I’m about to tell you the single most confusing thing about wine that I’ve encountered:
It’s damn hard to figure out what you’re drinking just from the name on the label alone.
Unless you know a ton about wine — or are married to a sommelier who tells you stuff — it is extremely difficult to understand the way wines are named and labeled. Wine laws vary drastically from country to country (and sometimes even within a country, um, France, I’m talking to you), which means the words you read on a label may not be as straightforward as you’d think.
For example — most of us know Chardonnay, yes? We know it’s a white wine, a lot of it is produced in California, some of it has that buttery thing going on that we may or may not like. But is Chardonnay a wine, or a grape? (It’s both.) Are all bottles of Chardonnay made from 100% Chardonnay grapes? (Far from it. California is just one place that allows a blend to be labeled “Chardonnay” as long as it’s at least 75% Chardonnay.) Does that mean when I drink Champagne, it’s made from the Champagne grape? (Nope. Much of it is made from Chardonnay. There is no grape called champagne.) What’s Merlot? (Merlot grape.) What’s Vouvray? (Chenin Blanc grape.) What’s…. Oh forget it, I’m lost.
See what I mean? A rose by any other name might still smell as sweet, but rosé is made from Pinot Noir. Sometimes.
For the regular wine drinker, there’s not much of a way to make this easy except to learn a little about wine laws and labels, and keep a cheat sheet (or a wine expert) on hand when you’re shopping. So let’s start with a quick primer on wine laws that will at least get you pointed in the right direction.
Wine Labels on Wines Produced in the U.S.
U.S. wines are labeled with the primary grape used, but percentages may vary.
American wine laws are slightly different state-by-state, but in general the word you see on the label is going to refer to the grape that makes up the bulk of the juice inside. Many American wineries give detailed descriptions of the wine on the back label, so if you read, you may find out exactly which grapes are used and in what percentages.
Some common grapes you’ll see listed on U.S. labels include:
Chardonnay
Pinot Noir
Cabernet Sauvignon
Sauvignon Blanc
Merlot
Zinfandel
French Wine Labels
In France, wines are labeled by region (known as appellations there).
Side note: why is this important? Because one of the joys of learning more about wine is exploring the different kinds that are out there. If you’re aware that you like one type of grape, you may be more likely to try a wine made from that grape from a producer or area you’re not familiar with. Knowing the grape also helps you to know what to expect, flavor- and style-wise, before you order a glass or a bottle.
You most often need to know what grapes are grown in that region in order to know what’s in the bottle. Some common French wines and the grapes they’re made from include:
Bordeaux — usually a red blend dominated by Cabernet Sauvignon and/or Merlot; there’s also white Bordeaux made from predominantly Sauvignon Blanc
Vouvray — this is Chenin Blanc
Sancerre — made from the Sauvignon Blanc grape
Burgundy — if it’s red (most are), it’s Pinot Noir; white Burgundy is made from Chardonnay
Beaujolais — technically it’s in Burgundy, but it’s always referred to as Beaujolais, and it’s made from the Gamay grape
Chablis — another made from Chardonnay
Wine Labels on Italian Wines
Italian wine is typically labeled by region…
…so it’s another where it helps to know what grapes are primarily grown in those places. Sometimes the grape and region share the same name, sometimes they don’t. Some popular Italian wines to know include:
Barolo and Barbaresco — both made from Nebbiolo grapes
Moscato d’Asti — from the Moscato variety
Barbera — again, straightforward and made from the Barbera grape
Chianti — made from a minimum 70% Sangiovese
Brunello — produced from a grape called Sangiovese Grosso, locally known as Brunello
Trentino – Alto Adige — white wines from this region may contain Pinot Grigio and Sauvignon Blanc, while reds are often Merlot
Prosecco — you probably don’t care what this is made of, because it’s usually just delicious regardless, but it’s made from the Glera grape variety
Wine Labels on Bottles from Other Areas
Meanwhile, in other parts of the wine-making world…
In Germany and Austria, you’ll see Riesling and Gruner Veltliner on the label, and that’s what you’ll drink, too.
Spanish wines are also labeled by region, such as Rioja, and their labels may not include the grape variety. Rioja is usually a majority of the Tempranillo grape. Rueda may be Verdejo or Sauvignon Blanc.
Wineries in South Africa, Australia, New Zealand aren’t tricky, and typically label their bottles in a straightforward manner. Unless you’re buying something called “Steen” in South Africa, which is Chenin Blanc.
If you’re completely overwhelmed by this information, don’t fret. I’ve put together some handy cheat-sheets that you can download to your phone and use the next time you go shopping. And, of course, you can always hit me up on Facebook or Instagram if you have questions. We’re here to help!
Until then, read those labels, consult those cheat sheets, and… happy drinking!