2012 was a very good and prolific grape-growing year for California. This type of quality grape production does not happen often, with 2007 being the last superior vintage.
The wines from the 2012 vintage are now hitting the market, and if you are a wine lover, the time to stock up is now, as the 2013 vintage looks to be wanting.
The West Coast was subject to some really rotten weather in 2013, resulting in grape production that was smaller and of questionable quality. There will still be some good wines from this vintage and we will try to guide our readers toward them, but, as the ancient admonition goes, caveat emptor, let the buyer beware.
Another consideration is price. The 2007 vintage encouraged the California winemakers to jack up their prices to capitalize on the good vintage year and make up for the increase in costs that have been creeping up on the industry. This is exactly what happened to French wines in the 1960s when, after a few really great vintages, they shot their prices up to the stars. That was all well and good as long as the French were having exceptional vintages, but the ensuing years were not as kind to them and their wines were just not up to their asking price.
At the same time, an upstart area in the United States, California, was beginning to produce some really fine wines. As it is said, the rest is history, as it did not take long before the California wines were overshadowing the French varieties and grabbing the lion’s share of the market - a disaster from which the French have yet to recover.
Recent releases from the Red Rock Winery showcase the quality of the 2011 and 2012 vintages. The Red Rock wines are close to our lifelong quest, a $10 dollar wine that drinks like a $50 wine.
Red Rock 2012 Pinot Noir ($14)There is a war going on over pinot noir wines, and it concerns the alcohol content.
There are restaurants that will not serve a pinot noir that is more than 14 percent alcohol. California grapes tend to develop high sugar - and thus high alcohol - while their counterparts in France rarely rise above 12 percent.
This wine straddles that fence nicely at 13.5 percent and exhibits all of the properties and charms of the pinot noir without bringing out any of its negative features. Big in flavor and dark in color, this wine exhibits an open and obvious cherry and strawberry flavor and aroma, coupled with caramel oak. This is a very nice pinot noir and should not be missed.
Red Rock 2011 Malbec ($14)The Red Rock winemakers took a sojourn to Argentina to see what was going on down there in the wine business. While there, they came upon a knockout malbec they just could not put down. Being good businessmen, they arraigned to have the wine shipped up here to be sold under the Red Rock label, and believe us, it was a great move.
Being a typical malbec, the wine has an almost black color, while displaying the aromas of blackberry, plum, black cherries and chocolate. Cherries, plums, cinnamon and a hint of coffee are the dominant flavors, along with some added complexity provided by a hint of oak.
This is truly a regal wine with the charm and bearing of a modern classic. This wine may also prove why malbec is becoming the favorite with many red wine drinkers.
Red Rock 2011 Merlot ($14)With the glut of merlot wines presently on the market, the field is wide open and the choices almost unlimited.
This wine displays a vibrant ruby red color and the prominent aroma of ripe cherries and plums wrapped in a soft robe of oak. These aromas are mirrored in the flavor and are enhanced by a near perfect acid balance.
What we have to say about this wine is simple and to the point; try it, you’ll love it.
Nixa resident Bennet Bodenstein is a wine columnist and manages ArticlesOnWine.com. He can be reached at frojhe1@att.net.
