What is a vintage chart?

A vintage chart is a summary of an individual who’s job it is to follow a region and report on the wine for a specific year. They take into account the growing conditions, they interview winemakers and wine experts, and most importantly they taste the wines.

How can a vintage chart help me?

Vintage charts can play two key roles in helping you to find and enjoy an amazing bottle of wine.

First, wine is social but it is also very personal. Vintage charts are a good way to explore a new grape variety, region or producer. I personally will invest in wines and producers beyond what I know when I see a region with a great vintage. It de-risks my investment knowing I can expect to find solid quality in the wines. I have found new favorite producers and also new favorite grape varieties by trusting in vintage reports.

Second is to help you know the best drinking window for the wine. This is especially helpful for collectors. It is important to note that this is a generalization for a vintage and the producers philosophy will also play a role in the drinking window. For example, two producers I love from Walla Walla Washington, Gramercy Cellars and Alton Wines, source some of their grapes from the same vineyards. Alton Wines promote “wine pairs with life” and their wines I always plan to drink upon release. Gramercy Cellars states on many of their labels that while they are great now you will be “rewarded with patience”, meaning holding the wine for a period of time will enhance it.

You can easily find a good vintage and then do a quick check of a producers website to understand their philosophy that will influence the drinking window. Many producers provide a drinking window in the wine’s tasting note section.

Why doesn’t a vintage chart always have the current year?

A vintage chart corresponds to the year the wine was made, but it will not show up on a chart until the wine is released. Many wines are not released in the same year the grapes are vinified. (the conversion of the grape juice into wine through fermentation) In fact, many countries have strict laws on how long certain wines must age before they can be released.

Who produces vintage charts?

Here are four sources of vintage charts that are easily accessed:

• Wine Spectator
• Robert Parker Wine Advocate
• Wine Enthusiast Magazine (must sign up)
• Wine Enthusiast Vintage Chart (access to the chart only)

My personal go-to chart is Wine Spectator. It offers three things I can use to help me make my purchase decision:

• General quality score on the vintages
• Overview of the growing season
• Best drinking window

One other thing I have learned from vintage charts is that even if it wasn’t the best year for the producer due to things like weather, it can be a great year for me the buyer. Often in a year where there are less grapes on the vine, meaning less wine can be made and sold, the concentration of those grapes lead to some of the best quality wines.

I hope vintage charts help you try a new region or grape variety as you continue to explore the amazing world of wine.

Have another question on vintage charts? Reach out through a comment or [email protected]