What is a "no vintage" wine?

Here at Renard Creek, we field a number of questions about the wines we carry, including questions about wine in general. Our visitors may note that most wines have a vintage year in their name or description. Sometimes, a wine has no year or may otherwise carry the abbreviation "NV." Let's take a look at what the means.

"No vintage" wines, also known as non-vintage wines, are formulated by blending grapes from multiple harvest years rather than relying on the yield of a single vintage. Winemakers combine different batches of wine from various years to achieve a consistent flavor profile, which helps them maintain a particular taste, aroma, and quality regardless of the variations in grape harvests due to weather or other factors. This blending process allows winemakers to create a stable product that meets consumer expectations year after year.

The absence of a distinct bottling date on non-vintage wines is primarily due to the fact that these wines do not correspond to a single year's harvest. Instead, they are a blend of wines from different years, making it impractical to assign a specific vintage date. By omitting a vintage year, winemakers emphasize the consistency and reliability of the wine’s character, rather than the unique qualities that might come from a single year’s production. This approach is common in sparkling wines, like Champagne, and in some fortified wines, where achieving a consistent house style is more important than showcasing the attributes of a particular vintage.

Cheers, & Enjoy!