creek Vineyards during the year, said: "We harvested most of the Cabernet in the first two weeks of October." Although total Cabernet tonnage was large, yields in the coastal zones ranged from average to slightly below.

Sonoma gets a few direct mentions in the Decanter report. Bill Knuttel on the Sonoma County Cabernet harvest: "Those of us that kept our cool in early September realised the sugars were there but not the flavour or tannin development." By the time he picked, sugar levels had stabilized and the fruit had excellent color and substantial tannins. In Alexander Valley, producers continue to carve out a niche for their Cabernets, and Decanter called Simi's 2002 Alexander Valley Cabernet ripe and powerful but drinkable early on. Decanter also singled out Gallo of Sonoma's 2002 Cabernets among the good values of the year.

• Decanter named the other Alexander Valley big guns: Chateau Souverain, Geyser Peak, Murphy-Goode, Robert Young, Rodney Strong and Sebastiani
• Decanter's best-value list included Gallo of Sonoma (Sonoma County) and Pedroncelli Winery's Three Vineyards from Dry Creek Valley
• Decanter tied the good values to how much Cabernet fruit was crushed in 2002 following the 2001 vintage

The report covers California Cabernet as a whole. Decanter called the 2002s a big change from the ultra-ripe 2001s, with firm tannins and racy acidity that will appeal to those who like a more European style. Norm Roby wrote that the best 2002s have more acid balance, firmer structure and a sense of grip rarely encountered in California Cabernet, with floral and cedar notes alongside blackberry, cherry and berry fruit. Following the highly regarded 2001 vintage, many winemakers expected 2002 to turn out a sleeper for Cabernet Sauvignon, and Roby placed it with 1985 and 1991 as vintages that shifted California Cabernet toward muscular, balanced wines with good acidity.

• Firm tannins and racy acidity, in Decanter's California-wide read
• Floral and cedar notes with blackberry, cherry and berry character in the best wines, according to Norm Roby
• Few jammy, overripe wines, in Decanter's view