How to Read a Wine Label
A wine label contains almost everything you need to know about what's inside. Once you understand the structure, the code breaks quickly.
· 7 min read
Key takeaways
- European labels (France, Italy, Spain) are named by region; New World labels (US, Australia, Chile) are usually named by grape variety.
- The vintage year is when the grapes were harvested — not when the wine was bottled or released.
- Alcohol percentage tells you roughly how full-bodied the wine will feel: 11–12.5% is light, 13–14% medium, 14.5%+ is full-bodied.
- Terms like Réserve, Classico, or Gran Reserva have legal definitions in some countries and mean almost nothing in others — context matters.
Frequently asked questions
- Why don't French wines just say what grape they're made from?
- Tradition and appellation law. In the Old World, the place tells you the grape because each appellation specifies which varieties are permitted. If it says Chablis, the law requires Chardonnay. Producers in these regions felt — and the law agreed — that the place was more informative than the grape variety alone.
- What does 'mis en bouteille au château' mean?
- 'Estate-bottled' — the wine was bottled at the property where it was made. Today this is standard among quality producers; it matters less as a quality signal than it once did.
- Does a higher price always mean better wine?
- Not always, but there's a correlation up to a point. The quality jump from CHF 10 to CHF 25 is substantial. Above CHF 80 or so, you're partly paying for reputation and scarcity. Some of the most consistently pleasurable wines are in the CHF 25–45 bracket.
- What does 'Vieilles Vignes' mean?
- 'Old vines' in French. Older vines produce fewer but more concentrated grapes. There's no legal definition, so quality varies, but producers who use the term seriously usually mean it.
Not sure which wine to pick? Tell our sommelier what you are eating or the occasion and we will find the right bottle — or browse the full sommelia.ch collection.