Have you ever been disappointed with a bottle of wine? It isn’t unusual to buy wine without knowing much about it, however the information needed to find out more is right there on the label. All you need is to know how to read it. Understanding a wine’s label is easy and is a great way to find out what exactly is inside the bottle before you buy it. Our in-house wine experts who have many years of experience and education, are here to help you understand the language on wine labels. Enjoy their top tips for reading wine labels and never be disappointed with a bottle of wine again.
1. Grape Variety or the Appellation
Wine labelling rules vary between countries, which is why sometimes the grape variety is listed and other times it’s the region of origin, also called the 'appellation'. So what’s the difference? The variety refers to the grapes used to make the wine, such as Merlot, whereas appellation tells you where the grapes are grown. Appellation, which is favoured by “Old World” labels, is similar to the protected designation of origin regime established in the EU. Foodstuffs, including wine, with this designation are entirely prepared and produced in the region stated. In France this is called AOC - Appellation d'Origine Contrôlée. This system is used in many wine producing countries to help certify geographical regions and regulate production in order to ensure quality.
Grape variety refers to the grapes used to make the wine whereas the appellation tells you where the grapes are grown
2. Labelling by Region
The region tells us where the grapes were sourced in order to produce the wine. Knowing and understanding the difference between wine regions, as well as which grapes are grown where, will help you understand how the flavour, tones and characteristics of wines differ from one region to the next. Examples of wine regions are Rioja, Bordeaux, Bourgogne and Loire. Within these regions you can have smaller areas like Rioja Alta, Médoc, Chablis and Sancerre. Generally speaking, wines are usually of a higher quality when the protected designation of origin listed is more specific.
Generally speaking, wines are usually of a higher quality when the protected designation of origin listed is more specific
3. Labelling by Producer or Name
The producer is the winemaker. Their name is usually clearly stated on the front label of the bottle. The producer can vary from small independent wine estates who produce and bottle their own wines, to larger brands who produce wines ‘en masse’.
Once you’ve identified the name or producer listed on the label, you can start to learn more about the production of the wine and its history.
4. Understanding Vintage
Understanding a wine’s vintage is a great way to find out the quality, freshness and age of the wine. The vintage, which is the date on the label, refers to the year that the grapes were harvested. It not only tells us how old the wine is but also what quality we can expect. As with every other crop, the quality of the harvest depends on the weather. When the conditions are perfect for growing healthy grapes, the quality of the wine should be great too. When the weather is difficult, the resulting wine can still be very good, but it depends on the skills of the winemaker.
The vintage refers to the year that the grapes were harvested
5. Alcohol By Volume (ABV)
Although we may not realise, the alcohol volume tells us a lot about the wine’s flavour, characteristics, quality and origin. Grapes grown in hotter climates tend to develop higher sugar levels than grapes grown in cooler regions. These sugars are converted into alcohol during the fermentation process. Therefore warm climate wines often contain a higher alcohol percentage and are also richer in ripe fruit flavours. Alcohol percentage by volume also varies from country to country. Many top quality European winemakers do not allow their wines to exceed 13.5%, whereas some wines produced in the United States can reach 16%.
Alcohol percentage tells us a lot about a wine’s flavour, characteristics, quality and origin
With these expert tips on how to read wine labels, you can buy your next bottle with confidence. Our in-house wine experts require clear photos of the labels for every bottle of wine offered up for our weekly Wine auctions so you'll be able to find all the information you need to choose the perfect bottle of wine. And did you know that with just one account you can bid, buy and sell wine and other special objects on Catawiki? Create your free account today to get started.
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