What does it mean when a bottle of champagne is labeled "vintage"? In this article, we will explore the terms "vintage" and "non-vintage".

Definition

In the context of winemaking, the word "vintage" represents the grape picking process and wine production. When combined “vintage” with "wine" or "champagne", the meaning will be different. Vintage wine or champagne is made from grapes that are planted, picked, and harvested in the same year. For wine, vintage champagne is less common.

In wine, vintage matters

Since wine is usually made in one harvest year, the environment of that particular year has a huge impact on the quality and flavor of the wine. In France, vintage wines and champagnes are called millésimes.

Why is vintage champagne so rare?

The Champagne-Ardenne region in northern France, cold and wet weather conditions can destroy the grape harvest, which means it is not always possible to rely on a single harvest year of grapes, that is the reason why most Champagnes are blended of different year.

Millésime or Vintage Champagne

The Champagne region also had great years with big harvests, for example 2020 was a dry and hot year without much frost or hail, which resulted in a high-quality harvest, and this is the time to choose vintage Champagne. But poor harvests can also lead to vintage Champagnes, such as the 1996 harvest that was destroyed by hail, followed by a hot summer, and the grapes that survived the hail didn't need to share nutrients with too many other grapes, Small but excellent harvests are perfect for vintage Champagne.

Don't be swayed by marketing

Vintage champagne needs an extraordinary harvest year, while non-vintage champagne needs a great winemaker. A great vintage champagne will tell you everything about a good year, about sun, rain and frost. In turn, non-vintage champagne can be a masterpiece of mixed flavors. So don't deliberately praise and criticize which side, and know how to appreciate the beauty of both styles is the correct interpretation of champagne.

Lydia Zhao POINT PLUME