How to Decipher Wine Labels

Learning to decode the label on a wine bottle conveys a lot of information and gives you the tools to be a savvy consumer. How many times have you stood in front of a wine bottle trying to decipher what type of wine it is, or where was it made?


Stop worrying: here is an extremely easy wine label decoder that will assist you in figuring out all the information that each bottle provides. Remember that labels from different countries are subject to different labeling regulations, but they all provide the same general information, with only relatively minor differences in format and content.

1. Pinot Grigio is the white grape varietal used to produced this wine.
2. DOC is short for Denomination of Controlled Origin. It is a certification that guarantees rigid winemaking standards.
3. United States law requires a clear description of the type of wine. This description is not necessary in Italy.
4. The volume in liters of the bottle of wine is described as the net content.
5. Name of the producer and bottler of the wine, including the location.
6. Brand name or producer's name.
7. Vintage year is the year in which the grapes were harvested, not the year in which the wine was bottled.
8. The production zone is important and it sometimes corresponds to the DOC zone.
9. The alcohol content expresses the percentage of alcohol contained in the wine.
10. Country of origin, required by U.S. Law.