The basics of a wine label.

Unraveling the basics of a wine label.

It is almost impossible to make a wine purchase without knowing what you are buying. This information should apply to most wine bottles in stores. These are the basics of deconstructing a wine label.

Most wine labels always contains certain key elements:
The winery name.
The varietal of wine.
The year the wine was produced.
The area that the grapes were sourced (picked) from.
The alcohol content.
Government warning.

As you look at a bottle, the label tells a story of each place the wine has seen. As a wine becomes more special the label has to reflect that as well. A basic bulk wine will say for example California. (All of the grapes in the bottle come from anywhere in California). As the wine becomes better quality the label will be more specific. Instead of just California the label may say Napa Valley (All the grapes come from the Napa Valley).
The best quality wine will be even more specific. The label may say Rutherford, a small very specific area inside of the Napa Valley in California.

These tips will hold true for most wine in stores. French wines are the exception; the label usually just says the growing area instead of the grape varietal. (These can be very confusing because you have to know which grape is grown in the specific area.)

Until next time. Drink more wine.


Tim Miles – Owner, Premium Wines & Spirits
“Explaining the Miles of Wine.”