A Wine Recipes Artilce for Your Viewing

Wine Labels Decoded

Even for the avid wine drinker, deciding on a bottle of wine can be a daunting task with so many varieties of wine on the market today. Wine labels don?t help either with the various terms in foreign languages and the small print. Sometimes reading a wine label makes you feel like you need a secret decoder ring, but rest assured that this is not to confuse you the customer, but rather to help you. The information on the label is there to tell you about the wine and also the winery and conditions of production. Once you have an idea of what to look for on a wine label, deciphering it shouldn?t require much effort.

The Brand Name: This is the name of the company that has produced the wine. Most often this is the name of the winery or bottler if the winery has several different brands.

Vintage: Most wines will carry the vintage somewhere on the bottle, although this is not a mandatory requirement and will not be on all bottles. A vintage is the year that the grapes used were harvested. Most wine producing countries have laws that require at least 85 percent of the grapes used to be harvested in the specified year of vintage although in the United States this figure can be as high as 95 percent.

Appellation of Origin: This is the geographical area where the grapes were grown, for example ?California? or more a more specific vineyard. Most countries have strict laws regarding an appellation classification, which is why like the vintage; at least 85 percent of the grapes used must be from their specified region.

Wine Type: This specifies the grapes used to make the wine. Again this can be as broad as ?Red Table Wine? or as specific as Merlot or Chardonnay. Most wine producing countries allow the use of some non-varietal grapes in the blend. In Europe and Australia, at least 85 percent of the wine?s content must be from the named varietals, while in some parts of the United States this figure is much lower at about 75 percent.

Producer and Bottler: What this part of the bottle signifies varies greatly depending on where the bottle of wine originates from. If grapes are harvested and bottled at the winery it is considered to be ?estate bottled? and the label will state this using Mise en bouteille(s) au Chateau (French), Gutsabf?llung/Erzeugerabf?llung (German) or simply Estate Bottled.

According to Napa Valley Vintners online (napavintners.com) it is even more specific for American bottled wines and the terminology even more specifically determines how the wine was bottled: ??Produced and bottled by? certifies that the bottler fermented 75% or more of the wine. Used in combination with other information on the label, such as a vineyard, this term provides the consumer with significant information about the origin of the wine and who is responsible for its production. ?Cellared and bottled by? indicates that the bottler has aged the wine or subjected it to cellar treatment before bottling. ?Made and bottled by? indicates that the bottler fermented at least 75% of the wine (10% before July 28, 1994). ?Bottled by? indicates that the winery bottled the wine, which may have been grown, crushed, fermented, finished, and aged by someone else.?

Other Required Information: This depends on what country the wine is from. For example, wines sold in the United States are required to have (at least on the back label) alcohol content, contents size, and consumer warnings from the Surgeon General as well as a sulphite warning while in Germany wine are required to have an Amptliche Pr?fungs Nummer which is a number received while in testing. The famous wine regions of Bordeaux, Burgundy and Alsace in France will carry the term Cru somewhere on the label to indicate that the wine is from a town or producer of high quality.

While this still might be very overwhelming, when looked at from a point of view of the winemaker, a wine label really is there to help you as the consumer, not hinder your decision making. Everything on a wine label is there to inform you of where the wine came from and how it was produced, and while it might take you a lifetime to be able to completely understand every single term that is put on a wine bottle, being able to understand the basics will be advantageous. It is important to remember that rules will vary from country to country as to what is required to be on a wine bottle or specific terms used. What might be required in France might not be required in Chile.

About the Author:

Ken Finnigan is the CEO of Finest Wine Racks a website specializing in quality decorative wine racks and durable wine storage systems. Also vist the Finest Wine Racks Blog

Short Review on Wine Recipes

Wine Labels Decoded


Even for the avid wine drinker, deciding on a bottle of wine can be a daunting task with so many varieties of wine on the market today. Wine labels do...


Click Here to Read More About Wine ...

Wine Recipes Products we recommend

The FTD Artistic Garden Arrangement - Standard


The best of the garden gathered in a glass bowl. Lilies, roses, snapdragons and more fresh from the garden to your favorite friend, love, or business associate. C4-3020S


Price: 76.99 USD



Headlines on Wine Recipes

Pork Tenderloin: An Elegant and Easy Holiday Entrée

Mon, 01 Dec 2008 09:48:23 -0800
Easy on the cook, yet elegant enough for company is the kind of holiday entrée that keeps everyone happy. This recipe from my most recently released book, Pacific Northwest Wining & Dining, fits the bill. It makes the perfect centerpiece for a holiday dinner or a lovely addition to a seasonal buffet table.

How to Make a Berry Fruit Wine from Raspberries, Currants or

Sun, 30 Nov 2008 05:04:35 -0800
This article provides recipe and instructions for the author's black raspberry and red currant wine. Almost any small, edible garden berries can be substituted in the recipe. Lightly sweet when complete, the berry wine will win fans for your gardening AND winemaking savvy.

The Best Peruvian Cookbook on the Market

Sat, 29 Nov 2008 19:12:36 -0800
Peruvian food has been described by Food and Wine Magazine as "the best kept food secret". The best cookbook with gorgeous photos and great, tested recipes is this one with proceeds donated to a great foundation for children in Peru.

French Cuisine And Wines

Sat, 29 Nov 2008 16:42:02 -0800
Story of French wine, French recipes cook books and food baskets for the holidays

GourmetSleuth.com The Gourmet Food and Cooking Resource

Wed, 26 Nov 2008 13:29:22 -0800
Gourmetsleuth.com - The resource for gourmet foods, wines, beers, recipes, and cooking for the home and professional chef. Our culinary directory contains thousands of links to food, cooking, and drink web sites.

Ginger Wine Recipes

Wed, 26 Nov 2008 10:54:02 -0800
Ginger wine can be made from many recipes and one is included here with recipes fo rusing the wine in cooking. Ginger wine has origins in the UK and elsewhere and can by purchased in markets and shops. One very interesting recipe makes its own ginger wine that is formed during the marination process.

A Holiday Gift Basket with Salsa

Mon, 24 Nov 2008 20:10:36 -0800
There are many occasions over the holidays where we are invited to a gathering where we either want to bring something to contribute to the evening or as a hostess gift. Everyone brings wine it seems, and after years of being one of those couples we found a great quick easy recipe for salsa that has always been a hit.


Wine Importers
Aging Wine
Wine Grapes | Wine Guide

Labels: Food Wine

&type=page">