What vintage is it?
an-NA-ta — three syllables, double 'n', stress on second.
During any wine tasting to understand the harvest year — crucial for understanding the wine's age, development, and character.
'Annata' = vintage (the harvest year). In Italian wine, vintage matters enormously — especially for wines that age (Barolo, Brunello, Amarone). Great vintages: Barolo 2010, 2013, 2016; Brunello 2012, 2015. Poor vintages can be avoided.
È una buona annata?
Is it a good vintage?
Ask the producer's honest assessment — they will tell you
Qual è stata la migliore annata degli ultimi dieci anni?
What has been the best vintage of the last ten years?
Opens a rich conversation about weather, harvests, and wine quality
Questo vino è pronto o deve ancora invecchiare?
Is this wine ready or does it still need to age?
Drinking window question — crucial for expensive wines
The 2016 Barolo vintage is considered one of the century's greatest — ideal weather conditions produced wines of extraordinary complexity and longevity. Producers like Giacomo Conterno, Bartolo Mascarello and Aldo Conterno made definitive wines from this vintage that will be celebrated for 50 years.