What is a wine vintage?
The year the grapes were harvested — and why it matters
A wine vintage is the year in which the grapes used to make that wine were harvested. The vintage year appears on the label and is significant because weather varies between growing seasons, directly affecting the quality and character of the grapes.
The vintage year printed on a wine label tells you when the grapes were picked. Because grapes are harvested once a year and growing conditions vary considerably between seasons, the vintage is one of the most meaningful pieces of information on a bottle.
A warm, dry growing season with plenty of sunshine allows grapes to ripen fully, producing concentrated, fruit-forward wines with naturally high sugar and potential alcohol. A cool, wet season may produce underripe, high-acidity wines that lack depth — or, in the hands of a skilled producer, elegant, restrained wines with longer ageing potential.
Non-vintage (NV) wines, most commonly seen on Champagne, port, and sherry, are blended from multiple harvest years to achieve a consistent house style, rather than reflecting the character of a single season.
- Vintage = the year the grapes were harvested.
- Growing season weather directly affects grape quality and wine character.
- Non-vintage (NV) wines are blends from multiple harvest years.
- Vintage matters most in regions with significant year-to-year climate variation.
- A skilled producer in a difficult vintage often outperforms a poor producer in a great one.
The importance of vintage varies significantly by region. In Bordeaux, Burgundy, and Barolo — regions with variable continental climates — the difference between a great vintage (2010, 2015, 2016, 2019 in Bordeaux) and a difficult one can be enormous. In consistently warm regions like Napa Valley, McLaren Vale, or Mendoza, vintage variation is smaller, though not negligible.
Vintage charts published by critics and merchants can be useful guides, but they deal in generalities. A skilled producer in a poor vintage often outperforms a mediocre producer in a great one. A specific site (clos, monopole, grand cru) may also diverge significantly from regional averages.
For drinking and collecting purposes, understanding vintage matters most for high-end wines. An entry-level Bordeaux is made to be drunk young regardless of vintage. But a premier or grand cru Burgundy, a first-growth Bordeaux, or a vintage Champagne has a vastly different trajectory depending on whether it came from a warm, concentrated year or a cool, structured one.
Related questions
Is a newer vintage always better?
Not at all. Many fine wines are made to age — a young Barolo or top Bordeaux may be tight and austere when released and develop beautifully over 10–20 years. Conversely, many everyday wines are best drunk young and fresh.
What does NV mean on a Champagne label?
NV stands for non-vintage. The wine is blended from grapes harvested in multiple years. This allows Champagne houses to maintain a consistent style year-on-year, regardless of seasonal variation.
Are there bad vintages to avoid entirely?
Very difficult vintages exist in every region. However, rather than avoiding an entire vintage, look for producers who excel at making the most of challenging years — their precision and skill often shines brightest when conditions are hard.
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