The name of the wine.
The producer.
The year the grapes were harvested, or vintage.
The place the grapes originated.
The alcoholic content.
The Surgeon General's warning that the use of this product can encourage the growth of extra toes or nose warts.
We discussed names of wines and producers. To see this information, click on "More Articles," then choose "Understanding Wine Labels - Part 1." We now continue with the other items found on wine labels.
VINTAGE YEAR
If stated, all the grapes used must be harvested during the year listed. If no vintage year is given, as in the case of "non-vintage" or "multi vintage" wines, the wine is blended from two or more vintages. This is often done to achieve uniformity of product, especially in the case of non-vintage Champagnes, which vary little from release to release. In these and many other wines, vintaging is not derogatory. But in the case of wines such as red or white Burgundy, red or white Bordeaux, California Cabernet Sauvignon, or other wines made for long-term cellaring, the vintage date provides important information. Some vintages in a given region are "light" and should be consumed early, while others are boldly tannic and require many years of cellaring.
APPELLATION
The origin of the grapes used is an extremely important factor in predicting the nature of a wine. In the U.S., and in most other countries, it is necessary to state an appellation on every wine label. Every wine producing country has its own regulations, the sum of which might easily comprise a large book. In the U.S., appellations are controlled by the B.A.T.F. according to a concentric system. Here's an example:
A wine made entirely from grapes grown in the DuPratt Vineyard near Philo, CA, may use any of these appellations, ordered from largest to smallest:
America
California
North Coast
Mendocino County
Anderson Valley
Mendocino Ridge
By using America as the appellation, one expects the wine to be blended from the products of two or more states. A California appellation may use products of more than one county. North Coast limits the origin to Napa, Sonoma, Lake, and Mendocino Counties. Mendocino Ridge (California's newest appellation) tells us that all the grapes used originated in a certain location, above the fog line, close to the Pacific Ocean - ideal for certain cool weather grapes such as Chardonnay. (It happens that this vineyard produces superb Zinfandel also.) Wines with narrowly delimited appellations such as this are expected to show special characteristics associated with the region - what the French call "terroir." The more narrowly the appellation is defined, the more expensive the wine is likely to be.
