Does wine taste different each year because of weather?

Question

i was just wondering if wine can get a different taste each year due to the so called "mercy of the weather". so let's say the winery has wine vintages from 2006 and 2007, can they taste different? totally ignorant to the factors of winemaking, i had thought each year's taste was as identical as the last.

Answer 1

There are a lot of things that can make wine change in taste from year to year.  The weather is a HUGE factor.  It can make the grapes sweeter, bitter or more harsh.  The soil also changes from year to year, and that too can affect the taste of the wine.

Another thing that can change the taste of the wine is barrels that it is aged in.  The kind of material the barrel is made of (oak, stainless steel, etc), the newness of the barrel, etc can all make a difference in the taste of the wine.  

Hope this helps.

Answer 2

Certainly weather is a huge variable, but there can be other aspects that the winemaker has control over: when they pick, and the variables in the fermentation, aging and bottling process itself. Winemakers are always striving for a better bottle of wine, so it makes sense that they do things a little different each year.

Answer 3

The short answer - yes.

One of the enigma's of wine is that many different factors affect the taste, texture, aroma, etc.  Weather affects soil, which in turn affects the grapes.  More arid climate will determine how grapes will mature, as compared to a more humid/wet climate.  Therefore, the overall flavor will be noticeably different.  

Other factors include the type of grape, how long the skins are left on during processing (which determines whether the finished product will be white, red, or blush), and what kind of wood barrels are used for aging.  There are many more - these are just a few examples.

And just a little extra info - when you read the labels on bottles of wine, you'll notice that they mention things like "hint of cherry" or "lavender notes".  Usually this is referring to the fact that cherries and lavender also thrive in the same area that the original grapes are grown.

Answer 4

Different vintages can taste a little different depending on weather, soil conditions, atmospheric conditions while aging. The list goes on.

For example, in 2006, the winery had a drought and had normal rain in 2007. This can have a big impact on the final product.

Answer 5

Yes.

Assuming all else equal, the weather can cause the grapes grown to vary, and thus affect the wine that is produced from those grapes.

Let me give you some examples. Assume a perfect growing season and the grapes are grown just as planned. If the vintners are experienced in their craft, that season's wine will be very good. Assume instead at the end of the good season just before harvest, there are heavy rains. The grapes will absorb more water and their sugars and tastes will be dilluted. I think you can imagine how this will affect the wine. Assume instead the season is dry/extra wet. Then the grapes will taste more bitter/bland and the wine produced will be affected.

Using Napa Valley, California as an example... there have been very good seasons recently. As such, the wines produced in those years will be the rated higher than from poor years. It's like this worldwide. When seasons are good, the wine is usually good (assuming the vintners don't F up).

So you can somewhat tell if a wine's going to be good from a particular region if you know which growing seasons were good there.

Answer 6

Yes they will be different each year.  

Some wines (like champagne) produce wines that combine grapes from multiple years to get consistency and augment that with vintage champagne for only those years with great grapes.  

Other wines (like American Chardonnay, Merlot....etc) will vary in quality from year to year.    If you read any of the popular wine journals (like Robert Parker or the Wine Spectator), you will see a particular wine be rated highly for one year and lower in other years.