Welcome to part 8 of Wine for beginners: Getting started. We have talked about wine types, taste, serving and food. Now we are going to look at something that can seem like a secret code, but which is actually rather welcoming once you know the key: the label on the bottle.
The label is the wine's business card. It tells you where the wine comes from, what it is made of, and often quite a lot about how it tastes, if you know what to look for. Let us unpack it together.
What you will learn
- To recognise the most important information on a wine label
- The difference between country, region and grape, and why it matters
- To use the label to guess the wine's style before you open the bottle
- A few simple tricks for choosing with greater calm in the shop
What is on a wine label?
A wine label may look chaotic, but most bottles tell you the same basic things. Think of it as a short introduction: who, where and what.
You will typically be able to find the country the wine comes from, and a region within the country. You will find the vintage, that is, the year the grapes were harvested. Many bottles mention the grape or grapes. And then there is the alcohol percentage, which gives a hint about the wine's body.
On some bottles the grape is stated clearly, on others not at all. That has to do with where the wine comes from, and we will come back to that. The important thing right now is that you do not need to understand every single word. You just need to know where to find the few pieces of information that matter.
Country and region
Country and region are often the most telling part of the whole label. A warm place in the south typically gives more ripe, full-bodied wines, while a cooler place gives fresher and lighter wines. The sun works a bit like a stove: the more heat, the more ripe fruit.
In countries like Frankrig, Italien and Spanien the name of the region is often the main character. Here the tradition is built around appellations, that is, defined areas with rules for, among other things, which grapes may be used. In Frankrig you will see abbreviations like AOC or AOP, in Italien DOC and DOCG, and in Spanien DO. You do not need to know them all by heart. Just remember that such a designation means the wine comes from a particular place with a particular style.
A couple of examples that are nice to keep in mind: Bordeaux in Frankrig is known for red blends, Bourgogne for finer red wines and white wines, and Champagne for mousserende vin. In Italien wine is grown in almost every part of the country, and each region has its own traditions. When you know the region, you often know half the story.
Grapes, vintage and style
The grape tells you a lot about the taste. Some grapes give fresh, crisp white wines, others give deep, powerful red wines. If you have found a couple of grapes you like, the name on the label is a quick shortcut.
Here is a fun difference worth knowing. In large parts of the new world, and in Tyskland among others, the grape is often written large and clearly on the label. In the classic European regions the place is often allowed to speak instead of the grape, because it is assumed that a particular area means a particular grape. So if no grape is stated, it is not a mistake. It simply means the region tells the story.
The vintage is the year the grapes were harvested. For most everyday wines it is mostly a hint about how young the wine is. A fresh white wine or rosé is usually best enjoyed while it is young and crisp.
How to guess the style
Put the pieces together and you can often guess the style before the cork comes out. A cool northern region and a fresh grape point towards a light, fresh wine. A sunny southern region and a powerful grape point towards a full-bodied wine with ripe fruit. A higher alcohol percentage often suggests more body, a lower one suggests something lighter. If you want to dig deeper into these concepts, we have gathered them in Body, acidity, tannin and sweetness.
How to use the label in the shop
When you are standing with a bottle in your hand, start with three questions: Where does it come from, which grape is it, and how fresh or full-bodied would I guess it is? That is enough to choose with greater calm.
A good piece of advice is to let the label match your occasion. If the wine is going to a light lunch, you look for something fresh and young. If it is to accompany a dark braise, you look for something with more body from a warmer region. Think of your wine and food as a whole.
One last little tip: the word organic on the label tells you something about how the grapes were grown. For many that is a nice guideline when making a choice.
In short
- The label tells you who, where and what: country, region, grape, vintage and alcohol.
- Country and region often reveal the style, because sun and climate shape the wine.
- In classic European regions the place speaks, and the grape is often not mentioned.
- The grape is a quick shortcut to taste, and the vintage shows how young the wine is.
- Put the pieces together, and you can guess the style before you open the bottle.
Frequently asked questions
Why is the grape not always on the label?
In many classic European regions it is assumed that a particular place means a particular grape. That is why the place name is allowed to speak instead of the grape name. It is not a shortcoming, but a tradition. If you know the region, you often know the grape.
Does an old vintage always mean a better wine?
No. Most everyday wines, especially fresh white wines and rosés, are meant to be enjoyed young. Only a smaller portion of wines benefit from lying down for many years. For the vast majority of bottles a young vintage is perfectly fine.
Ready for the next step?
Now you can decode a label and use it as a little guide instead of a riddle. In the final part, How to find your next wine, we gather all the threads, so you can confidently choose a bottle that suits you and your occasion.
And remember the simplest truth of them all: the best pairing is the wine you like with the food you like. The label is just a friendly aid along the way. Feel free to look around among the wines here, and let your curiosity lead you onward.