The importance of Vintage Reports for consumers. Insights by Michaela Morris DipWSET, IWE
In the world of wine, knowing how to communicate clearly and engagingly with the end consumer is essential. Michaela Morris DipWSET, IWE, freelance wine writer and Regional Chair for Piedmont at the Decanter World Wine Awards, recently delved into the role of Vintage Reports and their impact on producers and enthusiasts. With years of experience in the industry, Morris has learned that vintage reports are not just reviews, but fundamental tools for those who want to really understand the wines of a given vintage.
Contextualize, not just evaluate
According to Morris, a Vintage Report cannot be reduced to a list of scores. “Even if someone has never heard of Brunello, I would like them to read the report and still understand and appreciate it,” she explains. A good report should offer a complete context: climatic conditions, harvest trends, agronomic choices. All elements that help explain how and why a wine has certain characteristics.
Brunello di Montalcino: three vintages compared
Speaking about recent vintages of Brunello di Montalcino, Michaela Morris highlights how each harvest presents unique challenges and specific conditions that profoundly affect the wine.
“In 2017 I spent the month of August in Montalcino, clearly observing the water stress of the vineyards,” she explains. High temperatures and drought affected the development of the grapes, leading to wines with very dry tannins and a shorter drinking window than usual.
In 2018, however, the season was marked by unstable weather conditions and strong pressure from fungal diseases. In this context, Morris explains, it was crucial to carefully manage phenolic ripening, trying to find a balance between maturity and risk of rot.
The 2019 vintage was different again, hot but well balanced by “rains at the right time, hot days and cool nights”, which favored optimal ripening. The result? Fragrant, balanced wines with great structure.
Ethics and transparency
Another key theme for Michaela Morris is ethics in tasting and writing. Even though her articles are primarily aimed at consumers, she believes it is crucial to maintain an open and respectful dialogue with manufacturers. This balance allows her to offer sincere and in-depth evaluations, strengthening trust on the part of both producers and consumers.
Morris' advice to producers is clear: don't stop at the scores. “You should never consider a year entirely good or bad,” she stresses, every year has surprises and disappointments”. This, after all, is the greatest value of a well-made Vintage Report: offering reading and understanding tools, not just evaluations.
Michaela Morris DipWSET, IWE
Michaela Morris DipWSET, IWE is a freelance wine writer and educator with over 25 years of experience in the industry. She regularly collaborates with Decanter, where she writes about Italian wine, presents masterclasses and guides wine tours. She is Regional President for Piedmont of the Decanter World Wine Awards and judge in international competitions. She has a WSET Diploma, is an Italian Wine Expert (VIA) and has a degree in Linguistics and French from the University of British Columbia.