This Just Goes To Show You How We Can Brainwash You All Eventually

Maybe in the good ol' days, vintages were important but with all the advanced methods in winemaking these days...it doesn't really matter. Well, maybe a little...

In an extreme weather conditions during a particular year, it can very much effect the grape. A ton of rain during the growing season results in a diluted grape which produces a flavorless wine. A very hot season can either burn the berries on the vine, call for an early harvest because the sugar levels are too high (which would cause alcohol in the wine to be high if picked too late) or you would get a wine that would literally taste like raisins because well....the grapes pretty much turned into raisins

Unless you really know what you're talking about with wine at a restaurant, don't make a big deal with the vintage date. Knowing vintage dates is like memorizing sports stats. So, stick with what you like whether its region, country, grape or producer and forget the dates.

...most of it is for marketing anyway!  (Napa Valley Register)