Årgång 2012 enligt Champagne Club by Richard Juhlin

★★★★

En riktigt knepig odlingssäsong med många svårigheter fick ändå ett lyckligt slut. Efter frostproblem, regnöverskott och kyla blev mognadsperioden sammantaget den torraste sedan  1974. Skörden blev liten men mycket fin och gav balanserade, eleganta och snygga viner med en ungdomligt potent frukt.

Många är väldigt tilltalande från start men bör lagras ett tag till för full mognad. De flesta bör dock drickas mellan tolv och tjugo år gamla då den verkliga kraften saknas. De främsta exemplaren som släppts hittills är Cristal, Cristal Rosé, La Grande Dame, De Sousa Caudalies, Piper-Heidsieck, Belle Époque, Bollinger La Grande Année, Thineot/Penfolds Blanc de Blancs och Bollinger La Grande Année Rosé. Noterbart är att Krug valde att avstå årgångsvin detta år och i stället satsade på en mycket fin Krug Grande Cuvée med 2012 som bas. 

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2012 by Curtis Joseph

★★★★★

• Harvest: September 10th
• Total Sales: 308,599,509 btl
• Yield: 9,210 kg/ha 
• France: 171,250,077 btl
• Area under vine: 33,578 ha
• Export: 137,349,432 btl
• Average potential alcohol: 10.6%
• Prix Constaté : €5.73/kg
• Average total acidity: 7.8 g/l
• Average gluconic acid: 0.01 g/l

Overview: From the worst to the best

2012 provided difficult conditions at the beginning of the year, but the growers’ fortunes changed completely after flowering, producing marvelous results. After a mild January, temperatures in February reached -10°C several times, and got as cold as -20° C, although there was little permanent damage to the vines. March was warm, and budbreak was early. April was rainy, and May brought frost, damaging between 10% - 17% of the vineyard in different subregions. The rain continued right up to flowering, setting a twenty-year record and bringing mildew. Fortunately for the growers, the rain stopped mid-July, and there was almost no more until the harvest was complete.

From this period, sunny and warm conditions set in, with tem- peratures rising to heatwave levels in mid-August, thoroughly drying out the grapes. As of this writing in 2019, top négociant houses are just releasing their 2012 vintage wines. The 2012 Brut Vintage released by Taittinger is typical of the successes of this vintage. From my notes: “With ripe apricot and pear fruit touched with a bit of smoke and yeast on the nose, this cuvée makes a lovely impression on the initial attack. There is marvelous concentration and an attractively lush texture on the palate, but there is enough freshness here to balance.” **** (Tasted 2019)

Gimonnet’s Special Club Pure Chouilly shows the marvelous results on the Côte des Blancs; “Created from their magnificent 3 hectare parcel on Mont Aigu, the grapes ripened to 11% potential alcohol without chaptalization. The wine is simply marvelous. Despite the ripeness, there is plenty of concentration, and a focused lemon peel and apricot character to the aroma rather than floral notes one often gets from Chouilly. The acidity is lively, and there are impressive depth and complexity on the finish.” **** (Tasted 2019)

Results on the south face of the Montagne were also spectacular in 2012. At Pierre Paillard in Bouzy, I loved their Blanc de Noirs. From my notes: “Les Maillerettes is the name of the parcel with the oldest vines and the best mid-slope exposure. The vines originally planted in 1970 now produce an intensely vinous result, with a powerful structure and an almost copper color—a wine of intense ripeness and concentration, with ripe apple aroma marzipan, and toast. The acidity is vivacious, yet there is plenty of density and a powerful, complex finish. This wine will age for decades.” ***** (Tasted 2018)

In the Côte des Bar, newcomer Nathalie Falmet showed the potential of the vintage here. From my note on Le Val Cornet: “This wine, produced from the lieu-dit of the same name,

was half Pinot Noir and half Meunier in 2012. Half of the fruit was fermented in tank and half in cask. The wine shows ripe apple, toast, and butter on the nose, with just a hint of spice – it is not dominated by the wood. The texture is silky, creamy, and long;´well-structured and fresh, with a pleasant hint of bitterness on the finish to give a superb balance.” **** (Tasted 2018)

Despite the frost damage and pressure from mildew, 2012 is a particularly successful year and one whose top wines can be laid down for decades of cellaring.