How to Read Wine Labels

An essential step to choosing a wine is having an understanding of how to read wine labels. These contain a lot of information on the contents of your bottle of wine. By learning a few terms you can read and understand wine labels.

Difficulty: Moderately Easy

Instructions

1. Begin with the winemaker's name, which is the establishment that made that wine. An example is Robert Mondavi.

2. Move on to the wine's proprietary brand name. This is typically assigned solely for marketing purposes, and otherwise does not serve an important purpose.

3. Make note of the varietals, which is the particular name of the variety of grapes used in the wine. Zinfandel, Chardonnay and Merlot are examples of varietals designations.

4. Note the vintage, which is the year the grapes were harvested. At least 95 percent of the grapes used were grown in this year. The vintage is not the same as the year the wine was bottled.

5. Identify the Appellation of Origin. This is the geographic origin in which most of the grapes used were grown. For example, regulated wines generally come from Napa Valley or Alexander County.

6. Pay attention to the alcohol content, which is indicated as a percentage of the bottle's volume.

Tips & Warnings

• The French label their wines based on their geographical origin. Burgundy and Bordeaux, for example, are actual wine-making regions on France.
• Many wine-producing nations such as South Africa an Australia name their wines based on the varietal.

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