Focus on California's North Coast

Think of 2005 as a more European style of vintage, where sugar levels climbed slowly and steadily, and grape skins had a chance to ripen before potential alcohol levels became extreme. Fans of European wines will find much to like in California in 2005, if only they would give these wines a chance. Many winemakers seemed happy to be able to pick at their leisure and to make less extreme wines. Alcohol levels, while generally sound, are typically down a full degree from the very high levels of the 2004 vintage, and sometimes more. More important than the actual octane levels of the wines is the fact that the better examples show real energy and flavor definition. I have stopped worrying too much about the actual alcohol numbers: if the wines have verve and precision, their alcohol content is less important (I think of it simply as a cost of doing business). Just don’t forget to bring a breathalyzer or a designated driver if you plan a night out with your peeps and more than a couple of California bottles.

The best 2005s show tightly coiled springs and fine-grained tannins. I had the impression as I tasted in Napa Valley that the finest 2005 cabernets have the potential to evolve very slowly and well in bottle, but they will take a while to reveal themselves. On the Sonoma side, the pinots, with their lower-than-usual pHs and alcohols, can be especially vivacious. Some examples from the Sonoma Coast are particularly concentrated and high in extract, as poor weather during the flowering sharply reduced the crop.