What information does the wine label contain?

The wine label represents your best cover letter.

The label must include data of interest such as the origin of the wine, who produces it, what variety of grape it is made with, alcoholic strength, the capacity of the bottle, etc. We will also find the classification of the wine, a mandatory information that will indicate the protection under which the wine labelling is governed: Denomination of Origin, Vino de la Tierra, Vino de Pago, etc.

Next to it we will find the vintage, which informs us of the year of collection of the grape from which the wine was made. This data is one of the most important, since the quality of the grape varies from one season to another, the result of different conditions such as, for example, climatic conditions.

In addition, knowing the vintage will also allow us to know the age of the wine, which differs from one another by the time it has spent in the barrel and bottled. In general, we will find young, crianza, reserva and gran reserva wines, fundamentally.

The information that is usually included in the front label contains the following information:                        

• Wine brand.
• Name of the winery.
• Name of the packer (if not the same as the winemaker).
• Vinification (solera, aging, reserve, young, great reserve, ...)
• To nothing

Percentage of alcohol volume: The alcoholic degree is expressed as a percentage of alcohol in relation to the total volume of the liquid. While it is true that most wines have an alcohol content that ranges between 11 and 13% vol, there are some softer ones, such as the Italian Moscato d'Asti, which only reaches 6% vol, or stronger. like fortified wines (port can exceed 20% vol). The alcohol provides structure, smoothness and sweet flavor. The greater the quantity, the greater the structure, density and power.

Type of grapes used in its production. To be able to call a wine a varietal, it must be made with 85 percent of the same variety of grapes. Each variety has its characteristics and is reflected in its color, aroma and flavor, which depend on the production area.

Amount of wine it contains in centiliters.

Wine design bottle number of the corresponding denomination.

The inclusion of the appellation of origin to which it belongs is mandatory (if the wine belongs to a qualified appellation of origin), while data such as the type of grape or the results of the tasting may not be included. The inclusion of the bottle number is mandatory. The regulatory council of the corresponding denomination of origin, issues the labels based on the number of bottles allowed for each winery.

All this is calculated based on the number of hectares of vineyard that each winery has. The current labels are very diverse and range from the most sober (Jerez wines, some wines from La Rioja and Ribera del Duero), to those seeking a more attractive design, with bright colors and irregular shapes.

Against label

The back Wine label is the one that appears on the back of the bottle, it also contains relevant information about the wine. One of them is the type of grape that gives us information about the variety or varieties of grape that has been used to make it.

The history of the winery

Next to it, we will find the percentage of alcohol volume, a mandatory data, which will show us the degree of alcohol in relation to the volume of the bottle.

Finally, there is other type of information that is also included in this part of the label, the tasting notes obtained by the wine that we are going to taste, and the pairing proposals, which aim to advise the consumer on how to harmonize the taste of the dishes depending on the wine you are going to enjoy.