Entering a wine shop can sometimes feel a bit overwhelming, surrounded by a wall of bottles, each with its unique label. It might tempt you to hastily pick your go-to wine, or perhaps one with an appealing label, and leave. But with just a few helpful tips, you can read virtually any wine bottle from any region in the world, understand whether it’s red or white, the region it was produced, and gather information about its flavors and overall level of quality. Here are some tips to help you read and understand wine labels so you never get confused again.
Parts of A Wine Label Explained
No two wine labels are exactly the same. Some wine producers opt for minimal design and content, simply putting their brand on the bottle and perhaps the varietal or region where the wine was produced, while others prefer ornate designs and choose to include more information. The next time you grab a new bottle, here are some things to look for in order to make an informed decision.
Producer Name
Many bottles feature the winemaker prominently on the front of the bottle. This could be found in the logo or written out in a typeface. If you’re familiar with the winery, then this could be helpful to know. However, if you’re venturing out with a new wine, you’ll need to look further than just who made it.
Producing Area
Also known as a “wine region”, the producing area is the general area where the grapes are harvested. It could be a city, a state, or a country. Some winemakers choose to put “France”, “Australia“, or “California” on their wine labels, while some get more specific with “Napa Valley” or “Bordeaux.” The area is not the same as an appellation (see below) because a producing area doesn’t necessarily have regulations or legal requirements. In terms of quality, wines from general, broad areas may denote lower quality, while wines from a specific region, or even a specific vineyard, are of higher quality.
Appellation
The appellation is the specific region where the wine was produced. A wine label with an appellation often signifies more about the quality of the wine than just the geographic location. Unlike a wine region or producing area, winemakers often have strict guidelines and laws they must follow in order to receive these designations.
In France, this is referred to as “Appellation d’Origine Contrôlée” (AOC). Some examples include the Champagne AOC and the Châteauneuf-du-Pape AOC. In the United States, there is an American Viticultural Area (AVA). For instance, a wine labeled with a Napa Valley AVA must have at least 85% of its grapes grown in Napa Valley.
The European Union also has its own set of appellation terms found on some wine bottle labels. For example, the term “Appellation Bordeaux Protégée” is an EU designation on Bordeaux wines showing the wine was produced under the regulations of the Bordeaux appellation.
While these terms might get a little technical, their general meaning is to signify the wine is authentic and of high quality.
Varietal
The varietal is the specific type of wine that’s in the bottle. It could be a grape variety like Chardonnay, Pinot Noir, Cabernet Sauvignon, or a combination of multiple types of grapes (a blend). New World wines are usually straightforward with this information and put the varietal on the bottle. Old World wines, like those from Italy and France, may not be so literal and can be harder; they may have the information in the producer’s native language.
Vintage
Listed somewhere on the bottle, often on the front, will be a year. This is referred to as the vintage, and it’s the year the grapes were harvested. If a wine doesn’t have a vintage year listed, it’s considered a non-vintage wine (NV) which means the wine’s grapes were harvested in different years.
ABV
Also called Alcohol by Volume, ABV is the measurement of alcohol content in a wine. Alcohol with a higher alcohol content is anything >15%. If a wine is 14% or less alcohol by volume, it can be labeled a Table Wine and does not actually need to have the ABV present on the label. While there is much more to wine than its alcohol content, a high ABV wine tends to be dry and a lower ABV wine can be sweeter. If you can’t find the ABV on a bottle of wine, chances are it’s lower than 15%.
Additional Terms
Reserve: This term, although not strictly regulated in all regions, generally indicates a higher quality or a wine that has been aged longer before release.
Estate Bottled: This assures that the winemaker had control over the entire production process, from cultivation to bottling, ensuring consistency and quality.
Old World Wine Labels vs. New World Wine Labels
Traditionally, New World winemakers (those from areas like the United States, South Africa, and others) have included different information on their wine labels than Old World winemakers from parts of Europe.
Most New World wine labels emphasize the varietal(s): Chardonnay, Pinot Noir, Cabernet Sauvignon) whereas Old World wine labels focus on the appellation of origin or region like Bordeaux. Old World wine labels often have classifications listed (AOC) whereas New World wines may contain descriptions of the wine’s flavors.
French Wine Labels vs. Italian Wine Labels
Wines from France tend to show the appellation (region) over the varietal (grape). French wine labels might list a wine as “Bordeaux” which isn’t a varietal, but a region where the wine was harvested. Your wine knowledge will be tested to understand French labels and what types of wines are commonly harvested by region.
Italian wine labels tend to prominently display the varietal (grape) with the appellation (region) taking a background. Italian wine labels may not display the winemaker’s name, whereas French wine labels virtually always do (“Chateau” or “Domaine”).
Once you grasp the basics of how wine bottles are labeled, you can work backward to understand if it’s a wine you might like or not. Simply identifying the region the wine was produced can tell you whether it’s sweeter, fruitier, or more acidic. From there, you can look for regions and declarations to understand whether a wine is high-quality.
