Over the past couple of weeks, I’ve had the opportunity to take part in three vertical tastings, where a number of vintages of the same wine are poured for the purpose of comparison. Yet regular readers of Wine Enthusiast will note that we rarely include coverage of verticals in the magazine (or online). The verticals we do cover are pretty much restricted to rare and highly collectible wines that may turn up at auction, on fancy restaurant wine lists or in some prescient collectors’ cellars. So why bother attending verticals at all?

From the perspective of a journalist/critic, such tastings provide an invaluable look at how a particular wine evolves over time. Knowing how a wine has aged in the past provides some clues to making a meaningful projection about a current-release wine’s ability to age. So when a critic writes, “Drink 2015-2025,” hopefully that’s backed by some real-world experience–if not of that exact wine, at least of some similar wines.

Vertical tastings also provide an opportunity to discuss with the winemaker how their processes have changed over time and actually see how those changes affect what is in the glass. It’s possible to discuss changes in viticulture, yeasts, extraction methods, elevage and more in the context of these tastings and gain a greater understanding of why changes were made and their effects on the wine. In short, verticals are valuable tools for studying winemaking in a way that transcends book learning.

For even casual accumulators of wine, vertical tastings can provide a window into how wines evolve and help define individual tastes. If consumers have a better understanding of what they like, they can be less reliant on critics’ prognostications. Try a simple tasting of two or three vintages of the same California Cabernet Sauvignon and see which you like best: Is it the aged one, with mellowed fruit and integrated oak, maybe some dried fruit and leather characters, or the youngest, with the biggest, most vibrant fresh fruit and obvious vanilla shadings?

Once you know what you like, then you’ll better be able to interpret other people’s tasting notes–particularly those from vertical tastings, which often emphasize state of maturity–and be better able to know how your tastes align with those of the writer. Just as perception of aromas and flavors can vary among tasters, so too can perceptions of maturity. My “tired, drying out” wine may be your idea of “wonderfully mature, filled with tertiary complexities,” or vice versa.

With that in mind, these are the three recent verticals I tasted:

• Beaulieu Vineyard Georges de Latour Private Reserve Cabernet Sauvignon (7 vintages)
• De Bortoli Noble One Botrytis Semillon (8 vintages, plus bonus 2001 Sauternes)
• Jacob’s Creek Riesling (Classic, Reserve and Steingarten, 18 wines in all)

I intend to eventually get all of them online, but will write them up in the order in which there is the most interest. So please go ahead and vote for your favorite in the comment section below.

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