What Vintage is this Wine?

One of the most commonly misunderstood terms in wine is VINTAGE. To be clear, the vintage is the year stamped on the bottle. That year is the year in which the grapes were picked to make the wine in that bottle. So Vintage = Year.

One might think that that's the end of this blog post, but let me introduce you to the new can of worms this vintage dating practice opens in this, my

Wine Vintage FAQ's:

Q. Why is it important to know what year the grapes were picked to make the wine?
A. Let's bear in mind that wine is an agricultural product. Grapes are grown on farms that we affectionately call vineyards, which are subject to the same vagaries of nature as any other crop in the world - spring frosts, rain, sunshine, temperature,

etc. Think about this: is the weather exactly the same every summer? Are some summers hotter or cooler, dryer or more rainy, than the ones before and after? If you think about it that way, you start to understand why the grapes, which grow and develop flavor, color and sugar over the summer and are harvested in early autumn, are of a different quality every year. And then you start to understand why its important to know what year the grapes were grown in to start to have a sense for what to expect of the wine in the bottle. For example, grapes grown in years of intense heat and drought, like in 2003 when elderly people were keeling over in France's major cities, had high levels of sugar and lower levels of acid by harvest time and produced full flavored, higher alcohol wines than grapes grown in cooler, wetter summers.

Q. To list a vintage year, do all the grapes used to make the wine have to have been picked in that year?
A. It depends on the laws of the place where the grapes are grown. In the EU, the law states that 85% of all the grapes on a vintage dated wine must be from that vintage, and in some locales within the EU, that number is 100%. In the US, the minimum is also 85%.

Q. Does the term "Vintage Wine" mean a better wine or a wine of higher quality.
A. No. It is a misunderstood term. A vintage wine simply means a wine dated with a vintage. There are crappy vintage wines that sell for $7.00 a bottle as well as exhorbitant vintage wines for upwards of $400 a bottle.

Q. Are some vintages better than others?
A. It depends on the preferences of the person drinking the wine. There are some vintages that are celebrated by critics because those are years that yielded a great deal of well-made wines. The old adage "You can make bad wine out of good grapes, but you can't make good wine out of bad grapes" rings true. If the summer in a particular was too cool and rainy for there to have been a consistantly good harvest that vintage, then it's caveat emptor for purchasesrs buying wines from that vintage. But there have been years that were only relatively cooler or hotter than usual and have produced wines that some people prefer over the norm. My favorite example of this is northern California 2001. Red wines (particularly Cabernet Sauvignon and blends thereof) from Napa and Sonoma Valleys are generally very full bodied - lots of ripe fruit, agressive tannin, high alcohol, like the middle linebackers of the wine world. The 2000 vintage was all that. The critics originally dismissed the 2001 vintage, during which the summer was cooler than usual. But what this yielded were wines that were less agressive in tannin with more moderate alcohol levels and more balanced acidity, more like a quarterback - the picture of lean strength and agility. People who enjoy French wines would enjoy these wines and they are still drinking beautifully more than 10 years old.

Q. Do wines from some vintages age better than others?
A. Yes. The vintage sets the tone. If the development of sugar and abatement of acid in the grapes over that summer went well, that autumn's harvest is ready to produce wines that could possible age better than if those things were not in good balance. Above, in the anecdote about the wines from France's 2003 vintage told of wines with ripe fruit characters, low acidity and high alcohol. Those wines are not built for long aging in general because the various elements are not in good sync. Even the higher end wines from that vintage are not expected to be enjoyable long past the 10 year mark, in contrast to the same wines from other vintages that can age 20+ years gracefully.

Q. Are all the wines from a "bad" vintage "bad" wines?
A. No. It's important to keep in mind that the assesment of a vintage, even in a small area, is not the sole determinant as to the quality of every wine from that area. There are other factors involved, such as farming methods used, that can help vineyard managers navigate fickle weather condtitions and still get good raw material for the winemakers. Vintage charts and vintage reports should only be used as guidelines. Ultimately, you should always let your palate be the judge!

Q. Is an older vintage better than a more recent one?
A. Not always. They are more rare and as a result more interesting to drink, but as I explained above, each vintage had its own conditions. My most recent example was a vertical tasting of Antinori's Tignanello. I tasted the 2007 and the 2008. The 2007, the older vintage, was not nearly as good as the 2008. See my upcoming article, Wine Ambition, for tasting notes.

Follow @wineLIFECEO on Twitter.
Follow my wineLIFE and Wine Scholar boards on Pinterest.

Meet Syrah - The CEO

He was the senior class president, always impeccably dressed to stand out from the rest of the high school crowd. He’s into older women and they love him too. Never needing any ostentation to impress, he has instead a way of commanding your attention and respect with a deep, booming voice and eloquent, well-chosen statements. As CEO of a major corporation, he puts those skills to good use. It was either that or politics – he would have found success there too, no doubt. Shiraz for president!

As Syrah, this thick skinned grape lives a happy life in France’s Rhône Valley, situated toward the south, working solo in the Northern Rhône (sometimes blended with a bit of the Viognier that resides in the same vineyard). From Côtes Rotie in the north to Cornas in the south, he’s the main event. In the Sourthern Rhône Syrah’s in lots of great company with Grenache, Mouvedre, Cinsault, et al. The region’s signature wine, Châteauneuf du Pape, can legally contain up to 13 different listed red varieties, all together or in any combination. Syrah is almost always in the mix and is usually detectable in the blend, the head fruit in charge. Take the Rhône all the way down to the Mediterranean and you will find Syrah still reigns in many quarters – the people’s choice!

As Shiraz, Australia has built a reputation on his shoulders, from the very cheap, animal-adorned party juice to the very rare and collectible music-in-a-glass. Like the Rhône, Australia has lots of hot sunny climes for Shiraz to thrive under – thick skinned grapes can stand more heat to develop more sugar and offer greater pigment and tannin for the making of very full bodied wine.

It’s the perfect wine for the typical American palate: think grape Blow Pops, Bazooka Joe, Sour Power, Swedish Fish and all kinds of fast food. Did I forget to mention chocolate? This is where Syrah goes in a different direction in flavor profile – not for the Snickers bar set. If Syrah were chocolate, it would be 70% Dark and Swiss or Belgian. Nonetheless, Syrah is very approachable, just be ready for your mouth to be taken over for a little while by a commanding presence.

Because it is so high in tannin and relatively low in acidity, Syrah not the greatest food wine – a glass can be a meal in itself! Nonetheless, your city’s best burger with the works and a side of fries would be a great mate for a glass of Syrah. Along the same lines, a good steak and a baked potato would work well. In fact, I always recommend Syrah wines for Thanksgiving, because that’s the ultimate flavor frenzy and this wine can handle it all! (Caution: Syrah may also help your turkey to cause all around drowsiness and you may find the football game watching you, but you’ll give thanks nonetheless!)

Your Homework
Your homework for this week and weekend is to try 3 Syrahs. Ask your favorite retailer or browse your favorite wine website for something from the Northern Rhône – St Joseph wines are the most accessible in profile and in price, but feel free to splurge on anything from Cornas or Crozes Hermitage splurge big on the venerable Hermitage itself. You will easily find Australian Shiraz in any wine shop or liquor store you enter. Try a cheap one that you can get under $10.00, and then find one over $15.00, just so you can clearly see the quality difference. My favorite wine region in Australia for Shiraz is McLaren Vale for that over $15 bottle. For extra credit, find a Syrah from California. You will impress your wine retailer with your knowledge of the name Rhône Rangers. It may very well serve as your password to gain access to some goodies from Paso Robles winemakers dedicated to Rhône Valley grape varieties – this could be lots of fun! Do Tweet your notes to @wineLIFE_ #SyrahHW. Tell us which one was your favorite (please include the wine’s name, vintage and region), how much you paid for it and its best qualities. You can also post notes on the wineLIFE Facebook wall. That’s delicious!

Meet Cabernet Franc - The Exchange Student

When I think about Cabernet Franc, I recall the first glimpse of that new, foreign countenance I had never noticed before. As soon as his name is discovered (It’s pronounced Frahnk), it is whispered on the lips of many others around him. He’s handsome in a unique way – lean and taut with a slender face, a prominent nose and an uncommon haircut that all suit him quite well. His style of dress is unusual but cool nonetheless, and if he does play a sport, he plays soccer and calls it football.

His speech is accented, and this works like a charm on anyone whom he encounters. Sometimes he is a little difficult to understand. Nonetheless, people who know he’s in the building want to know more about him. They approach him with a measure of awe, and they endeavor to partake in a cultural exchange that will enrich their lives in ways they haven’t even thought of yet. And when they do dig in and find out what he’s about, they become his newest fans.

There is a specific type of wine drinker who enjoys Cabernet Franc. That palate is stimulated by something rather unexpected – a red wine with the acidity and herbaceousness of a Sauvignon Blanc (they are from the same family) that is lean with hints of fruit but overall quite austere even when it is grown in warmer climates. This variety is not as widely grown as some others, by the way, but that’s what fascinates me and other Cab Franc-ophiles. Those who decide to grow and make wine from it are instant specialists who lay a keen eye on making sure it is true-to-type, because Cabernet Franc drinkers know exactly what they’re looking for and they never want to see him lose his accent and adapt.

His homeland is in the Loire Valley in France, specifically the village of Chinon in the Touraine subregion. The climate here is on the cooler side, being a northern location that is too far inland from the Atlantic coast to benefit from the maritime influence. As an interesting side note, it’s relatively dry in this region, so organic and biodynamic viticulture are easy choices and more prevalent than elsewhere. As far as food is concerned, think paté (goose or pork rillettes) and Andouille sausage, or you can use some Chinon wine to make Coq-au-Vin and then you have a perfect pairing at your table!

Its hard to say what comfort foods remind me of Cabernet Franc, because as a wine, its outside of many peoples’ comfort zones. If you grew up eating and loving lots of green vegetables you could dig Franc, especially if you grew up in Europe where traditional cooking does not exhibit very bold flavors in general. Or if sushi was always one of your favorite things, then you’ll appreciate the purity of this wine like you enjoy the purity of a piece of salmon sashimi without the help of soy sauce or wasabi.

Your homework for this week and weekend is to try 3 Cabernet Francs. Start with one from the Loire – look for Chinon or Bourgueil on the label. Then get your hands on a bottle of Schneider Vineyards Cabernet Franc from the North Fork of Long Island, NYS (look online). Bruce Schneider is one of the best Cab Franc specialists in the New World, and while I’m on the subject, I think the North Fork is the PERFECT home for Cabernet Franc and should produce much more of it than it does Merlot! For your third one look elsewhere in the New World wine sections (Old World is Europe in winespeak). California has a fair amount of Cab Franc for you to try.

And please avoid blends. Although it is one of the grapes blended in Bordeaux and is used in other parts of the world as a blending grape for Cabernet Sauvignon and Merlot, give yourself a chance to cut through his accent and cultural differences and get to know him. Do Tweet your notes to @wineLIFE_ #CabFrancHW. Tell us which one was your favorite (please include the wine’s name, vintage and region), how much you paid for it and its best qualities. You can also post notes on the wineLIFE Facebook wall. This is going to be fun for YOU!

Why Wine is Awesome Reason #10 - Travel

In the spirit of my Uses for Cheap Wine series that is evolving through this blog, I’ve decided I should start another series, because just as there are indeed many good uses for cheap wine, there are many reasons why wine is awesome.

As President of the NYC Chapter of Women for WineSense, it is a privilege and duty to make my annual pilgrimage west to Napa Valley, land of our founders. Each spring for the last 3 years, I have travelled to California to celebrate and collaborate with many lovely, successful and fabulous members and officers from Women for WineSense chapters nationwide. Two out of those three years were Grand Events, most spectacular occasions, the second of which I dutifully attended and thoroughly enjoyed even though I was 6 months pregnant with my daughter Ché Elizabeth. Last year, during the height of the economic revolution, although we decided not to have a Grand Event, there was still a congregation, a very important annual summit took place as usual. While many important and serious discussions ensued, wine was poured and vineyards were toured.

The truth is you can travel just by trying wines from different parts of the world. While wine’s character is largely determined by the grape varieties it is made of, there is an undeniable sense of place in almost every bottle - not just in the packaging but in the character of the wine itself. For example, you can take a mini tour of the world by trying a selection of Sauvignon Blancs from different places - visit Northern France, the South Island of New Zealand, South Africa and the North Fork of Long Island all in one week on your tour.

Nonetheless, there’s nothing like the being there in person. Voyaging to the places where wine is grown offers such a unique look at a place you often go to for other reasons, as perhaps in Spain, Chile or California or it can take you to places you wouldn’t otherwise go to at all, such as the Upper Loire Valley and the aforementioned North Fork of Long Island (a sleepy farm area that still pales in comparison to the Hamptons in summer appeal, but is now a fantastic destination for wine touring!). Add the experience of drinking the region’s wines and enjoying the foods that they do best - MAGIC!

Wine has given me both many reasons to travel and the opportunity to enhance my travel experiences by adding in winery and vineyard visits and tasting through otherwise unbeaten paths all over the world as well as very close to home. The great thing is that you can always recapture a little of that by enjoying those wines again later, and the pictures tend to be really awesome when you get back home.

Photos from Previous Women for WineSense Grand Events, Enjoy!