How to read a wine label

How to Read a Wine Label

There isn't one specific way of writing a wine label, and you'll find that each one might include slightly different information. Learning a few tricks about these labels will help you decode them when you're next in the wine aisle.

Wines Featured

Domaine Gueguen 'Cuvée 1975' Chablis 2019, £20

Made from the Chardonnay grape in the Chablis region of Northern France.

Zuccardi Apelación Tupungato Chardonnay 2018, £17.99

Made from the Chardonnay grape in the Tupungato region of Argentina.

Bonnet-Huteau 'Les Gautronnières' Muscadet Sèvre & Maine sur Lie 2019, £14.99

Made from the Melon de Bourgogne grape on the western side of the Loire Valley in France.

Vina Real Crianza Rioja 2018, £11.99

Made from the Tempranillo, Garnacha, Graciano & Mazuelo grapes in the Rioja region of Spain.

Luis Canas Rioja Reserva 2015, £22

Made from the Tempranillo & Graciano grapes in the Rioja region of Spain.

Monte Bernardi Retromarcia Chianti Classico 2019, £18.99

Made from the Sangiovese grape in the Chianti region of central Tuscany in Italy.

Veuve Fourny Vertus Blanc de Blancs Extra Brut Premier Cru Champagne, £37.25

Made from Chardonnay grapes grown in the Champagne region of France.

Michel Gonet Grand Cru Mesnil Sur Oger Champagne 2014, £50

Made from 100% Chardonnay grapes grown in the Champagne region of France.

For similar: Louis Jadot Meursault White Burgundy 2018, £47

Made from Chardonnay grapes grown in the Meursault village in the Côte de Beaune region of Burgundy, France.

Tips to Help You Decode

• If a region has strict rules and regulations about what it can and can't grow, it may be less likely to feature the name of the grape on the front label. Look at the back label, as it might be stated there instead.
• Get familiar with the wine producers you like. The producer's name will often feature quite clearly on the label, so while you might not find any familiar words, you can still look for the same producer on other labels as a starting point.
• Some wines may give you the height or altitude of where the vineyards are located. You can use this info to get an idea of the climate, as a cool temperature slows down the ripening for a fresher taste.
• Don't be afraid to google unfamiliar words if you're in the supermarket aisle, or ask for help if you're in a wine shop.

Keywords to Look Out For, and What They Mean

Vintage (or Vendange)

The year that the grapes were grown and harvested.

Sur Lie

Let's you know that a wine has been aged on its lees, giving it a little more weight and texture.

Classico

Often in large wine regions, there are some sites that are thought to be slightly better than others – perhaps they're a little higher, enabling them to really get the best out of the grape. Classico is used to signify wines made from these vineyards.

Premier Cru and Grand Cru

Similarly to Classico, this lets you know the wine has been made from superior sites. Commonly used to describe wines from specific areas in the Champagne region, Grand Cru is at the top of the quality ladder and has only been awarded to 17 sites in the region. Premier Cru is the next-best quality, and that is produced in 43 sites.

Blanc de Blanc

This tells you that the wine is made exclusively from white grapes.

Meursault

The name of a village in the Cote de Beaune region, which is one of the best places in the world to buy white Burgundy. It will be rich, complex and slightly nutty while still being incredibly fresh. You will pay more for wines like this as not many of them are made, but if you do want to splash out on a smart bottle, this is a brilliant name to look out for.

Your Assignment

Why not have some fun and play a little game on your next trip to the supermarket? See whether you can decode the wine labels to find an example of each of the following:

• A wine from a French appellation
• A champagne made exclusively from white grapes
• A red wine that's been aged for more than five years
• A white wine made from superior vineyards.