Focus on California's North Coast

For now, it's the 2004s and 2003s that are clamoring for the attention of red wine lovers. Both were very warm years, and both were affected by heat spikes and desiccating east winds in September, which often sent grape sugars soaring through dehydration but did not necessarily bring concentration of flavor and ripe tannins to fruit that could not be allowed to hang on the vines until conditions moderated. In some instances, vine shutdown and dehydration resulted in high acid levels as well. But in fact, neither year featured much in the way of temperature extremes in July or August.

As a rule, the 2004s are fleshy and exotic but essentially gentle, with high pHs and very high alcohol levels; several of the winemakers I visited in March told me that their 2004s are the highest-alcohol wines they have ever made—not just cabernets but chardonnays, pinot noirs, syrahs. In comparison, the 2003s, though also generally high in alcohol and in some cases extreme, often retain more freshness—or at least they are less likely to show obvious overripeness—sometimes with rather firm acid levels and awkward tannins that will require bottle aging. Although the 2004s, from a mostly small crop load, are generally sexier today owing to their liqueur-like fruit and often voluptuous textures, I suspect that the best of the 2003s will benefit substantially from bottle aging and will be longer-lived. They may also prove to have better punch and depth of flavor.