Content Contributed by Anne Drummond, Imperial Beverage

There are several elements contained within all wine labels. The following will showcase these items that are similar across all countries of origin, but will also point out differences.

OLD WORLD
Wines of the Old Word, are often more challenging than New World (wines produced outside traditional wine growing areas of Europe, which includes Australia, Argentina, Canada, Chile, New Zealand, South Africa and the US) labels. With some European wines, the region or place of origin is key. For instance, wines of Chablis, Chianti, Rioja, are more important than the actual varietal. In other countries, such as Germany, the grape appears far more prominently, along with descriptive words regarding the sweetness or maturation level. New World labels are more consistent, though not identical. The emphasis is on the brand or producer and the grape variety or blend, not necessarily the region or appellation.

Regardless of the country of origin, one should always find:
Country of origin
Name and address of the producer or importer Package size (volume of wine contained within)
Alcohol By Volume Percentage
Vintage (year in which the grapes were harvested (Not the year bottled!) Grape Varietal or Style

VARIETALS OR STYLE NOTES
There are easily 5,000+ known varieties of grapes. Of these, 150 or so are planted commercially in amounts that are significant or notable. In the New World, wines are often bottled under the name of their primary grape. In the US, Argentina, Australia, Chile, New Zealand, andSouth Africa, many wines are known by a varietal name and sometimes by grape combinations such as Cabernet-Shiraz.

Proprietary names are often used for blends that do not contain the minimum percentage of a single variety. A relatively new phenomenon, this has developed as some wine producers have begun to create wines with unique names that are owned as a trademark of the brand. The “proprietary name” gives producers greater range and freedoms when blending. A proprietary name is normally found on only one brand. The only exception to this rule is “Meritage”, which is owned by an association of wineries that has set rules for the grape variety composition and usage.

There are some notable elements when viewing Regions, Sub-Regions, or Appellations. Wine producing areas, known as regions, are largely distinguished by their geography. Further, these large areas are sub-divided, thus the “sub-region”. Occasionally divided due to topography, usually these distinctions are relative to micro-climate or geography.

In the Old World, the finest wines are known first by their geographical growing region, known as an appellation. The world appellation refers to the place where the grapes are grown. Most appellations carry with them a governmental designation or distinction. This official status bestowed by either a governmental body or trade bureau, offers assurance to the consumer of both quality and authenticity. Systems for officially identifying and regulating wine growing regions are evolving in countries of the New World. In the US, American Viticultural Areas (AVA) are used to distinguish the growing region or sub-regions.

View a Chart of Designations found on Labels, and their Importance >

OTHER TERMS THAT CAN BE FOUND ON A LABEL
Bottling and Winery Information terms can be cumbersome at least, and confusing at best. The following will outline the meanings of some of this additional detail.

Estate Bottles or Chateau Bottled
100% of the grapes used were grown in the winery’s own vineyards or came from vineyards controlled by the winery in the same appellation. These wines must be vinified and bottled at the winery as well.

Grown, Produced, and Bottled By
Indicates that the grapes were grown at the winery’s vineyards (or vineyards controlled by the winery) and that the wine was vinified and bottled at the winery.

Produced and Bottled By
The winery crushed, fermented and bottle at least 75% of the wine in that particular bottling, but not that the winery grew the grapes.

Made and Bottled By
A minimum 10% of the wine was fermented at the winery. The remaining 90% could be from other sources. This designation does not generally indicate the quality implied by the phrase “Produced and Bottled By”.

Bottled By
This alone on a label indicates that the only role the winery most likely played in the wine’s production was to purchase and bottle wine made somewhere else.

READING THE LABEL’S CONTENTS
Now that you are aware of the contents of a label created in either Old or New World, the following examples should offer practical application. (See examples 1-4 by clicking the link below.)


View Examples of Labels for a variety of Countries >