Have you ever wondered why some Champagne and Sparkling Wine labels have a year on them and some do not? Why is it that with wine you normally have the year of the vintage on the label but this doesn’t seem to be something that is always on your bottle of Sparkling Wine or Champagne? In this Wine Terms Explained, we are going to unpack why this is by looking at what the difference is between Vintage and Non-Vintage Champagne.
What is Non-Vintage Champagne?
Non-Vintage Champagne (or Sparkling Wine) is the most common type of Champagne you’ll find. You can tell it is Non-Vintage because it will either have no year on it, or the letters ‘NV’ on the label.
Non-Vintage Champagne is a term simply meaning that the wine is made using grapes from different vintages aka years. The winemakers take wines produced from multiple harvests and blend them together to produce the bottle of bubbles. This can range from three to five years and can even span 20 years of harvest. These wines must be aged a minimum of 15 months before release.
The key reason for doing this is the weather. Champagne is one of the northernmost wine regions in the world meaning it is cold and often has hail and freezing temperatures. This can seriously impact the yield each year. Sometimes the grapes won’t get ripe enough, other years they will be overripe. So to get consistency and ensure that they can continue to produce enough Champagne for us to enjoy, Champagne houses started keeping older wines in tanks and blending them with the wine from the current year.
What is Vintage Champagne?
So if that is Non-Vintage Champagne, what is Vintage Champagne? Vintage Champagne is only made using the grapes from a single year. So on the label, it will have the year displayed. Vintage Champagne represents less than 5 per cent of all production and won’t happen each year. They are typically only produced three to four times in a decade.
Vintage Champagnes typically use the best grapes from the best vineyards, although still only use the Champagne grapes – Chardonnay, Pinot Noir and Pinot Meunier. They must be aged a minimum of three years in the bottle (although many leave it for longer). Therefore you can see that Vintage Champagne has a lot more effort put into it, and with effort comes a higher price tag. Not every year will be a good enough year for Vintage Champagne, and so with less supply, you get a higher price point. This is why Champagne Houses such as Dom Perignon who only produce Vintage Champagnes demand such a high price per bottle.
Is Vintage or Non-Vintage Champagne better?
So now that you know the difference between vintage and non-vintage champagne, which one is better? Although Vintage Champagne demands a higher price point, does that actually make it better?
Vintage Champagnes are celebrated for their uniqueness. As a single-origin coffee, they are an expression of a time and a place, and so each year’s vintage will be different. This is why some years are not good years for Vintage Champagne, and some are celebrated.
On the flip side, Non-Vintage Champagnes are consistent. Each Champagne house has a distinct style, and with Non-Vintage Champagnes, you know that each bottle is going to have the label’s flagship tastes and aromas. The winemakers have more years to play with and blend to create their distinctive style in the bottle. Whilst with Vintage Champagne they only have one year, meaning if it is not a favourable growing year they cannot produce enough.
The price of Vintage Champagne doesn’t necessarily mean it is better, it just comes down to supply. There is less Vintage Champagne in the world, and so it demands a higher price point. Although it is said it is of higher quality, what it actually comes down to is a personal preference.
Both Vintage and Non-Vintage Champagnes should be looked at as simply different expressions. Taste is a matter of preference, and you may not love the Vintage Champagne as much as its familiar counterpart. It just comes down to what you love, and what you want to buy. If you love a particular Champagne house style, you may not find this in a Vintage Champagne. But you might also love exploring different years to see how the flavours change.
In Summary: The difference between Vintage and Non-Vintage Champagne
The difference between Vintage and Non-Vintage Champagne is simply the expression of the wine. Although one demands a much higher price tag, it doesn’t necessarily mean you’re going to enjoy it more. Non-Vintage Champagne is consistent. If you love a particular Champagne house, you know what you’re going to get in every bottle. But if you love exploring different flavours and seeing how they change, maybe Vintage Champagne is right for you! Just maybe keep it out of your mimosas!