How to Read a Wine Label

The brand name cannot be misleading as to the age, origin, or characteristics of the wine. In the United States the name of the wine varietal cannot be displayed on the label unless it contains a minimum of 75% of that grape varietal.

Class 1 - The bottle may be labeled "Table Wine", "Light Wine", "Red Table Wine", "Light White Wine", "Sweet Table Wine" or something similar. Class 1 wine has a alcohol content 7% to 14% by volume, no more, no less.
Class 2 - The bottle may be labeled "Sparkling Wine" or something similar. Class 2 wine has been made sparkling by a natural method only.
Class 3 - The bottle may be labeled "Carbonated Grape Wine" or something similar. Class 3 wine has been injected with carbon dioxide.
Class 4 - The bottle may be labeled "Citrus Wine" or something similar. Class 4 is wine that was produced primarily with ripe citrus fruit.
Class 5 - The bottle may be labeled "Fruit Wine" or something similar. Class 5 wine was produced primarily of ripe fruits other than grapes or citrus.
Class 6 - Wine that has been made from Agricultural products such as vegetables.
Class 7 - The bottle may be labeled "Aperitif Wine" or something similar. Class 7 wine has an alcohol content of not less than 15% by volume; the grape wine has been compounded with added brandy, alcohol, and flavored with herbs and natural aromatic flavoring.
Class 8 - The bottle may be labeled "Imitation Wine" or something similar. Class 8 wine contains man-made materials.
Class 9 - The bottle may be labeled "Retsina Wine" or something similar. Class 9 wine is a grape table wine has been fermented or flavored with resin.

"Produced and bottled by" is allowed if the bottler fermented and clarified at least 75% of the wine.

"Made and bottled by" is allowed if the winery fermented and clarified at least 10% of the wine; or, by adding alcohol or carbonation, the winery changed the class/type of the wine; or, by secondary fermentation, the winery produced sparkling wine.

"Cellared", "vinted", or "prepared" is allowed if the winery exposed the wine to a type of cellar treatment that is outlined in the regulations.

"Blended and bottled" is allowed when the winery mixed the wine with another wine of the same type and class at the location where it was bottled.

Researching and becoming familiar with the producers of wine is an essential element in determining quality. For example: Wines from France are most often produced by a Château or a Domaine; Wines from Germany, Italy, and Spain are produced by Estates; The United States and Australia are often labeled as being produced by a winery. The exact name of the producer becomes most crucial because some producers share surnames but the quality of the wine can vary dramatically.

The country of origin is the country where the wine is produced, not necessarily where all the grapes contained in the wine were grown.

This is the country or region where the grapes were grown. This statement can be broad or as specific as a vineyard, or it could include both.

In the United States, an appellation of origin on the label is mandatory (true place of origin) if:

• The name is qualified with the word "brand"
• The wine is labeled with the year the grapes were harvested (vintage)
• A varietal or type with varietal significance is used
• A generic term is used

Wines produced in the U.S.: When wine labels proclaim California as the "Appellation of Origin", state law requires that 100% of the grapes are from within California. Nearly all other states require that 75% of the grapes come from within that state. If a wine label specifies an officially designated viticultural area, (i.e.: Napa Valley), a minimum of 85% of the grapes must come from within the named region.

Wines that contain less than 14% alcohol by volume are to state this fact or an appropriate and approved Class term (i.e.: "Table Wine", "Light Wine", etc.) can be used on the label.

A 1% variation, over or under, is permitted on wines above 14% of alcohol content by volume. A 1.5% variation, over or under, is permitted on wines below 14% alcohol by volume. This variation is allowed because evaporation during ageing is not controllable and the common tool, known as an ebulliometer, is not entirely accurate. Modern wineries have sophisticated methods of measuring alcohol by volume that are more precise, by using a tool known as a gas chromatograph.

A U.S. Surgeon General warning states that drinking alcoholic beverages can:
1. cause birth defects;
2. impair ability to drive a car or operate machinery; and
3. cause health problems.

The year in which the grapes were harvested, which may not be the same as the year it was bottled. Law varies from country to country as to the percentage of the wine required to be harvested in the year of the vintage. U.S. law requires 95% or more be harvested in that year with the remaining blended from other years. The remaining 5% is typically wine that is added to cap off casks of wine while it is ageing.

A wine that is a combination of grapes from 2 years or more may be labeled as "non vintage", but most often there is no mention of date.

Not always disclosed. If the varietal is not named, the wine is most likely a blend. In the United States a wine must contain a minimum of 75% of a varietal for the varietal name to appear on the label.

Not a requirement, an additional distinctive, whimsical, wine name is allowed but is not always included on the label. Sometimes the brand name/winery name represents the name of the wine. Other wineries may use the appellation or the appellation and climate to represent the name of the wine.

Countries that produce wine have a ranking system to distinguish wines that meet specific criteria to determine the quality of a wine. For example, Italy's ranking system from the lowest to highest levels are:

" Vino da Tavola
" Vino Tipico
" DOC (Denominazione di Origine Controllata)
" And DOCG (Denominazione di Origine Controllata e Garantita) wines which are of the highest level.

Note that the ranking of DOCG does not always mean it is better than those of lesser rankings, though it is an indication it is of a higher quality.

Wineries sometimes display the vineyard when they feel the grapes from that particular vineyard are known as being of unusually high quality. U.S. policy requires that 95% of the grapes must be from the vineyard named on the label.