Vintner

Definition - What does Vintner mean?

Vintner is a term used to describe a wine merchant, however, it is interchangeable with someone who produces wine or is a winery owner. As a vintner, one must recognize the many tasks which are involved with the position, including all aspects of making a wine and the interaction with other professionals who are involved inside and outside the winery.

WineFrog explains Vintner

The term vintner used to be a term used to describe a person who sells wine, however, today, it is a term with a much broader spectrum, and depending on the context in which the term is used, it may vary. When speaking of a vintner as one who makes wine, there is a vast spectrum of knowledge they must possess:

  • Scientific knowledge as a winemaker
  • The monitoring of grape maturity up and until harvest. This includes interaction with the viticulturist(s).
  • How to store and age wine
  • Blending and bottling wine
  • Laboratory tests

When in the aspect of a winemaker, a vintner is heavily relied upon by estates that contain a winery, as the vintner will be responsible for producing, experimenting with and planning the perfect finished wine that the estate will later sell to consumers. This requires knowing how to keep the balance between varietal character, terroir, and a plethora of aspects that affect how a wine will taste in the end.