Reading Wine Bottle Labels

You need to be able to understand all of the information on wine bottle labels in order to distinguish one bottle from another, and to know what it is that you are drinking.

Pick up a bottle of wine and take a look at the label. Some of the things you can expect to see include:

* The grape variety used to make the wine, such as Cabernet Sauvignon or Chardonnay. Keep in mind many wines are actually blends of different grape varieties. In this case, the variety listed is the predominant grape.

Each country has its own regulations as to what percentage of the predominant grape must be used in order to label a bottle by that variety. The percentage can vary anywhere from about 75% to 90%, though some wines may use 100% of one grape variety.


Why blend grape varieties? Different blends can give different tastes.

Why else? Cost. It is less expensive to mix in 25% of a lesser grape than to use 100% Chardonnay. And that savings is usually passed along to the consumer.

This does not mean that the wine is inferior in any way, just different. We don't believe price has much correlation with quality in wines. You can find many great wines for under $20...and many for even less than $10!!
* The place where the grapes were grown. This may include the country, appellation (a designated wine region, such as Napa Valley or Burgundy), or the name of the vineyard itself.
* The vintage. The year the grapes were harvested.
* The brand name of the producer.
* The volume of wine in the bottle.
* The alcohol content of the wine. This can vary, but by law must be less than 14%. If there is no percentage, wine bottle labels may instead use the term "table wine."

Some wines can exceed 14% alcohol content. These are called fortified wines. Examples include Port, Sherry, and Madeira.
* Quality classification. Most of the world's regions have classification standards that ensure the wine meets certain quality standards. These vary by country.
* Wine bottle labels on the back of the bottle are sometimes used to provide more details about the wine, a description of the appellation that produced the wine, or suggestions of food to pair with the wine.

Now you should be confident enough to walk into the liquor store and read any wine bottle labels for yourself!