Like many wine terms, “vintage” is one that’s thrown around frequently. In addition to understanding its definition, knowing the context of where, when, and why it matters is key. To better discern a wine’s vintage, it’s necessary to break down the nuances of what goes into an aged wine.

“The term ‘vintage’ in wine refers to the year the grapes were harvested and the wine was made, rendering it a snapshot of that specific year’s growing conditions,” says João Castro, sommelier at Wild Honey, the Michelin-starred restaurant within London’s Sofitel St. James. 

Castro says that the term carries an even more profound significance. Vintage reflects the interplay of weather, soil, and other environmental conditions during that crop’s given year. “A good vintage emerges when conditions are optimal: balanced weather patterns, no extreme events, and a conducive environment for grape development,” he says. 

When does a wine’s vintage matter?

Vintage plays a more important role when purchasing premium or collectible wines. 

“Once you get into higher-end wines or particular wine regions, vintage can make a big difference in quality or taste profile,” says Shannon Coursey, executive vice president of sales and marketing at Wilson Daniels. 

Climate and its effects have a noticeable effect each year on the wine that is produced.

Coursey points to regions like Burgundy, Napa, and Piedmont, where vintage is particularly important to quality and ageability. “[Most] of these great wines of the world should all get better with some age, especially in excellent vintages,” she says. 

Coursey also says that vintage charts, based on the assessment of experts and critics, can guide consumers to the prime drinking windows of higher-end wines. 

When a wine’s vintage doesn’t really matter

Not all wines are meant to age. Vintage plays much less of a role with wines crafted for everyday enjoyment. Although vintage variations can be felt in affordable to mid-range bottles from quality-focused producers, its long-term effects matter much less if the bottles aren’t being aged. 

The notion of vintage is hardly relevant when it comes to mass-produced wines. These bottles are often manipulated in the cellar to ensure consistent taste year after year. 

“Winemakers have tools and techniques to counteract less-than-ideal conditions,” says Castro. Such techniques include the addition of sugar, oak chips, coloring, and/or other flavoring agents, as well as acidification, to avoid flavor differences between vintages. 

In short, vintage variations will be felt in most wines crafted by quality-focused producers, though their effects aren’t as important if the wines aren’t being aged. Besides, variation isn’t necessarily a bad thing. 

Weather conditions may differ drastically from year to year, particularly in light of climate change. Quality-focused producers make thoughtful decisions to craft the best wines possible given those conditions. These choices can include adjusting pick dates, using more or less whole clusters during vinification, or changing up fermentation/aging vessels. 

To learn more about recent vintage conditions, wine professionals recommend vintage charts, which are readily available online. 

“Consulting vintage charts or expert reviews can also guide you, especially for wines from regions with significant vintage variation,” says Castro. He also believes the most straightforward way to assess a wine and its vintage is simple: taste, study, and repeat.