Answer by: Marylou Coe
The year denotes the year that the grapes were harvested. Southern Hemisphere wines start hitting the shelves during our (Northern Hemisphere) autumn, while most American and European wines are released in the spring of the year following the harvest. You'll already be seeing some '07s from Austrailia, New Zealand, Chile and Argentina, while the '07s from closer to home won't be out for a few more months.
There are so many great wine books available. Check out your local library.
About the Expert:Marylou has been involved in the wines and spirits industry for 35 years and now owns a winery/distillery and Bed & Breakfast Inn. Visit Marylou Coe's website: Black Star Farms
Answer by: Roger C. Bohmrich, MW
The year or vintage on a bottle can indeed be very important information, but the significance varies according to the region and wine. The U.S. governrment defines the vintage year stated on the label as the year in which the grapes were harvested. It is also the year the alcoholic fermentation occurred and was completed in almost all cases.
The significance of the vintage is greater in regions that have more variable growing seasons. This applies to many of the classic European ones such as Burgundy, the Loire Valley, the Mosel, and others. Some years may be hotter and have little rainfall while others can be cooler and rainy. The wines tend to show the effects of the weather. Vintage certainly plays a role but is much less significant in areas with less variability in temperature and little precipitation while the vine is in leaf, such as Napa, Barossa or Mendoza. I'm simplifying this to explain the essential point.
Last, in my professional opinion too many wine lovers focus far too much on the vintage. While they were right to do so in the past, today the modern vintner can override vintage conditions by adjusting vineyard maintenance or by sorting and discarding unripe or rotten grapes, for example, or even by concentrating the juice. This is one reason why good wines are now being made consistently in Burgundy or Bordeaux despite difficulties in the growing season (global warming has also helped, so far). Buy the wine, not the vintage, is my advice.
A great reference and easy read is the latest edition of The World Atlas of Wine (Robinson & Johnson).
About the Expert:Roger has enjoyed a lengthy career in the wine trade, and he last served as a senior executive with a major national importer. In 2006, he launched Millesima USA, a retail entity affiliated with Europe's leading fine wine mail order company. Roger became one of America's first Masters of Wine in 1993, and he has been very active as an educator and speaker at wine festivals and conferences. He hosts a community television program entitled "Wine's Simple Pleasures," and is currently working on a book of original recipes and wine pairing solutions. Visit Roger C. Bohmrich, MW's website: MILLESIMA USA LLC
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