We now know the different types of bottles, what kind
of wine that goes into each bottle, and the basic
characteristics and differences between varietals. Next,
we will take a closer look at the wine label and examine
what it will tell us about the contents of each bottle.
Law in most countries governs the information contained
on a wine label. For simplicities sake we will examine
wine labels from the U.S. With the growing number of
wineries and wines available in today’s market, the
competition for your wine dollar increases. Wineries are
employing professional advertising agencies to develop
packaging and labels that will catch the consumers’ eye.
Unfortunately, you would not believe the number of wine
consumers who, in the absence of product knowledge,
purchase their wine based solely on what the package
looks like.
Here are a few examples of the types of information you may find on a wine label from the U.S.:
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Producer:Chateau Julien Wine Estate Estate bottled, Grown, or Reserve 100% of the grapes must have been grown on the property owned or controlled by the bottling winery and the wine produced and bottled on the premises of that winery. Vintage year 95% of the wine must have come from grapes harvested in the year shown. Grape Variety A minimum of 75% of the wine must be derived from that grape variety. Viticultural Area (Appellation) 85% of the wine must be grown in the area shown. Individual Vineyard Designation 95% of the wine must be from grapes grown in that vineyard. Alcohol Content Expressed in % by volume. Must be between 7% and 13.9%, + or - 1.5% tolerance within that range. |
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Chateau Julien’s Private Reserve
“Sur Lie” Chardonnay is produced from 100%
Monterey County Chardonnay grapes. Winemaker
Bill Anderson carefully chooses small select
lots from the winery’s Estate Vineyard in South
Salinas Valley to contribute to a diverse blend
of character and complexity. From harvest, this
Chardonnay went into 100% barrel fermentation
and was aged in new French oak barrels for
sixteen months. Each vineyard lot was barrel
fermented and aged separately to enable the
blending of optimum flavors for a well-balanced
Chardonnay. This wine was produced in a
traditional French “Sur Lie” style, allowing the
wine to stay in contact with the lees (or
inactive yeast cells) for the total sixteen
months after fermentation.
Flavors of butterscotch, ripe pear and bold tropical fruit grace the palate. Well-balanced with superb acidity and a rich, creamy texture. A buttery mouthfeel with hints of toasty oak through a full-bodied finish |
