Wine on the Radio - June 12, 2003

Read the Label

By David Ohr

American wine labels can be quite confusing.   Unlike their European counterparts, which have strict legal definitions for every term, American wine labels only have to conform to a few criteria and the rest is left up to the creativity of the marketing department.  

But within the tangle of information and misinformation a lot about the wine in the bottle can be determined.  

First, the grape variety and the region are governed by the 75% rule.   If a wine says the grape, like Cabernet Sauvignon, and place, like Napa Valley, on the label then legally 75% of the grapes used in the wine have to be Cabernet Sauvignon grapes and 75% of the grapes have to be from Napa Valley.  

Wines containing less than 75% of one grape are often given proprietary or brand names like Tapestry or Profile.   In most cases American producers use these names for either their flagship blends or their entry level wines.   On the same hand, if less than 75% of the grapes are from a specific region then the wine will be classified into the next bigger region i.e. from Napa to the larger California.                

If your American wine label states a place that isn't even in the U.S.A., you can be sure it's not from that place.

Wines labeled Chablis, Burgundy, or Champagne are generally inexpensive blends of lower quality grapes made on a mass scale.   Originally the practice of naming New World wines after Old World places made some sense. Immigrant workers made wines in the style of their home country, to be sold to their countrymen, and gave them familiar names.  

In a time of increasing globalization and trade these inexpensive, mass produced wines strike at the pride and accomplishment of centuries of work in these place names.   Think of it like this. would you want to buy a "Georgia" Peach that was actually grown in Brazil?

When you are in the mood for something other than your regular Napa Chardonnay but want the same general type of wine, use the label.   Check for the alcohol content, always stated as a percent by volume on the label.   If your usual wine has 13% alcohol, you can try a Chardonnay with 14% for a generally fatter, richer style, or 12% for a steely, more acidic style.   By paying attention to the alcohol content you can usually approximate an idea of the body of that wine before you open it.

The majority of American wine is produced by wineries that purchase grapes from dedicated farmers, but when a wine label reads "Estate" or "Estate Bottled" it means that the winery owns or has control over the grape cultivation too.   This means an extra level of control over the entire wine making process.   It is not a definite quality indicator since some good winemakers can be very bad farmers, but it is a step in the right direction.

American labels contain all kinds of useful information, but deciphering it from the marketing material can be hard.   Here's what I suggest. look for specifics:

• Geography such as a defined region like 'Napa' or 'Sonoma,' a more refined area like 'Stags Leap' or 'Oakville,' or even a single vineyard, such as 'Don Miguel' indicated on the label.   The narrower the geographic designation, the more selective the choice of grapes used in the wine.
• The designated grape or blend remembering the 75% rule.
• Alcohol content consistent with what you like, and
• A recognizable producer or grower.  

Finally, don't forget to look at the back label.   Many wineries now include great information about the harvest, the blend, their winemaking approach and a host of other things.

And if all else fails when choosing between two comparable bottles, take the one with the label you like best. there must be some aesthetic value there!