2012 Sonoma Vintage

Sonoma's 2012 growing season was long and moderate, with no heat waves or heavy rain. Pete Seghesio of Seghesio Winery called it a Goldilocks year: "2012 was not too hot, not too cold, just the right amount of sun and fog." In Carneros, Steve Sangiacomo of Sangiacomo Family Vineyards called it "an ideal growing season with mild temperatures and opportune heat spikes to get the grapes to full maturity." There were no sustained heat waves to send sugar levels spiking, and in Dry Creek Valley good stretches of warmth in October brought the big Zinfandel and Cabernet crops to full ripeness. Picking started August 14 for sparkling wine and September 4 for still wines. When more than an inch of rain finally hit in late October, about 95 percent of the grapes were already picked. Harvests wrapped up through the second half of October: J Vineyards on October 18, Sangiacomo on October 19, Dry Creek Vineyard's last Cabernet Sauvignon on October 27 and Kunde's estate vineyards on October 30. The crop was big. Crush District 3, which covers Sonoma and Marin Counties, harvested 60.3 percent more tons than in 2011, 42 percent above five-year average yield levels.

• A long, moderate growing season with no heat waves or heavy rain
• Picking started August 14 for sparkling wine and September 4 for still wines
• About 95 percent of grapes were picked before more than an inch of rain arrived in late October; Robert Young Vineyards in northern Alexander Valley logged about 1.75 inches after October 17 and its red grapes handled the rain well
• Crush District 3 (Sonoma and Marin Counties) tonnage ran 60.3 percent above 2011 and 42 percent above five-year average yield levels

Harvest was more of a logistical problem than a grapegrowing or winemaking issue, with a crop much larger than expected. Mark McWilliams of Arista said that in the last week of September "there wasn't an empty fermentor in Sonoma County," and Mike Officer of Carlisle said, "Tank space was a real nail-biter. We started to consider our bathtub at home." At Kunde Family Estate, the biggest issue was tank space due to the bounty of the harvest. J Vineyards and Winery brought in 369 tons of grapes that were not counted in early crop projections, 17 percent above initial projections. Heavier red varieties needed ripe tannins even though sugars were already high.

• No empty fermentor in Sonoma County by the last week of September
• J Vineyards and Winery took in 369 tons beyond early projections, 17 percent above initial estimates
• Dry Creek Vineyard barreled down new reds, pressed off tanks and refilled them immediately to make room
• Crop size and tannins were things to manage with some reds

Sonoma County's 2012 crush was 266,101 tons in preliminary USDA figures, a 60 percent increase from 2011, with the value of the crop up 67 percent to $581 million. In Crush District 3 (Sonoma and Marin Counties), gross grape revenues were $582,996,346, up 68 percent, with an average price of $2,183 per ton, up 4.8 percent. Pinot Noir was the leading variety for revenue, the first time a red grape out-earned Chardonnay since at least 2004, and Sonoma County's Pinot Noir, Chardonnay and Cabernet Sauvignon crops all reached record levels. The rebound followed two harvests with lower than average yields. The wider picture was just as big: a North Coast crush of 552,874 tons across Sonoma, Napa, Lake and Mendocino counties, and a statewide California crush above 4 million tons for the first time.

• Crush District 3 (Sonoma and Marin): Chardonnay 81,582 tons (up 55.8 percent), Pinot Noir 52,793 tons (up 86.2 percent), Cabernet Sauvignon 47,194 tons (up 42.5 percent)
• Pinot Noir out-earned Cabernet Sauvignon by nearly $50 million and Chardonnay by nearly $5 million
• Sauvignon Blanc grew the most by volume in Sonoma County, recovering from a decimated 2011 crop
• North Coast (Sonoma, Napa, Lake, Mendocino): an estimated $1.4 billion of grapes, up 58 percent on 2011 in preliminary USDA figures

The Sonoma County Vintners and Sonoma County Winegrowers final harvest update described what was being called a textbook perfect growing season, with reports from each major appellation. In Alexander Valley, yields at Rawah Vineyards were up 20 to 30 percent with excellent fruit quality, and Jim Young of Robert Young Vineyards expected an outstanding vintage. In Sonoma Valley, Kunde's Cabernet and Zinfandel showed exceptional color, flavor and quality. In Russian River Valley, Melissa Stackhouse of J Vineyards and Winery said, "Overall, I'd have to say that 2012 may have surpassed 2007 as the 'perfect vintage'." Wine Spectator's report judged quality excellent across the board, particularly for Pinot Noir.

• Alexander Valley: Rawah Vineyards yields up 20 to 30 percent
• Carneros: Sangiacomo finished October 19, before the first storm of the season
• Russian River Valley: J Vineyards finished October 18 with 15 tons of Chardonnay
• Dry Creek Valley: big Zinfandel and Cabernet crops after thinning work, with beautiful colors and aromas in the fermenters