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Wine label: 6 things you should pay attention to
In many cases, the label of a wine provides the only indication of its quality. Contrary to expectations, however, the information on it is cryptic and difficult to understand. Time to change that.
We will show you which features of the wine label you really need to pay attention to in order to be able to assess the quality of a wine!
Table of contents
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Reading time approx. 3:10 min
Vocabulary list
1. The quality level
The best way to identify the quality of a wine on the label is the quality level. Manufacturers are required to indicate this. There are four quality levels for German wines, which must meet higher quality standards in ascending order.
In addition to quality requirements, the must weight is crucial for classification. The must weight already reveals a lot about the expected quality of the wine. It describes the weight ratio of one litre of must to one litre of water at 20 degrees, i.e. the density or weight of a must. This in turn is mainly determined by the sugar content.
Rule of thumb
The higher the must weight, the higher the quality or predicate level of the wine
You will find these quality levels on the label:
Quality level 1: German wine
The lowest level is the designation "German wine" (formerly table wine). These are wines that do not have any other geographical origin specified. However, this wine must come from vineyards and grape varieties approved in Germany . The must may also be enriched with sugar to increase the alcohol content. Experts call this "chaptalization".
Quality level 2: Country wine
In comparison to German wine, the designation of origin for country wine is more narrowly defined. 85 percent of the wine must come from a specific, geographically identified wine region in Germany - for example, Saxon country wine or Rhine country wine. The taste of country wine is usually dry to semi-dry. Here, too, the must can be "chaptalized" before fermentation.
Quality level 3: Quality wine
If the bottle has the designation (German) quality wine on it, it is protected. Wines with this designation must come entirely from one of the 13 German wine-growing regions . They must also meet much stricter criteria : quality wines are both analyzed in the laboratory and tasted by experts. Chaptalization is still permitted here.
Quality level 4: Premium wine
The quality wine is at the top of the list of wines. Only quality wines can achieve the corresponding quality rating with increasing must weight. This means that these wines are also officially tested . The quality rating can be used to draw conclusions about the harvest time and the type of wine. A later harvest time (eg late harvest) increases the sugar content and thus the must weight. The wine is then awarded a better quality rating. Chaptalization is prohibited here.
The predicates in ascending order:
- cabinet
- Late harvest
- choice
- Beerenauslese
- Trockenbeerenauslese
- Ice wine
2. Official test number
An official test number on the label of a wine guarantees a minimum quality standard. It is assigned to every quality and premium wine and then printed on the label. You can recognize it by the designation "AP No." . From it you can read the bottling plant, the year of the quality wine test and the company's internal order number for the wine.
The number is only awarded if the currently applicable analytical and sensory requirements have been met. In addition, the prescribed harvest quantities per hectare of cultivated area must be adhered to.
3. Grape variety
Surprisingly, it is not mandatory to state the grape variety on the wine label. Nevertheless, it is often mentioned. Information such as Riesling or Merlot helps you find a wine that suits your taste.
Although the grape variety does not provide any information about the quality, it does influence the aroma and taste of the wine. Therefore, it can be a decisive factor, at least for you.
Learn more?
Learn here know the most important grape varieties!
4. Producer
The (well-known) name of a producer can be a sign of quality. He grew, pressed and fermented the grapes and thus makes a decisive contribution to the quality of the wine. The good thing: you will always find the producer's name on the wine label. This information is mandatory. However, you do need a bit of experience to be able to tell good and bad producers apart.
5th year
The vintage may only be stated if at least 85% of the wine comes from the vintage harvest. It indicates in which year the grapes were grown and harvested.
However, it is difficult to draw conclusions about the quality of the wine from the vintage. A good vintage depends on climatic conditions, the growing region and the sensitivity of the winemaker. The vintage is therefore not suitable as a general quality criterion.
6. Vineyard
The location offers a good indication of the quality of the wine. However, in Germany alone there are almost 3,000 vineyards that could be listed on the label. As a result, the information is more of interest to connoisseurs. Beyond that, it is not mandatory.
Summary
- Judging the quality of a wine from its label is anything but easy. The label only provides clues, but no clear criteria.
- In some cases the information is mandatory, in others it is optional.
- You should pay particular attention to the quality level and the inspection number. They guarantee a minimum standard.
- The producer name, the vineyard location and the vintage are only interesting if you are familiar with the world of wine.
- The grape variety provides most information about the aroma and taste of the wine.
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You have already read 3 of 12 articles on the topic of wine. Now take a look at the next article to complete your connoisseur knowledge!
Or go to Wine Course Part II to get an overview of all topics!