2012 Wine

2012 Wine

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The 2012 vintage is above all an exceptional year for Champagne: after a spring disrupted by frost and hail, an ideal August brought the grapes to full ripeness, producing deep wines with lovely freshness. Elsewhere, the year calls for careful selection but rewards discerning buyers. In Bordeaux, the Right Bank and its Merlots produced precise reds that are already delicious; in Burgundy, low yields resulted in rare, concentrated wines; and in southern France, the terroirs of the Languedoc, Roussillon and Provence yielded characterful wines. Two places to start: Philipponnat Clos des Goisses in Champagne and Le Pin in Pomerol. To see how 2012 compares with other years and choose wisely, explore our Vintage Guide.

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Understanding the 2012 vintage: outstanding Champagne and fine terroirs in southern France

The 2012 vintage tested winemakers across France: frost, hail and downy mildew in spring, followed by a summer that often saved the year. The results vary, but the picture for buyers is clear. Champagne produced a benchmark vintage; southern France and Bordeaux’s Right Bank offer flavorful wines ready to drink; and Burgundy offers rare, concentrated bottles. Here is what to seek out, region by region, and what to save for patient wine lovers.

Champagne 2012 — a benchmark vintage

Champagne is the standout success of 2012. Spring was difficult—with frost, hail and disease—but an exceptional August brought the grapes to full ripeness, a rarity in this northerly climate. Yields fell sharply, by about a third, concentrating the fruit. The wines combine depth, freshness and aromatic precision, with acidity that supports aging. Decanter ranks 2012 among Champagne’s finest vintages of recent decades. Pinot Noir and the Montagne de Reims are among the year’s highlights.

Houses that waited before releasing their wines have produced vintage Champagnes of great purity. Philipponnat’s Clos des Goisses 2012 exemplifies this success: a dense, vinous Champagne built to last, from one of the appellation’s most renowned slopes. Blanc de blancs from the Côte des Blancs and prestige cuvées from the major houses are also among the year’s finest wines. For buyers, this is a vintage to purchase with confidence, whether for the table or the cellar.

Aging potential: most wines are ready to drink now; top blanc de blancs and prestige cuvées can benefit from another ten to twenty years of aging.

Languedoc-Roussillon and Provence 2012 — the heart of the selection

That is what makes SoDivin’s 2012 selection distinctive: southern France is at its heart. In the Languedoc, Roussillon and Provence, the year produced ripe, balanced reds without heaviness, supported by lovely freshness. These schist, pebble and limestone terroirs suited the vintage, rewarding estates that paid close attention to yields and harvest dates. The best wines combine concentration with drinkability, ideal for wine lovers who want to drink now without sacrificing depth. This is also often the most accessible and reliable way into the vintage.

In Roussillon, Domaine Gauby makes exceptionally refined old-vine wines that set a standard for their appellation. Also in Roussillon, Clos des Fées produces La Petite Sibérie, one of southern France’s most sought-after bottles. In the Hérault, Mas Jullien in Terrasses du Larzac and Roc d'Anglade near Nîmes exemplify a precise style built for aging. Domaine Peyre Rose, whose wines are aged extensively before release, reaches a standard praised by the Revue du Vin de France, which ranks the estate among the Languedoc’s elite. In Provence, Domaine de Trévallon, with its distinctive blend of Syrah and Cabernet, completes this southern selection.

Aging potential: most reds are ready to drink now; age-worthy wines (Peyre Rose, Gauby Muntada, Clos des Fées) can keep for another ten to twenty years. Check the fill level and label before buying.

Bordeaux 2012 — the Right Bank and dry whites lead the way

In Bordeaux, 2012 is more a winemaker’s vintage than a collector’s: difficult to manage and uneven, but successful where Merlot could be harvested before the rains. The Right Bank—Pomerol and Saint-Émilion—and the early-ripening terroirs of Pessac-Léognan fared best; the late-ripening Cabernets of the Médoc required rigorous selection. Dry whites are an often-underestimated success of the year. Sauternes’ sweet wines, by contrast, suffered badly: noble rot (botrytis) did not develop sufficiently, and several leading producers, including Yquem, made no wine in 2012. This is therefore a vintage to explore through Right Bank reds and whites.

In Pomerol, Le Pin confirms the success of the Right Bank’s great Merlots, with a precise, distinctive style. Other producers in the appellation and in Saint-Émilion made fleshy reds with supple tannins, intended to be enjoyed young. On the Left Bank, the best classified growths still produced fine wines: Château Lynch-Moussas in Pauillac is an affordable, reliable example. Overall, this is a Bordeaux vintage to enjoy now, choosing wine by wine rather than by appellation reputation.

Aging potential: drink Right Bank reds within the next five to ten years; the most serious Médoc classified growths can keep for another ten to fifteen years. The 2012 sweet wines are best left to enthusiasts and should be drunk sooner rather than later.

Burgundy 2012 — rare and concentrated; choose the great producers

Burgundy endured a punishing season: frost, hail and poor fruit set cut volumes, sometimes by more than half. But the surviving, thick-skinned berries produced highly concentrated wines. The Côte de Nuits fared better than the hail-hit Côte de Beaune; its reds are structured and made for cellaring. Largely spared, Chablis produced taut, distinctive whites. This is a rare vintage in which quality depends above all on the estate’s skill: it pays to seek out the most reliable producers.

In the Côte de Nuits, Domaine Dujac produces a remarkably refined red with its Clos Saint-Denis Grand Cru, characteristic of the vintage’s great concentrated Pinot Noirs. In Chambolle-Musigny, Jacques-Frédéric Mugnier’s Musigny Grand Cru ranks among the vintage’s finest wines. In Chablis, Domaine Raveneau makes premier crus with exemplary tension, among the most accomplished whites of 2012. These rare bottles are for patient wine lovers willing to wait for them or choose them for a special occasion.

Aging potential: Côte de Nuits grand cru reds can age for another five to fifteen years; Chablis premier crus are already delicious and can keep for ten years.

Rhône Valley 2012 — the North leads, the South is approachable

The Rhône had a good to very good year in 2012, more consistent than initially thought when the wines were released. The Northern Rhône is the stronger half: its Syrahs are elegant and concentrated, with a fine structure suited to aging. In the south, Châteauneuf-du-Pape and its neighbors offer supple, fresh, fragrant wines that become approachable sooner. Acidity is moderate and the fruit is pure: this is an enjoyable vintage that drinks well today, while the best wines still have aging potential.

In the north, Delas Frères makes a deep, distinctive Hermitage with Les Bessards, one of the appellation’s notable successes in 2012. In the south, Domaine de la Mordorée offers a generous, balanced Cuvée de la Reine des Bois from Châteauneuf-du-Pape. The leading Châteauneuf estates produced fleshy, silky wines that are already approachable but can still spend many fine years in the cellar. Here too, the estate’s name is the best guide to choosing a wine.

Aging potential: Châteauneuf-du-Pape is ready to drink now and through the early 2030s; top Northern Rhône Syrahs (Hermitage, Côte-Rôtie) can age for another ten to fifteen years.

Buy 2012 wine at SoDivin

The 2012 vintage rewards discerning buyers: outstanding Champagne, characterful wines from southern France and flavorful Bordeaux reds from the Right Bank to drink now, plus rare, concentrated Burgundy for patient wine lovers. This is a vintage to choose by producer rather than reputation, where the estate’s name matters more than the appellation. To see how 2012 compares with other years and find bottles at their peak, consult the SoDivin Vintage Guide.

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