Dispelling the Vintage Wine Myth
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A number of non-wine drinkers have been thrown by a common misconception about Vintage Wine. Many hold the belief that because it is labeled as a ‘vintage wine’ that it is superior in quality and taste. A Vintage wine is a wine that has been produced using grapes grown and harvested in one particular year.
The idea may have originated from the producers of Vintage Port in who make ports based off grapes from certain years, which are later analyzed and the ‘good years’ are then decided. These are then labeled as a ‘Vintage Port’ which denotes that the particular year or batch was of particularly high quality.
Vintage wines share some similarities, however it does translate directly across. While they do use grapes from one year only, labeling it as a vintage does not guarantee that it is a good wine, it is more used to simple display what year the grapes were used. Usually the wines are released for sale and the wine community discusses and works out which of the wines are exceptionally good.
Another surprising fact is that vintage wines do not actually have to be made from 100% of grapes from that year. Some wines originating from South Africa or Chilie are only required to consist of 75% same year grapes. Wines from America, New Zealand, Australia and member states of the European Union require 85% before they allow it to be labeled as Vintage wine.
The regular types of wine, known as simply ‘non-vintage wines’ utilize harvests from two or more years. Wine makers seeking to produce wines that retain consistent styles of wine over the years use this method.
In the past, vintage wines were prized and did have different qualities and tastes according to the years they were grown, however modern farming techniques and irrigation now lets most wineries grow consistent crops, but the debate over quality still continues to this day.
Follow the link for more information on vintage wine cellars.
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