2012 Wine Vintage Report

Contents

🏆 Was 2012 a Good Wine Vintage Year?

2012 was a mixed year for wine, with some regions experiencing standout success, and others facing significant challenges.

In the northern hemisphere, Europe produced wines of varying quality. France had a difficult year, but Italy and Spain produced solid wines. Germany and Austria both overcame bad weather to produce vivid offerings as well. The US, however, had a near-perfect growing season.

In the southern hemisphere, South America saw Argentina and Chile excel in spite of adverse conditions. Australia had an excellent year, while New Zealand and South Africa had lower yields.

New World wines stood out this year with consistency and quality. Old World wines this year were a little more fragmented–some great, some not as much.

Let’s dig in to 2012.

📉 Global Wine Trends in 2012

🌍🍇 Global wine production in 2012 was 258 million hectoliters, down 3.6% from 2011.

🌎🍷 Global wine consumption in 2012 was 244 million hectoliters, up 4.3% from 2011.

🌐 The 2012 Vintage by Country

📍 The Big Four

France, Italy, Spain, and the US consistently dominate the modern global wine scene.

FRANCE produced 41.5 million hectoliters of wine in 2012, which was less than usual. A wet spring led to a dry summer and then last-minute rains in September.

BORDEAUX produced good wines despite the challenging weather patterns.
SAUTERNES had a bad year, with conditions negatively affecting the harvest.
BURGUNDY produced good wines, maintaining its high standards.
BEAUJOLAIS saw success with wines that met expectations for quality.
CHAMPAGNE had an excellent year, with standout wines from the region.
ALSACE also experienced an excellent year, delivering superb wines.
THE LOIRE VALLEY had a good year, producing quality wines across the board.
THE RHÔNE VALLEY produced good wines, benefitting from the overall favorable conditions.

ITALY had a good year, producing 45.6 million hectoliters of wine–a slightly smaller-than-normal harvest, but of excellent grapes. Italy had a cold, wet winter, followed by a hot and dry summer, with late rains finally providing some relief to the drought conditions that were impacting most of the season. Despite the smaller harvest, most bottles from 2012 should be quite good.

SPAIN produced only 31.1 million hectoliters of wine, a very small yield for the country. Widespread drought and high temperatures cut harvests but concentrated the surviving grapes. Cooler regions performed better, as the heat diminished acidity in varieties like Tempranillo. The reds this year are powerful and intense, but sometimes imbalanced due to the low acid levels.

THE UNITED STATES had a great year, producing 21.7 million hectoliters of wine.

CALIFORNIA had a bountiful year, with a warm, steady growing season and minimal disruptions. Some winemakers calling this year “easy,” always a good sign. This season was so ideal it led to other issues–with such big crops and ample harvests, vineyards may not have the space to store them all properly, or process them all with the same level of quality control. Napa Valley thrived with a classic vintage, with rich, ripe reds. Cooler regions like Sonoma offered more nuanced Pinot Noir and Chardonnay. This was a great year for easy-drinking wines.
WASHINGTON STATE had an excellent year thanks to near-ideal weather: a warm and dry growing season, with a cooler harvest season. 2012 was Washington’s biggest crop yield to date, and high in quality all around, too, with excellent acidity and plush flavor.
OREGON had a cool spring into a dry summer, resulting in lower yield volumes but very ripe grapes. A great year for balanced Pinot Noirs and a good year for most everything.
NEW YORK STATE had warm and mostly dry weather, though some minor frosts and rains affected some vineyards here and there. It was a great year for deep reds and Riesling in the Finger Lakes, and Cabernet Franc from Long Island.
VIRGINIA had a wet harvest season with high risk of mildew, but it was still better than 2011 and 2010 thanks to a nice warm spring and summer. Merlot is likely the best from this year.

📍 Europe

The heart of the wine world, Europe boasts centuries of expertise and massive variety.

PORTUGAL had a tough year, especially compared to 2011. Extreme weather conditions, such as droughts and hailstorms, plus a dry winter and cool spring, led to a very small-yield harvest (6.3 million hectoliters). However, the wines that were produced were excellent and highly-concentrated. It was a good year for the Douro region especially, with many especially aromatic wines produced. It was not a generally declared vintage for Port, but some producers like Quinta do Noval and Quinta do Vesuvio did release vintage Ports. These have been overshadowed by 2011’s standout vintage, but are still considered quite good.

GERMANY produced 9.0 million hectoliters of wine in 2012. It was a challenging year with variable weather conditions. After a promisingly warm March, the season turned cold and wet, leading to difficulties with flowering, coulure, and millerandage. The end of summer came with warmer temperatures, and good weather in autumn helped extend the season for late-ripening Riesling. In Mosel, vintners had to be very selective with their picking, and the absence of noble rot limited production of Prädikat wines. Still, producers put out crisp and clean Rieslings. Dry Rieslings were good across the country, and a small amount of Spätburgunder also achieved success. Overall, this year produced elegant and interesting wines, but they may vary in quality and quantity.

AUSTRIA produced 2.1 million hectoliters of wine in 2012. It was a challenging season marked by late spring frosts which significantly impacted yields, especially in Niederösterreich. After the frost, conditions improved with a warm summer and mild rainfall. A very hot August was followed by a cooler September, preserving freshness and aromatics. The resulting whites, especially Grüner Veltliner and Riesling, were extra ripe and vivid. Reds from Burgenland and Niederösterreich were highlights as well, but the country produced a range of good wine overall.

Hungary produced 1.8 million hectoliters of wine in 2012.

Greece produced 3.1 million hectoliters of wine in 2012.

Romania produced 3.3 million hectoliters of wine in 2012.

Moldova produced 1.5 million hectoliters of wine in 2012.

Russia produced 6.2 million hectoliters of wine in 2012.

THE UNITED KINGDOM produced about 7,725 hectoliters of wine in 2012. This is the lowest yield ever recorded in the modern history of the UK’s already-meager wine growing industry, and this was widely regarded as a pretty terrible year. Bad weather and rampant disease led some winemakers to pick no grapes at all. However, if you are able to find a bottle from this year, it should be pretty good.

📍 North & South America

The Americas continue to expand their influence, from the rugged Andes to Canada’s icy valleys.

ARGENTINA produced 11.8 million hectoliters of wine in 2012. It was a challenging growing season, but an excellent year for the wines that were produced. In Mendoza, fierce Zonda winds and subsequent frigid rains during flowering significantly reduced crop sizes. Regions like San Juan and Patagonia were impacted by hail, too. A hot summer helped grapes ripen, but late-season rains and cool weather delayed harvests. This year produced concentrated, vibrant reds with robust tannins and acidity. The whites this year were very fresh.

CHILE produced 12.6 million hectoliters of wine in 2012. It was a hot and dry year, with La Niña’s effects heavily felt. The dry weather kept grapes healthy and disease-free, while the intense summer heat helped accelerate ripening and concentrate fruit, leading to an early harvest. Coastal and cooler regions did well, producing smooth Syrah and Pinot Noir, while the Central Valleys produced powerful reds like Carmenère. It was a good year for bold wines.

Brazil produced 3.0 million hectoliters of wine in 2012.

Uruguay had a rainy year, but a good harvest overall.

📍 Oceania

Oceania’s unique climates and soils produce globally distinctive wines.

AUSTRALIA had an excellent year, producing 12.3 million hectoliters of wine in 2012. A cool spring delayed the growing season, but a warm summer led to high-quality grapes. While regions near the coast, like Hunter Valley and Orange, struggled with some heavy rainfall during harvest, South Australia (like Barossa, McLaren Vale, and Clare & Eden Valleys) had ideal conditions for a standout yield. Look for excellent Rieslings from the valleys, and expressive reds from Barossa and Coonawarra.

NEW ZEALAND saw a rough year, producing just 1.9 million hectoliters of wine in 2012. It was an exceptionally cool year, leading to a significantly low yield. The wines, however, were very good. Marlborough’s Sauvignon Blancs were concentrated, high in acidity, and had prominent citrus. Central Otago produced elegant and deep Pinot Noir. Great wines–if you can find any.

📍 Africa & Asia

Emerging markets in Africa and Asia bring fresh perspectives to the industry.

SOUTH AFRICA produced 10.6 million hectoliters of wine in 2012. It was a smaller-than-average harvest due to a cool and dry spring and moderate summer, but grapes developed with excellent balance. Reds from this year are ripe and slightly lower in alcohol, while whites are fresh and precise.

China produced 13.5 million hectoliters of wine in 2012.

Sources: OIV, Wine Spectator, Wine-Searcher, BK Wine, Vintage Wine & Port, Washington Wine, Finger Lakes Wine Alliance, Jancis Robinson (2), K&L Wines, Napa Vintners, South America Wine Guide, Austrian Wine.

🍷 Wines from 2012 I’ve Tried

See all Vintages (Years) of Wine, or jump straight to: 2012, 2013, 2014, 2015, 2016, 2017, 2018, 2019, 2020, 2021, 2022, 2023, or 2024. See also: No Vintage.