When choosing the wine you serve at the table, it’s common to base your decision on two or three criteria: price, region of origin, and/or appellation. But…
LEGAL MENTIONS Bottling as a vector of authenticity and seriousness, but not necessarily of quality... “At the Château”: bottled at the château itself, as the name suggests. “At the Property”: bottled at the location of the vineyard. It’s worth noting that cooperatives have the right to use this designation, as they are considered an extension of the property. “In the production region”: within the wine’s appellation area.
Volume, from 12.5 cl to 1.5 l for the most common sizes.
The appellation (mandatory): This mention is crucial. It indicates that 100% of the grapes come from the designated appellation area and that the winemaker has followed the rules of the specifications (yields, grape varieties, etc.). It’s one of the most important mentions on the label, but it alone does not determine the quality.
The Acquired Alcoholic Volume (TAVA): Expressed as a percentage, it gives an indication of the style, whether light or full-bodied. It is preceded by the mentions “acquired alcoholic title,” “acquired alcohol,” or “alc.”
Categories, in France, are ranked in the following order of increasing quality: wine without Geographical Indication (SIG), wine with Protected Geographical Indication (IGP), wine of Controlled Designation of Origin (AOC), and wine of Protected Designation of Origin (AOP).
The presence of allergens, if the wine contains the allergen sulfur dioxide.
The lot number, composed of letters and numbers. It represents a batch of products made in the same way.
Finally, a health message: a pictogram indicating the danger of alcohol consumption for pregnant women must be placed next to the alcohol content.
For sparkling wines, the mention of sugar content is mandatory (brut, sec, etc.).
OPTIONAL MENTIONS The vintage simply indicates the year the grapes were harvested. This date is important because, depending on the region where they were harvested, climatic conditions, for example, would have influenced the final quality of the wine. Be sure to do your research! It is not mandatory because not all wines (like champagnes) are vintage.
The name of the estate or vineyard is also optional. It is reserved for wines with Geographical Indication.
Finally, mentions indicating a specific production method, such as “aged in oak” or “barrel-aged.” These methods are regulated and must be indicated honestly.
As for information related to food and wine pairings or on how the wine was produced, be cautious. They often constitute purely commercial language that doesn’t hold much meaning, so be careful!
THE BACK LABEL It provides the maximum amount of information about the bottle. The goal is generally to lighten the main label and achieve a more aesthetic result. You will find:
- Food and wine pairing ideas
- Information about the estate or type of terroir
- The vineyard’s preferences regarding winemaking or viticulture
- Ideas on how to store or serve your bottle.
Thus, it’s like the wine’s identity card. To make the best choice, it’s important to know how to read and decode it because some labels will give you complete information, while others will limit themselves to mandatory mentions.
In any case, it’s important to understand the appellation or vintage because these mentions can be misleading. For example, the vintage can indicate a good or bad year.
But you should also be wary of labels that are too "design-oriented" as they can hide a poor product, and vice versa.