Tips to learn how to read wine labels
Nowadays, in a bottle of wine there is a great amount of information that needs to be understood. The wine label, with the permission of the product itself, is one of its most important parts, since it includes all its identity traits, as if it were its own identification ID. Therefore, knowing how to read a wine label is synonymous of knowing many of its details, a fact that will automatically translate into a correct choice when you want to consume it. In addition, in this same element, the wineries are forced to include certain mandatory indications to comply with current regulations. Unlike other consumer products, wine bottles collect a wide range of information on their labels, such as their origin, their alcohol content, their vintage or the tasting notes. In the following information, I tell you what each section consists in so you can learn how to read wine labels. Identifying elements in a wine label As a general rule, the details that I detail below are usually incorporated in the main label of the bottle, although it is also likely that some of them are distributed on the back (tasting notes, pairing, service suggestions and official stamps). The most outstanding are:
Brand or commercial name
It is the most common data and the name by which each of the wines sold in the market is known. In some occasions, it coincides with the designation of the winery that produces it, although it is not the most usual. For this reason, the commercial name of the wine seeks to convey the differentiating characteristics of the product, generating certain sensations and emotions in consumers.
Denomination of Origin
This indicative refers to the geographical origin of the wine. Thanks to him, the quality and the qualities of the product that you are going to consume are guaranteed, allowing you to also distinguish it among the wide offer of existing brands.
Winery or bottler
In a more technical nature, this section of the wine label shows the main data about the bottler or the winery responsible (name, registration number and location, among others). Vintage or year of harvest Indicates the year of harvest of the vine. It is a very important point, since the climatology of the area in which the wine is produced can greatly affect, for good as well as bad, its quality. In addition, this figure is always accompanied by the aging period, or what is the same, the detail of the time that the wine has remained inside the barrel or the bottle.
Grape Varieties
In Spain, we have a wide variety of grapes for wine production. Each one of them maintains its own characteristics, generally, autochthonous, that cause that the sensations that transmits each wine creation are totally different.
Alcohol degree
It reflects the percentage of alcohol contained in the wine and gives you a lot of information and clues about its body, that is, the higher the alcohol level, the more body it will have. In this sense, wines whose graduation is around 11% are lighter and easier to drink.
Quantity
One of the simplest data on the wine label, since it indicates only the amount of liquid contained in the bottle, expressed in milliliters or centiliters. In relation to this matter, the standard bottle is launched in a 75 centiliter format, although there are other less common ones such as the magnum, of 1.5 liters, for special editions.I hope that with all these details and tips it is easier to understand the wine labels, with the objective of always choosing the best and enjoy good moments in the company of your friends and family! And remember that, if you have any comments or suggestions, do not hesitate to contact me.