We thought we’d take some time to consider what a vintage is and, more importantly, what constitutes a good vintage as winegrowers in the Yarra Valley are busy picking the grapes that will produce a variety of mouthwatering 2017 vintages.
What is a vintage of wine?
The wine you are holding is from the 2016 vintage if it says 2016 on the label. In the wine industry, the term “vintage” essentially refers to the year in which the grapes were picked. The growing season in Australia runs from October to April (and the vintage will be dated with the later year).
The weather is by far the major factor that can impact the flavor and quality of wine among many others. Because growing circumstances for the grapes differed from year to year, if you’ve ever bought different vintages of the same wine, you might have noticed differences in how the wine tastes. For example, the 2015 growing season might have been hot and dry, whereas the 2016 growing season might have been wetter. These variances in weather might be linked to the varied tastes between each vintage.
What if a bottle’s label doesn’t state the year? Non-vintage wine, which was created by combining grapes over many years, is a bottle without a date.
What Characterizes Vintage as Good or Bad?
How can you predict the quality of a vintage if it is mostly influenced by the local weather?
It is likely that the grapes would have reached full maturity and the ideal amount of ripeness during the growing season if the area had sufficient of sunshine, which will be evident in the final product. The grapes can become raisinated before they have an opportunity to mature fully, though, if it’s extremely hot and sunny with a lot of days above 33°C. If this is the case, the wine may develop tannins that are harsh and flabby. On the other hand, if there are too many overcast days during the growing season and too much rain in the area, the grapes may not ripen properly and will be more prone to rot and disease, which frequently results in grapes of poor quality.
Consulting James Halliday’s vintage charts, which include expert remarks and year-by-year comparisons of the grapes, overall flavor, and quality of each wine made in the Yarra Valley and throughout Australia, is a terrific approach to determine which vintage of your favorite wine is of the finest quality.
Season of Harvest in the Yarra Valley
In the Yarra Valley, harvest season is often exciting for both local winemakers and tourists. Picking has started, and all of your favorite vineyards will be bustling with activity as winemakers go to work on their newest vintages. There are more things to see and do in this lovely Victorian region at this time.
Contact Winery Tour Yarra Valley to plan a day trip or weekend break to Victoria’s favorite wine area if you want to be right in the thick of things.
If you are in Kew, Victoria 3101, and looking for a winery tour to Yarra Valley wineries or Mornington Peninsula wineries, this is the best way to visit us.
Winery Tour Yarra Valley
Unit 201/98 River Esplanade
Docklands, VIC 3008
(03) 7042 3201