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| Here's your American wine vintage chart from WineEnthusiast (winemag.com) Click on image to enlarge |
There are too many variables to make a blanket statement like that. You have different winemakers, different varieties, different micro-climates, and even Napa-centric writers.
Winemakers
Yeah, they're not all the same. Some can handle an off year better than others. There are adjustments to be made in the vineyard and in the winemaking process.
Wines
A cooler than normal year, for example, might be bad for Cabernet Sauvignon because it likes some heat, but great for Pinot Noir because Pinot likes it cool.
Micro-Climates
California is covered in small areas of different weather during the growing season. In Sonoma County you can find 30 or 40 degrees difference from the warmest inland areas to the breezy, cloudy coast. In a growing season that's abnormally hot, cool, or wet, the effect on each of these areas is not the same.
It's All About Napa
If you pay close attention, many folks talking about the year for wine in California are talking about Napa Cabernet. I've seen it many times, usually from writers from out of state who don't know enough about California and its wine.
Good and Bad Vintages
So does this mean there are no good and bad vintages in California? No, doesn't mean that. There are years where many of the wines aren't up to snuff in certain growing areas. For instance, 2011 was a cool year and many Napa Cabernets and other warm weather loving wines weren't very good on release though they may actually age well -- another variable that doesn't get discussed. It was, however, a great year for Russian River Valley Pinot Noir -- wines grown maybe 25 miles from those Napa Cabs. Of course, this doesn't even take into account Paso Robles Cabernet, Amador County Zinfandel, etc.
I'm sure it works that same way in France and most other places in the world that grow premium wine grapes.
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