In addition to soil type, grape varieties and the winemaker 's skill, the climate has a decisive influence on wine quality. Wines reflect the weather-related, often very specific characteristics of a year to a sometimes considerable extent. In this context, one speaks of vintage-related typicality, for example, wines can have a "vintage-typical botrytis note" or a "roasted note" due to periods of heat.

The six factors for wine quality wine quality are Climate (micro-, macro-, meso-, topoclimate), grape variety (with regard to climate, soil type), soil type(water balance, minerality, terroir), topography(altitude, slope, proximity to water, exposure), vintage(weather conditions in the vegetation cycle) and the vinification (signature of the winemaker).

Weather fluctuations

There are generally fewer fluctuations in warm growing regions. In contrast, weather-related differences can be considerable in cooler growing regions, e.g. the Italian regions of Piedmont and Tuscany, in Austria the Wachau wine-growing region and the wine-growing regions in Styria, the German Mosel wine-growing region, as well as the French regions of Burgundy, Bordeaux, Alsace and Loire.

Vintage quality = orientation guide

In Bordeaux, it is said that the châteaux do not produce good wine, but only good vintages or even only good bottles, because wines can develop differently depending on the vintage. Climate and weather conditions are often similar for very large areas within a year, although the climate does not adhere to national borders. However, the quality can vary from region to region, from place to place and even from location to location within the year. It is therefore only possible to speak in general terms of vintage quality and this should only be understood as a relatively rough guide and not as a generalised guide for all producers.

Influencing factors

In a "low vintage", the wines usually have fewer ingredients in a homogeneous composition (flavours, sugar, acids, alcohol content). As a rule, such wines mature more quickly and reach their peak or drinking maturity earlier. Ageing also has a major influence. Wines aged in barrels or barriques generally have a longer shelf life than those aged in stainless steel tanks. Special vintages were already mentioned in ancient times, with the famous Falernese "Opimianer" from 121 BC being one of the oldest wines. However, only the very bad years (due to weather, wars, pests or other disasters) and the particularly good years were usually documented. In addition, it used to be customary to simply add the new vintage to a barrel.

Vintage chronicle

Exceptional wines are poetically referred to as wines of the century. The legendary 1811 is one of the most famous vintages from a historical perspective and was also mentioned by Johann W. Goethe (1749-1832). The following chronicle is partly taken from the documentary "Vintage chronicle, wine in the last 2000 years" by Peter H. Jordan. This is also a brief historical outline of viticulture. The comments are often related to specific wine-growing regions and are not generally valid for entire countries and all wines. Unless otherwise stated, they refer primarily to Germany and Austria:

1st to 10th century

• 121 BC - first documented vintage in wine history with the famous Falernian wine "Opimianer"
• 306, 312, 411, 545, 585, 604 - bad harvests
• 765 - blessed wine year, thanksgiving service of King Pippin III (714-768) - father of Charlemagne
• 900 to 1350 - this long period is known as the Medieval Warm Period, which was followed by a very long cold period from 1450 to 1850, the so-called Little Ice Age
• 987 - very hot and dry year, complete crop failure

11th to 15th century

• 1150 - overproduction due to enormous expansion of vineyards during the Medieval Warm Period
• 1185 - wonderful wine in large quantities, harvest begins on 1 August
• 1293, 1295, 1297 - excellent wine in abundance
• 1343 - a wine from Lindenfels-Pfalz was still being served at Heidelberg Castle in the 17th century
• 1346 - Disaster year, extreme frost in mid-September
• 1407 - Severe winter frosts, Rhine frozen over, many vineyards destroyed
• 1437 - Severe frosts, extreme winter destroys the vineyards on the Vistula
• 1443 - extremely sour and inedible wine, which is why it was used for mortar in the construction of St Stephen's Cathedral...