READING A WINE LABEL
WINE LABELS ARE USUALY OF TWO KINDS CLASSIFYING THEM VARIETALY (DEPICTING TO GRAPE VARIETY) AND GEOGRAPHICALY (FOCUSING ON THE REGION THE WINE WAS PRODUCED IN).
AN OLD TRADITIONAL WINE LABEL MAY NOT DEPICT THE GRAPE IT IS MADE FROM AS WINEMAKERS USED TO BELIEVE THAT A WINE CAN BE QUALITATIVELY JUDGED ONLY BY THE GRAPE FROM WHICH IT IS MADE.
A NEW WORLD WINE LABEL MAY USUALY LET YOU KNOW ITS VINEYARD, THE VINTAGE (PRODUCTION YEAR), THE APPELLATION. THIS IS USUALY SEEN IN EUROPEAN WINES.
ABOVE IS A FRENCH BORDEAUX LABEL
1. APPELLATION BORDEAUX SUPÉRIER CONTROLÉE - THE NAME OF THE A.O.C. (APPELLATION D'ORIGINE CONTRÔLÉE) WINE-GROWING REGION TO WHICH THE WINE IS ENTITLED ACCORDING TO HOW IT WAS PRODUCED. FOR EXAMPLE, A WINE FROM THE SAINT-ÈMILION DISTRICT WOULD BE LABELED "APPELLATION SAINT-ÈMILION CONTRÔLÉE."
2. 75 CL. – 150 ML , WHICH IS THE STANDARD SIZE OF A WINE BOTTLE.
3. 11% VOL. - PERCENTAGE OF ALCOHOL BY VOLUME.
4. L. 69 B 30 - LOT NUMBER.
5. "MIS EN BOUTEILLE AU CHÂTEAU" - MEANS THAT IT IS BOTTLED ON THE CHATEAU ITSELF.
6. COUNTRY OF ORIGIN.
7. CHÂTEAU BEAUSOLEIL - THE CHÂTEAU NAME. EITHER THE REGIONAL APPELLATION OR A BRAND NAME WILL BE USED IF NOT A CHATEAU WINE.
8. 1990- YEAR IN WHICH THE GRAPES USED WERE PRODUCED.
9. GRAND VIN DE BORDEAUX - "GRAND VIN" FOLLOWED BY THE APPELLATION, MOST OFTEN SIMPLY "GRAND VIN DE BORDEAUX."MEANING, IF YOU'RE FORTUNATE ENOUGH TO BE DRINKING ONE OF THESE. I ENVY YOU.
10. PICTURE OF THE CHATEAU
I've no idea when it comes to wine. This helps a little!
Thats what we are here for.