Now more than ever, vintage matters

It always has, but vintage now really does matter in every purchase you make as a wine consumer. Beyond the quality differences of harvest years there are a number of other factors that affect the aromatics, flavor and your own personal feelings about any particular wine. We have covered the variation of vintages a number of times in this column, and briefly as we approach the release of wines from the troubled 2010 and 2011 years for wines from California and the Northwest we urge caution. Try before you buy domestic wines from these years.

Just knowing the potential for differences from year to year is half the battle. If you have liked a varietal from a winery in the past, and are faced with the choice of picking the wine in a shop or from a restaurant wine list it is important to ask the sommelier or shop owner what they think of the newer year. As wine professionals we have likely tried the new vintage and can give you our impressions of the differences from year to year and whether the wine measures up.

Other factors than growing conditions for the wine grape crop though exert tremendous influence on the wine that you purchase from subsequent years. We have talked about the mountain of choices that winemakers make during production which influences greatly the end product. Recently we have witnessed a few winemakers from Washington state change their winemaking significantly by reducing the oak profile of their wines. So in the past if you were purchasing those wines and liked the oak flavors you may find that you like them less as the winemaker reduces the influence of oak barrels.

This too may be driven by the current state of the wine economy as new wine barrels are very expensive and represent one of the biggest investments a winery makes. The price pressure on wine due to simple supply and demand is forcing some wineries to reuse barrels for two and three vintages when previously they may have preferred to buy all new barrels each year. Older barrels impart less oak flavor on the wine so the wine will be different.

Another factor can be the prices of grapes. Recently there were more tons of grapes being harvested than are under contract to wineries. Growers therefore are offering fruit to winemakers they might not normally have access to. This can go either way from a quality standpoint as winemakers may be getting access to really great fruit sources, however if it is a varietal they have not worked with before or is not a type of grape they have the skill set for the end product may be less than compelling.

Consumers can find great opportunities from year to year also as winemakers are faced with trying to move off existing vintages to make room for newer products. Whether it is geography in the cellar of a storage warehouse, or the need to free up capital for winery operations, winemakers will frequently mark down vintages that they feel they need to dispose of. When this happens the opinion of your trusted wine professional is even more vital. On wines that are being closed out we always try them prior to bringing them into the shop, so we can ensure that the quality is there, and the retail price has been adjusted to reflect the break we get from the distributor.

Finally, always watch for discrepancies on vintage between what is on a list or the display bottle in a shop versus what you get when you actually purchase or the bottle shows up at your table. It happens to all of us that vintage changes without notice, but as a consumer you should ensure you are getting what you have paid for.

Vintage has always mattered for the wine that goes in the bottle, and that is truer now than ever so consult your trusted wine professional to ensure you are getting the wine you want and of course never hesitate to bring that bottle back when the new vintage does not measure up.

If there is a topic you would like to read about or questions on wine you can email George@thedinnerpartyshop.com or make suggestions by contacting the Healthy Community section at the Coeur d'Alene Press.

George Balling is co-owner with his wife Mary Lancaster of the dinner party - a wine and table top decor shop in Coeur d'Alene by Costco. George is also the managing judge of The North Idaho Wine Rodeo and writes frequently for the online version of Coeur d'Alene Magazine at www.cdamagazine.com. His articles can also be found on the blog at www.thedinnerpartyshop.com.