Why Does Vintage Matter?

Sometimes in a restaurant the server brings the wine to the table, presents it, and the vintage on the bottle is not the year I requested. I simply reply, “Excuse me this is the wrong vintage. I wanted the 2002 as listed on your wine list and this is the 2003.” Then the moment of truth arrives. The server sometimes says something like, “Well, we must be out of the 2002, so we are on to the next vintage. No worries sir, I’m sure it is the same wine. This producer is quite consistent.” At this point, I usually choose a different wine. I always bring a list of a few back up wine selections that I have researched prior to the restaurant visit. I just move on to choosing one of them instead of embarrassing him/her.

So why does vintage matter? Since a vintage is a leading indicator for the potential quality of the wine in the bottle, it matters a lot. The vintage on the bottle is the year that the grapes were harvested. Lots of things can happen to a grape over the course of a growing season. With all the technical advances that have been implemented in the winemaking process the winemaker still needs good weather and good timing to produce a good wine. The one thing the winemaker can’t control is Mother Nature. So in an ideal weather year, you would have a very good vintage year. This predictor is typically indicated on a vintage chart. Most major wine magazines offer these vintage charts. Wine Spectator has a handy wallet sized card that comes in its January edition of the magazine every year and can be found on their website. Unless you are good at memorizing good years from every wine region, these cards are a handy tool to keep in your wallet.

What are some good vintage years and some bad ones and why? Here is an extreme example. Italy has had a fine run of very quality vintages over the last few years. But the 2002 vintage year was decimated by rain and flooding. They got more rain from July through October than they usually get in a whole year. For example, in Tuscany, Wine Spectator rated the Chianti Classico region a 92 in 2001 and a 79 in 2002. So if the server brought you a 2002 of the same wine, most likely you would be disappointed and overpay for the wine based upon its quality. The Rhone Valley also experienced a poor vintage year in 2002 due to early September rains & flooding. But 2003 & 2001 were excellent vintages. In Bordeaux, 2004 is considered a slightly off year, where 2003 was an excellent year. Closer to home in California, Napa Cabernet for 2003 is supposed to be an off year. Finally, In 2003 Oregon had a slightly off year due to an imbalanced growing season due to extreme changes in weather when compared to 2002 & 2004.

Vintage is only one component of the wine making processes. Several other factors can affect the quality of the wine. Some great winemakers can make a very good wine in a bad vintage year and some winemakers can make a bad wine in a great vintage year. Vintage charts and predictions are only a tool and leading indicator for what could be the quality of the wine. They should not be ignored. Other factors include: when the grapes were picked, how they were processed, whether the winemaker used stainless or oak barrels, whether those barrels were new or used, etc. The list goes on and on. As you can see the vintage is only one component. You need a good vintage to start, and then you can move on to the other variables to determine the quality of a particular wine. The next time the server brings you the wrong vintage, you may want to choose a different wine altogether.

Enjoy and cheers,
Ken

Wine Vintage Good Vintage Year Winemaker Vintage Charts