Going Deep or Moderate on 2012 - 2013 high end Cali Wine?

Alex_G · January 3, 2016, 6:52pm

Question for high end Cali wine enthusiasts – what are you doing about the (overpowering) urge to stock on the glorious 2012 and 2013 vintages? Bite the bullet and stock up deep (and deeper) or are you comfortable saying “I have what I need, there will always be more good wine?” 2014 will be good. 2015 will be good. But will there be wine THIS good?

My cellar “only” holds 1,000 bottles. I have a lot of 2012 and 2013. But I want more.

If you’re going particularly deep and continue to stock up on these current vintages, why?

If you’re able to moderate, please share your reasoning.

Bud_Carey · January 3, 2016, 6:59pm

Deep… I’m almost 69 yeas old and want to stock up while O still can!!

Ken_Strauss · January 3, 2016, 7:17pm

Going deeper and deeper. Thought 2012 was a great year and now seeing 2013 may be even better.
No problem with storage as I store my wine with my local wine store. Avoided as much as I could 2011 so I was geared up for 2012.
I like to give the wines 10 years so 2022 will be a fun year to start drinking some of these gems. Of course some wont make it that long.

mpst0ck13y · January 3, 2016, 7:24pm

PC?

Nick_Ryan · January 3, 2016, 7:56pm

Deep, because 10 was variable, 11 sucked, 14 will probably not be exceptional, and 15 will be tiny.

Michael_Martin · January 3, 2016, 10:37pm

+1

Joe_B · January 3, 2016, 10:40pm

+2

Dennis_Kanagie · January 3, 2016, 11:14pm

Went deep on 12 because most bottles are approachable early yet could still age. Won’t go as deep on 13 as most bottles will need serious cellar time.

Sc0tt_F_tzgerald · January 4, 2016, 4:33am

Word is 2014 is supposed to be somewhere between '12 and '13 vintages for Napa cab. I’d say that’s pretty solid.

M.Kaplan · January 4, 2016, 5:23am

Sherr1_Shap1r0 · January 4, 2016, 1:09pm

Deep. Cherrypicked 2011 (so much lighter than usual).

ericleehall · January 4, 2016, 6:30pm

I can’t speak about the 14 California Cabs, but I think the 14 Sonoma Pinot Noir Vintage in 2014 is superior to 12 & 13.

It was like a progression of increased concentration and viscosity, with the 11’s being the low point and 15 being the high point. (or vise versa depending on your palette!)

This is easily attributed to the drought.

That being said, I think the 15’s are going to be a little tricky because there is nothing light or elegant about them, but if you make wine, simply, from what you get, there is no getting around that.