We're seeing this right now with James Molesworth give the 2022 Vintage in Napa a lower score than 2020. That 2020, the fire year. So a heat dome in 2022 is worse than smoke taint? Nah, not buying it.
Though varieties may not even be consistent vintage to vintage, either. The blend (and the vast majority of wines out there are blends even when the law allows them to only put one on the bottle) changes year to year, sometimes different grapes appear or disappear from year to year.
When it comes to consumers - anyone who isn't eyballs deep steeped in wine culture already - the vintage is only useful to know how old the wine is, how aged it may or may not be. Beyond that, you'd have to dig through vintage reports and somehow translate that minutiae to the specific brand and bottle in your hands. And brothers, that ain't happening. I can't even be arsed, let alone most consumers.
We're seeing this right now with James Molesworth give the 2022 Vintage in Napa a lower score than 2020. That 2020, the fire year. So a heat dome in 2022 is worse than smoke taint? Nah, not buying it.
Don't panic. Enjoy
Great information!
Though varieties may not even be consistent vintage to vintage, either. The blend (and the vast majority of wines out there are blends even when the law allows them to only put one on the bottle) changes year to year, sometimes different grapes appear or disappear from year to year.
When it comes to consumers - anyone who isn't eyballs deep steeped in wine culture already - the vintage is only useful to know how old the wine is, how aged it may or may not be. Beyond that, you'd have to dig through vintage reports and somehow translate that minutiae to the specific brand and bottle in your hands. And brothers, that ain't happening. I can't even be arsed, let alone most consumers.