Understanding a Label

Everyone observe things differently, we all have heard the saying “beauty is in the eye of the beholder.” Something that catches your neighbor’s attention could very well be something that you will turn a blind eye to. For instance, when you walk into a store and look at the range of wines that are available. As you stroll down the aisles and browse the assortment, for a moment, you stop. Your eyes squint to gain a little focus. You tilt your head slightly as you reach for a bottle.

What was it that caught your attention? Was it the color of the wine or maybe the color of the label? Perhaps it was simply the artistry on the label. 

Everyone Observe things differently, we all have heard the saying “beauty is in the eye of the beholder.” Something that catches your neighbor’s attention could very well be something that you will turn a blind eye to. For instance, when you walk into a store and look at the range of wines that are available. As you stroll down the aisles and browse the assortment, for a moment, you stop. Your eyes squint to gain a little focus. You tilt your head slightly as you reach for a bottle.

What was it that caught your attention? Was it the color of the wine or maybe the color of the label? Perhaps it was simply the artistry on the label. Choosing a good quality wine cannot be solely based on look alone. In order to know what you are purchasing you need to have an understanding of what is contained in the bottle itself. The label could easily be considered the most important aspect of your decision to make a purchase. Unfortunately, not everyone knows or understands exactly what is coded in the label.

A wines label can tell you the history of the wine, where it is from and what you can expect upon your first taste. Understanding this vital information can help you to make more informative choices when choosing a new wine.

The most obvious information that you may notice on the label first is the name. This could be the name of the wine itself or the producer of the wine. Knowing who made the wine can help you to recognize similar wines from the same producer.

The grape variety and/or appellation provide you with pertinent information on what you will taste and where the wine is from. If you are looking for a specific taste, pay attention to the grape variety because it will tell you what types of grapes were used to produce the wine. Some bottles may also have the appellation indicated. This tells you where the grapes for the wine came from.

The alcohol levels are noted on the label as alcohol by volume or simply ABV. This tells you the percentage of alcohol in the bottle. Paying attention to this detail is a great way to know how strong the taste of the wine may be.

Vintage, is perhaps one of the most well known keywords to look for on the bottle. It is often mistaken for the year that the wine was bottled, which is incorrect. The term vintage actually refers to the year that the grapes, to make the wine, were harvested. For example the grapes could have been harvested in 2000, but the wine may not have been bottled until 2002.

Another word that may be listed on the label is word reserve. This sounds fancy, right? It could mislead you into thinking what you are holding is a “top-notch” bottle of wine. The term reserve correlates to the aging process. It means that the wine may have had extra aging time. Whether it’s on the label or not is almost irrelevant. It really isn’t something that is a make or break kind of deal. (Editor's note, it's one of the most common questions that comes up from people who are members of our monthly wine clubs, but we don't ship many "reserve" wines simply because the term has absolutely zero legal meaning in California wine…..it's solely a marketing tool)

Understanding the information contained on the label will help you to choose better quality wines.