Off Vintage Wines: Finding Value Beyond the Hype

Off vintage wines can offer exceptional value. They let you acquire quality bottles at prices "far below its actual quality," as Roman L. Weil, co-chairman of the Oenonomy Society of the US, suggests. Conventional wisdom often steers collectors towards highly-rated years. Winemakers today possess the "technology and skills to make good and even very good wines in undistinguished years," according to Bill Marsano. James Laube of Wine Spectator further asserts that "even an average vintage can yield some grand wines." This means that by looking beyond the celebrated years, you can uncover hidden gems that defy common perceptions. They provide rewarding drinking experiences or smart additions to your cellar without the premium attached to a "perfect" vintage.

What defines an 'off' vintage?

A vintage wine is one made from grapes primarily grown and harvested in a single specified year, as we define it. The importance assigned to vintage is "varied and disputed,". For wines produced in regions at the colder climatic limits of wine production, vintage can be "very important". Warmer seasons produce riper grapes and better wine. Conversely, a poor growing season can result in grapes failing to reach optimal ripeness. That leads to grape juice higher in acid and lower in sugar, which affects the quality of the resulting wine.

In many wine regions, particularly in the New World, growing seasons are "much more uniform." The systematic use of irrigation in dry regions also contributes to uniform vintages. Some wines are only labeled with a vintage in better-than-average years to maintain their quality and reputation. However, the vast majority of wines are produced to be drunk young and fresh, where a vintage is usually considered less important.

Can experts really tell the difference?

The ability of experienced wine drinkers and experts to distinguish between wines from high and low-rated years in blind tastings has been tested. The results are surprising. Roman L. Weil, a professor at the University of Chicago, conducted blind tastings with 240 wine drinkers using wines ranging from four to 17 years beyond their vintage. He found that tasters "distinguish between wines of good and bad vintages except for Bordeaux wines,". Even when a distinction could be made, the match between tasters' individual assessments and the charts' rankings was "little better than tossing a coin." When these tests were replicated with "wine experts," including French wine academics that "the results were again the same as chance."

Despite these findings, Weil does not consider a vintage chart "useless." He suggests using one to help "find good buys in wine," as wine made in years considered worse than average for vintages "may be priced far below its actual quality,". This perspective aligns with the view of New York Times wine columnist Frank J. Prial, who declared the vintage chart "dead," and Bill Marsano. Marsano wrote 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 also asserted that "even an average vintage can yield some grand wines."

Where do off-vintage opportunities arise?

Bordeaux is a region where Weil's study noted tasters could make a distinction between good and bad vintages. It can still offer opportunities in off-vintages, especially when considering the "best vintage is the vintage we have to sell" [ 11" as cited by Joshua Greene in Wine & Spirits. The Bordeaux region has a total vineyard area of 110,800 hectares. It is the second largest wine-growing area in France. It is home to over 5,660 producers and 65 appellations.

We attribute the region's success in winemaking to its "excellent environment for growing vines," a phrase that covers several things. A limestone geological foundation and well-drained gravel soils often found near the Gironde river are among them. The Atlantic climate, influenced by the Gironde estuary and its tributaries like the Garonne and Dordogne rivers, plays a significant role.

Bordeaux red wines are typically blends. On the Left Bank, including Médoc and Graves, Cabernet Sauvignon often dominates the blend. Typical top-quality Châteaux blends are 70% Cabernet Sauvignon, 15% Cabernet Franc, and 15% Merlot. Conversely, on the Right Bank, encompassing Saint-Émilion and Pomerol, Merlot tends to predominate. Typical top-quality Châteaux blends there are 70% Merlot, 15% Cabernet Franc, and 15% Cabernet Sauvignon. You can explore specific vintage details for regions like Bordeaux 2013 and Bordeaux 2007 to see how these years compare.

Opportunities for value may be found in the broader appellations. Bordeaux AOC and Bordeaux Supérieur AOC wines accounted for 55% of all Bordeaux wines consumed globally in 2010. They are often Merlot-dominant. Bordeaux AOC wines tend to be "fruity, with minimal influence of oak, and are produced in a style meant to be drunk young." Bordeaux Supérieur AOC wines, while from the same area, "must follow stricter controls, such as lower yields, and are often aged in oak." The Côtes de Bordeaux appellations represented 14.7% of the region's vineyard surface in 2007. They also produce Merlot-dominated wines that are "intermediate between basic red Bordeaux and the more famous appellations" in style and quality. Prices tend to be moderate.

When considering off-vintage Bordeaux, look for producers known for consistent quality across vintages. Favour those in less prestigious appellations or those producing Bordeaux Supérieur wines. Blending is an "integral part of the Bordeaux wine making process," and these wines often benefit from it. Wine from different grape varieties and vineyard parts is mixed "depending on the vintage conditions, so as to produce a wine in the château's preferred style."

For a deeper understanding of the region's producers and their locations, consult our Bordeaux producer atlas.

How should you store off-vintage wines?

Proper storage is crucial for any wine you intend to hold, including off-vintage selections. The Australian Wine Research Institute (AWRI) Technical Note TN09 recommends storing wine under "insulated and/or temperature- controlled storage conditions, which minimise fluctuations in both temperature and humidity."

Excessive storage temperatures can significantly impact a wine's shelf life. Marais (1986) observed the development of "faulty flavours and decreasing overall quality" after 12 months of wine storage at 30°C. That finding comes from AWRI Technical Note TN09. Temperatures exceeding 40°C can "induce visual and sensory changes to a wine in only a matter of days," Ough (1986) found. In general, any storage place where the temperature "exceeds 25°C for long periods and 40°C for short periods can affect wine quality," Ough (1992) states. Amon and Simpson (1986) recommend storing bottled wine with the cork in contact with the wine in a "cool (15-20°C), dry location." Thermal expansion from high temperatures can cause cork movement or leakage. This "does not necessarily imply that the quality of the wine has also been affected," AWRI Technical Note TN09 explains. It will still impact appearance and marketability. For more details on maintaining your cellar, see our guide on how to store wine.

Light also has "deleterious effects" on wine, according to AWRI Technical Note TN09. Exposure to light can lead to "lightstruck" flavour, or goûts de lumière. Maujean and Seguin (1983) demonstrated that it is due to the formation of volatile sulfur compounds. Dozon and Noble (1989) exposed still and sparkling white wines in green glass to fluorescent lamps. They found a "statistically significant" level of lightstruck flavour after 31.1 hours and 18 hours, respectively. Wines in clear glass developed this off-flavour much faster, after only 3.3 hours and 3.4 hours, respectively. 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, Dozon and Noble (1989) reported.

Direct sunlight poses a much greater risk. Gordon Watson, of Gordon Watson and Associates, notes that "direct sunlight provides 4286 times the amount of UV-A radiation as fluorescent lamps," making it "more deleterious to wine quality than exposure to electric lighting systems," AWRI Technical Note TN09 highlights. The choice of glass color can help. Rankine (1989) indicates that "amber glass is most effective in excluding wavelengths below about 450 nm." The Institute's investigations have found a "disproportionately high number" of cases of copper instability haze in white wines. Those bottles were clear glass, which light can exacerbate. Understanding wine ullage levels can also provide clues about a wine's storage history.

Stay ahead of the market and discover opportunities in every vintage. Set up price alerts on your watchlist today.