WHY DOES THE NEW VINTAGE OF THIS WINE TASTE DIFFERENT?

We are asked almost every day if we can get someone a particular wine from an older vintage than is currently available. (Usually we can’t.) It seems that the customer has been buying the wine and really enjoying it when, without warning, a new vintage appears. While often the customer will like the new vintage just as much as the old, there are some reasons why the new vintage may not seem as good or as smooth. One reason deals with actual differences among vintages; the other has to do with the wine’s age and consequent stage of evolution.

Vintage differences: Wine is an agricultural product (it is a way of bringing grapes to market). Grapes ripen according to several factors, among which are the amount of sunshine and rain during the growing season and how the sun and rain are spread out. Some grape-growing regions have relatively stable growing conditions from one year to the next; others, particularly those where the climate is relatively cool, have more variability from year to year. While the winemakers try to make wines that are consistent in style year after year, they have to use the hand dealt to them by nature. Thus, some wines may have more fruit flavor if the growing season was especially warm; others may taste a bit thin or diluted if it rained at harvest time. In any event, vintage differences can occur, reflecting variations in growing conditions. This situation is actually somewhat reassuring, since the wines we drink are as natural as possible--not some industrial product rolling off an assembly line.

The wine’s age: Wines change as they age, generally becoming smoother or mellower with time. White wines that start out with a lot of apple-tasting natural acidity change and become smoother as the acidity level drops. Red wines also have acidity, but what we sense most often in young ones is tannin. As the wines age, the tannin drops out of solution and forms sediment in the bottom of the bottle. The wine tastes smoother as the tannin subsides.
Another thing happens when wines age: the amount of flavor from the young fruit diminishes. Sometimes the flavors are replaced by other ones which are not so directly related to fruit but which actually may be more interesting and complex.

We believe that, while differences due to vintages do indeed occur, it is most probable that what most people are experiencing when the vintage of their favorite wine changes is the difference in age. After all, they have been accustomed to a wine as it has been evolving. Suddenly, they are tasting one that is a full year younger. Naturally it will be less evolved and mellow that the one with an additional year’s age.
So what should you do? Being sellers of wine, we naturally favor your purchasing your favorites in case quantities. Not only do you assure yourself a dependable supply, but also you save 10% with the case discount. And, when the vintage does change, buy yourself a case of the new vintage and taste it right away. If it needs further aging, wait a month and try another bottle. Keep trying it until it’s the way you like it. Then, it might be time to stock up some more while it is available.