Champenoise Method

Ambitious wine drinkers know it: not all vintages are created equal. For example, the 2000 and 2010 vintages were magnificent in Bordeaux, while the 2013 is to be avoided. Every wine guide, therefore, features a list of good and not-so-good vintages by region. But what if winemakers were to abandon that tradition?
A vintage on a wine label indicates the year the grapes were harvested. The weather in that year affects the grapes, and the quality of the grapes influences the taste and aging potential of the wine. It's therefore logical that the vintage is traditionally valued. Labeling the vintage isn't mandatory everywhere, but it is required in Canada and the United States, for example, as well as in Alsace in France. At least 95% of the grapes are from the year stated on the label.

When people think of unvintage wines, many think of table wine. Yet, if you enjoy Champagne, you're drinking wines without a vintage but with prestige . Joseph Krug revolutionized the Champagne world in 1843. He was convinced that blending should neutralize the impact of weather on Champagne. Therefore, he created a collection of reserve wines, which allowed him to make excellent Champagne every year from wines aged from one to as much as 25 years. Today, almost all Champagne houses blend vintages.
This rarely happens with other wines, but it's starting to change. Wildekrans Wine Estate on the Bot River in South Africa not only blends four grapes rarely used together in Europe in its Deep Purple : Shiraz, Cabernet Franc, Merlot, and Pinot Noir, but each grape variety also has a different vintage. A dark, full-bodied, yet spicy top-notch wine with the cool undertones typical of wines from a cool climate. Exclusive to Paradisi.
Méthode Champenoise