Burgundy vintage charts: understanding their limits
Updated
A Burgundy vintage chart is a common tool. It offers a general overview that requires careful interpretation for your specific cellar decisions. A "vintage wine is one made from grapes that were all, or primarily, grown and harvested in a single specified year." The importance assigned to vintage is "both varied and disputed." For wine produced in regions at the "colder climatic limits of wine production," vintage "can be very important," as warmer seasons produce "riper grapes and better wine." However, a vintage chart typically provides a regional average. That average may not reflect the nuances of individual vineyards. Nor does it capture the differing responses of red and white grapes to the same growing conditions. Roman L. Weil's study, tested experienced wine drinkers. It found that they "cannot distinguish in blind tastings the wine of years rated high from those of years rated low, or, if they can, they do not agree with the vintage chart's preferences," except for Bordeaux wines. This suggests that a chart's score is a starting point, not the final word on a bottle's quality or readiness.
What is a vintage chart, and why are they debated?
A vintage chart is a rating system for wine harvest years. It is intended to guide consumers on the overall quality of wines from a specific region in a given year. As we explain, a "vintage wine is one made from grapes that were all, or primarily, grown and harvested in a single specified year." The significance of vintage can be substantial. That is especially true in regions at the "colder climatic limits of wine production," where some seasons are "much warmer and produce riper grapes and better wine," while poor seasons can result in "grape juice that is higher in acid and lower in sugar."
Despite their widespread use, vintage charts are a subject of debate. Frank J. Prial is a New York Times wine columnist. He declared the vintage chart "dead," writing that "winemakers of the world have rendered the vintage chart obsolete." Bill Marsano echoed this sentiment, stating that "winemakers now have the technology and skills to make good and even very good wines in undistinguished years." James Laube of Wine Spectator has asserted that "even an average vintage can yield some grand wines,".
Roman L. Weil is a professor at the University of Chicago. He conducted blind tastings. They tested whether experienced wine drinkers could distinguish between wines from highly-rated and lowly-rated years. His study, detailed in the source, found that tasters "could not distinguish between wines of good and bad vintages except for Bordeaux wines." Even when a distinction was made, the alignment between tasters' assessments and chart rankings was "little better than tossing a coin." This held true even when the tests included wine experts. Weil suggests that vintage charts are not useless, however. They can help "find good buys in wine," as bottles from years considered "worse than average" may be priced "far below its actual quality."
Most countries allow a portion of wine in a vintage bottle to be from a different year. For instance, in Chile and South Africa, the requirement is 75% same-year content for vintage-dated wine. In Australia, New Zealand, and the member states of the European Union, the requirement is 85%. In the United States, the requirement is 85%. If the wine is designated with an AVA, it is 95%.
| Country/Region | Minimum Same-Year Content |
|---|---|
| Chile | 75% |
| South Africa | 75% |
| Australia | 85% |
| New Zealand | 85% |
| European Union | 85% |
| United States | 85% |
| United States (AVA designated) | 95% |
How does a vintage affect wine quality in the bottle?
The conditions of a vintage year directly influence the grapes. They determine ripeness, acidity, and sugar levels. Warmer growing seasons typically lead to "riper grapes and better wine," while poor seasons can result in "grape juice that is higher in acid and lower in sugar,". This initial composition sets the stage for the wine's potential quality and longevity.
However, a wine's journey does not end at bottling. Post-bottling factors play a critical role in preserving or degrading the quality established by the vintage. Storage conditions matter in particular. "Excessive storage temperatures will have a marked effect on the shelf life of bottled wine," according to AWRI Technical Note TN09. Marais (1986) observed the development of faulty flavors and decreasing overall quality after 12 months of wine storage at 30°C. Temperatures exceeding 40°C "will induce visual and sensory changes to a wine in only a matter of days," as Ough (1986) found. Ough (1992) further advises that "any storage place where the temperature exceeds 25°C for long periods and 40°C for short periods can affect wine quality." Thermal expansion from high temperatures can also cause "Leakage of wine and/or movement of cork stoppers," states AWRI Technical Note TN09. That affects a wine's "appearance, and therefore the marketability," even if quality is not necessarily compromised.
Light exposure is another significant factor. White wines, in particular, are susceptible to developing "lightstruck" flavor, or goûts de lumière, according to AWRI Technical Note TN09. The formation of volatile sulfur compounds causes it. Riboflavin is a vitamin present in wine. It undergoes photo-activation when exposed to light at specific wavelengths, AWRI Technical Note TN09 explains. That initiates the reactions that lead to these off-flavors. Dozon and Noble (1989) found that still white wines in clear glass developed a "statistically significant level of the off flavour" after only 3.3 hours of exposure to fluorescent lamps. In green glass, that took 31.1 hours. The sensory assessment of affected wines indicated a decrease in 'citrus' aromas. It also showed an increase in 'cooked cabbage', 'corn', 'wet wool/wet dog', and 'soy/marmite' aromas, AWRI Technical Note TN09 reports. Direct sunlight is considerably more damaging. Gordon Watson states that it provides "4286 times the amount of UV-A radiation as fluorescent lamps" (AWRI Technical Note TN09). Light can also exacerbate copper instability. That leads to haze in susceptible white wines with a copper concentration "greater than approximately 0.5 mg/L," as the Institute has observed (AWRI Technical Note TN09).
Beyond the chart: ensuring your wine's longevity
A Burgundy vintage chart offers a general indication of a year's potential. The actual longevity and quality of your wine depend on a broader set of factors. The storage environment is paramount. AWRI Technical Note TN09 recommends "insulated and/or temperature- controlled storage conditions, which minimise fluctuations in both temperature and humidity." Amon and Simpson (1986) specifically recommend storing bottled wine with the cork in contact with the wine in a "cool (15-20°C), dry location" (AWRI Technical Note TN09). Proper storage helps mitigate the risks of heat and light damage. That damage can undermine even the most acclaimed vintages. You can learn more about ideal conditions in our guide on how to store wine.
The choice of bottle glass color also contributes to protection against light. Rankine (1989) indicates that "amber glass is most effective in excluding wavelengths below about 450 nm." Investigations by the Institute have identified a "disproportionately high number" of copper instability cases in white wines stored in clear glass bottles (AWRI Technical Note TN09).
When acquiring wines, understanding the full context beyond a simple vintage score is crucial. That is especially true through channels like auction. For example, take a bottle of Domaine de la Romanée-Conti from a less-heralded vintage but with impeccable storage history. It may offer a superior experience to a highly-rated vintage that has suffered from poor handling. Factors such as fill levels and label condition also influence a wine's marketability and perceived value. Our fine wine market index can help you track broader trends. Individual bottle condition remains key.
To make informed decisions for your cellar, consider all available information. That means the vintage, the producer's reputation, the specific appellation, and crucially, the wine's provenance and storage history. Tools like our landed-cost calculator can help you assess the true cost of acquisition. For a deeper understanding of the region, explore our Burgundy region atlas.
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