Hello my dear friends! Have you ever asked yourself why are wine vintages so important? What are they exactly? Why do they condition their final quality so much? I'm sure you're used to seeing the vintage printed on the label of the bottles. And you will have heard about whether "this vintage is excellent" or "the vintage of that year was good or regular". But, it is possible that you do not really know what it means that a wine is from one vintage or another.
Let's start from the basic, the term vintage refers to the harvest year to which the grapes used to make the wine belong. As we will see, that complex too.
The importance of this information is such that, for decades, it was common for one wine or another to be purchased depending on the vintage to which it belonged, leaving other important factors out of the equation. And, even today, specific vintages of wines are often sought after, especially among collectors.
What determines each vintage?
Bearing in mind that the quality of a wine is marked, among other factors, by the grapes of the year with which it was made, it must be considered that an element such as the weather in the vineyard area is essential in this case. In addition, each year the weather conditions are different. This implies a variation in the production of sugar, polyphenols and acidity. And, that will have a decisive influence on the organoleptic qualities of the wine and on other characteristics such as, for example, its subsequent aging capacity.
Likewise, it affects the land and its peculiar characteristics and the type of cultivation that is carried out with the grapes. As well as the care received by the vineyard and the type of vinification carried out by each winery.
The vintage is indicated on the wine label itself and on its back label. Or even in the cap. Vintage is an important fact and, as such, it must occupy a prominent and easily identifiable place on the label. Showing the vintage, despite not being mandatory, is valued as a sign of transparency and guarantee to the consumer. Although, sometimes, it is not shown because the wine is made with grapes from different vintages.
What is the classification of the vintages?
They are classified as excellent, very good, good, regular and poor. They are marked by the different Regulatory Councils. And they follow clear criteria such as the specific weather conditions of the year in the wine-growing area where the production vineyard is located.
We must always bear in mind that the classification of the vintages is always indicative. Since it provides us with data on one of the elements that influence the quality of the wine. The fact that a vintage is qualified by its Regulatory Council as "excellent" only implies that the natural cycle of the grape was carried out without incidents or climatic alterations.
To properly ripen grapes need a combination of water, sunlight, heat and cold, in the right proportions and at the right time. In general, a good year is when a cold, rainy winter is followed by a mild spring and a long, dry summer, with warm days and cool nights, creating a balance of fruit and acidity. Conversely, a bad year for grapes to ripen is when it is too cold in the spring or it rains excessively in the summer, leading to unbalanced wines. Weather changes affect growing conditions and, as a consequence, the ripening and condition of the grapes. Variations in quality are most likely to occur in areas where weather conditions are less predictable. This is the case, for example, in the north of Spain, in Rías Baixas and Ribera del Duero, in the French regions of Burgundy and Bordeaux, or in the Mosel in Germany, all of which tend to have much more variation in vintages than areas where the Growing conditions are more predictable, such as Valencia, La Mancha, Sicily and the Central Valley in California.
But let us remember that the vintage is by no means the only factor to consider in the quality of the grape and the wine. It is also necessary to assess the subsequent work that the winemaker will carry out with the grapes and the characteristics of the land where the fruit is raised. When it comes to wines from well-known brands with large productions, the use of modern technology and the ability of winemakers to mix wines from different vineyards can ensure that the quality of the wine is relatively maintained year after year.
On that note, one of the most widespread misconceptions about wine is that it gets better with time. As a general rule, this is not the case, most wines maintain their quality for a while, but do not improve. Choosing a wine can be complicated enough to also have to remember the vintage. So keep in mind that most of the wines that are being made now, probably 90%, are to be consumed one to two years after the harvest. In general, the quality of younger wines has improved tremendously in recent years, and consumers want to drink wines immediately, not store them, so there is a need to produce wines that can be consumed without waiting.
Does each vintage produce a different wine?
The answer is yes, no two vintages are exactly the same due to the external factors that we have seen throughout this article. The simple fact of changing the characteristics of the grapes annually will give a different wine in each new vintage. Despite the fact that a winery maintains, year after year, production processes and common standards.
We hope that this article has clarified your doubts about the interesting and complex subject of wine vintages. From here, we encourage you to inform yourself through wine experts. A good way to learn about this siubject is to do small vertical tastings, of the same wine in different vintages of the winery. Thus, you will be able to assess its changes and nuances over time. You will be amazed at the evolution that wine can undergo in just a few years!
And that's a wrap for today. Enjoy the rest of the week and let's meet again here next Wednesday! Until then... Santé!
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