As dedicated readers know, I have recently tuned into the effect of weather on wine. Extremes are always fun to talk about, but what happens in a “normal” year, no excessive heat or cold, with no frost, drought or other weather gremlins?

In those years, you get a “classic vintage,” which is what 2012 was for Washington State. Of course, the local tribe here in Seattle was curious about wines from this classic vintage, so we decided to sample four different 2012 Washington State Cabernet Sauvignons, at a variety of price points. But before we get started with the tasting results, I must admit I started this tasting with some biases about the wines. Surely I would dislike the one from the huge producer and love the spendy cult wine, right? More on that later…

Wines from Big Producer to Boutique

Here was our lineup:

As usual, this was a blind tasting, so no one knew what they were sampling. We had two rounds of tasting. First, everyone tried everything and noted what they smelled and tasted. Then we served appetizers and sampled everything again to get a sense of the wines when paired with food. Unfortunately, we didn’t have anyone present from the Accessible Tribe, but I suspect all of these wines would have been too powerful for their palate anyway. (Not sure what tribe you’re in? Take this quick quiz to discover your palate and get customized wine recommendations.)P1030915

Two Crowd-Pleasing Cabs

Overall, the winners were from Chateau Ste. Michelle (the big producer) and Leonetti (the boutique). The Balanced and Developed Tribes preferred the Chateau Ste. Michelle with the Leonetti coming in second place, and the Complex Tribe switched that order, ranking the Leonetti first and the Chateau Ste. Michelle second.

cabcorksWhen it came time to swirl and sniff, both tribes found scents of raspberries, earth (with a little barnyard) and burnt sugar in the Chateau Ste. Michelle. When drunk without food, tasters perceived this wine as a bit tart with flavors including spice, pepper and berries. With food, the wine mellowed and there was no tartness, just hints of plum, cedar and a touch of honey. Tasters loved the wine’s silkiness and how well it paired with the food. In fact, I liked this wine so much that I got up the next morning and drove across town to Chateau St. Michelle to pick up a few bottles.

The Leonetti yielded scents of wet dirt, tobacco and leather. Without food, tasters commented on the lightness of the wine. They liked the taste of pepper, berries and even rubber tires that they detected. With food, the wine was lusher, with flavors of earth, roasted beets and plums. Tasters in the Complex Tribe liked the complexity of the wine (go figure) as well as its rich mouthfeel.

Cabs to Consider

And what of the other two wines? The Novelty Hill ranked fairly well with the Developed and Complex Tribes, who commented on its blueberry, wood and plum skin flavors. The Balanced Tribe was not as happy with this one. They picked up too much citrusy tartness.

And the L’Ecole? It was pretty much a no-go for everyone, regardless of tribe. This is a really tannic and acidic wine, and few tasters could get past the extreme drying sensation those tannins produce in the mouth. Perhaps this is one of those wines you age for years and then serve with food. If you’ re looking for something to drink in the near future, consider the other wines first.

This Week’s Wine Lesson

So what are the big takeaways?

  1. While 2012 was a classic year for Washington state grapes, there’s a tremendous variety in the wines they yielded due to different winemaking styles.
  2. More expensive doesn’t always mean better.
  3. Don’t be a snob like yours truly and assume that big producer = mediocre wine.
  4. And finally, go buy a bottle of the 2012 Chateau St. Michelle Cabernet Sauvignon from their Canoe Ridge vineyard. You won’t be sorry.

Cheers!P1030917

 

 

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