Conversely, in wine producing regions where the climate does not vary, a vintage bottle might not have a grape up on its nonvintage competition. Year after year, many of the wines may taste similar. Still, this isn’t always the (wine) case.

Some wine producers, in both cold and warm climates, label wines “vintage” only when they come from a superior and excellent crop. In these instances, the definition of vintage is more fittingly “the best of the best.” This route serves to preserve the reputation of the word itself; because the term “vintage” is often thought to be synonymous with being special, wine producers don’t want to put the label on just any ol’ bottle. If that happened, we might find boxes of wine selling themselves as such.

Vintage wines are sometimes wines meant to be drunk quickly, such as any vintage of Beaujolais nouveau, which is intended to be drunk within a few months of purchase (this is typically rather easy for wine lovers to achieve). But, they are more commonly wines that are meant to age. In highly tannic varieties, wines that adhere to the age gracefully reputation, vintage becomes essential — the older the wine, the better it’ll taste.

When it comes down to it, vintage isn’t a clear-cut thing: sometimes it’s important, and sometimes it’s not. It really depends on what type of wine the individual wine lover is seeking. Some people prefer vintage wines, some prefer nonvintage wines, and some people, such as myself, simply prefer them all.