All wine labels are not created equal. Domestic (U.S.) labels are easier than most, since they are mostly a) in English, and b) varietally labeled. With most of the New World following suit, at least on the latter point, a wine novice could be forgiven for wondering what a Loire wine is when they first see the listing on a label.
What follows is a non-comprehensive, but hopefully useful, guide for our wine primer readers on how to read a wine label.
A Note on Varietals
When you see "Riesling" or "Grenache" on bottle, this indicates that a minimum threshold of that particular grape makes up the wine inside. The laws are about as numerous as the areas they come from. California, for example, requires a minimum of 75% of the stated variety actually be in the wine. Oregon requires 90%, and is pushing for 100%. European areas that allow varietal labeling — and not all do — often require 100% varietal composition, but this is not true across the board.
What all this means is that you may or may not be tasting other grapes in a varietally labeled wine. It doesn't mean you should necessarily freak out about what else is in there! Blending wine is an art unto itself, and many varieties have long been blended together to the overall benefit of the wine. A 100% varietal Cabernet Sauvignon, for example, is forbiddingly tannic and is often softened with Merlot and others to make it more approachable in its youth. Marsanne complements Roussanne — with Viognier often thrown into the mix, Grenache with Syrah & Mourvedre, Rondinella with Corvina & Molinara, and the list goes on.
There are some varieties best left alone (imho), Pinot Noir and Riesling the foremost among them. The reason being that they are so transparent in their reflection of place that even a little splash of something fundamentally alters their character. They are, nonetheless, blended in regions not well suited to these grapes naturally, in order to make up for some deficiency in the wine. I digress.
Non-Varietal Labeling
Real confusion begins, however, when the producer has decided not to print grape varieties on the label at all. While this happens in California and elsewhere, the practice originates and is most prevalent in Europe. It stems from traditions that long predate the codification of the appellation laws that now govern these matters.
Appellation laws, variously known as AOC, AC, DOC, DO, and others — depending on which country you're talking about — were developed by the governments of wine-producing countries to regulate internally what was being sold, and (later) to protect the cachet of certain appellations, so that no wine from Apuglia ended up in your Chianti or Languedoc juice ended up in your Bordeaux, for example. It is a good thing overall, but it makes understanding Old World wine a bit more complex for the neophyte!
There are many very good resources to find out this kind of information, so I won't delve into it here. I will provide some links below, for reference. My advice, though, is to drink first, ask questions later! If you love it so much that you decide you want to get a Master Sommelier certification (as Jeff is doing), you'll have plenty of time to study this stuff. There is plenty of esoterica out there to keep the trivia-minded busy for multiple lifetimes, but it's much more fun to drink the goods.
The upside is that when you know about a region, you know it! It's refreshing to know that Chablis is always going to be Chardonnay. Usually, damn fine Chardonnay at that.
Some Fun Particularities
I know I just said I wouldn't delve into the particulars, but I can't resist these two examples because they showcase something altogether different — terroir. Terroir is one of those ineffable terms wine geeks like to throw around and argue about. The simplest way to think about it is as a reflection of place. Wine, at its best, should taste like where it comes from. This is a combination of all the energies present: soil, weather, grape clone, and people. (I think I just started an argument with that last sentence!)
Anyhow, there are a few areas where the appellation subdivides into smaller bits, and my two favorite are Burgundy and Germany. In both cases, the grapes are such a transparent vessel for the conditions in which they're grown, that the appellations are distinguished by vineyard site. We're talking, of course, of two grapes mentioned earlier in the post: Pinot Noir and Riesling. There is nothing quite like tasting two wines, made from the same grape, by the same producer, from two different adjacent vineyards, and having two completely different experiences.
Hence, you'll see red Burgundy with names like Chambolle Musigny "Les Amoureuses" (a killer premier cru) and German Rieslings labeled Wehlener Sonnenuhr (also a superb vineyard). In the first instance, Chambolle is the name of the commune or town that lends its name to the appellation. Musigny is the most famous (grand cru) vineyard in the area, so its name gets attached. Finally, Les Amoureuses is the vineyard itself. In the latter instance, Wehlen is the town name, the -er suffix meaning "from", and Sonnenuhr is the vineyard proper.
Both of these appellation systems are more complex than can be dealt with in one post, as you can see. Perhaps we'll deal with them more in the future, as they are two of my very favorite regions!
References
(Amazon links are for reference purposes only. I encourage you to shop at independent book sellers. Find one near you at BookSense)
The Wine Bible Karen MacNeil — a really good introduction to the world of wine.
The Oxford Companion to Wine, 3rd ed. Jancis Robinson — a great all-around resource.
MItchell Beazley Wine Library — a collection of books written by experts in their areas. Great for in-depth consideration of wine regions.
Homework
A bit more free form this time. Go to your local wine shop (see my article on picking out a good one), and pick out two or three wines whose labels confuse you. Ask the shopkeeper what she or he knows about them. Buy one or two of them and try! Extra research is optional.
Extra credit: find two red Burgundies or two German Rieslings from the same producer, but from different vineyards, and taste side by side. Try to hold constant the vintage and quality level (1er cru with 1er cru, kabinett with kabinett, etc.) as well. You might need to do some digging, as most shops won't carry an array from the same producer. Remember, you can always ask your shopkeeper to special-order something they don't carry. You might need to pay a dollar or two extra for the convenience if you only want a bottle...
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