revelstoke blog

I’ve been talking about vintages a lot lately in my blogs, and it is about time I explain what makes a good year as far as wines and champagnes are concerned. Essentially, the difference between good and bad years comes down to Mother Nature.

For starters, we should clarify what we mean by “year”. The year (or “vintage” as it’s known in the wine world) that appears on a bottle of wine refers to the year in which the grapes were harvested. Few wines appear without a vintage on the label; exceptions to the rule include champagne, port and sherry, where (even though single vintage examples are produced) wines are created by blending a number of different years in order to maintain a consistent House style year in, year out.

The weather is the real key to a good vintage. Grapes are delicate creatures, which need sun and water (although not too much of either) and long dry growing seasons, but fear frosts and hail. Beyond that, other factors play a role, such as pollution, the way vineyards are managed and how the wine was handled in the winery. To this end, the appearance of a vintage also acts as a valuable reference point for knowing when the perfect time for drinking your wine is.

Here are some very good vintages I would recommend you buying and/or investing in: