Regardless of where a wine comes from, there will be certain standard
information on every label. Each item may be in a different place from label to label, but it will definitely appear somewhere on the label. Other information is optional, not mandatory, but it appears frequently enough to merit inclusion in the following list of what you will generally find on a wine label:
1. Name of the wine - Mandatory
2. The name of the producer - Mandatory 3. The name and location of the person or company legally responsible for making the wine, in some cases this name can be the same as #2) - Mandatory 4. The volume of the bottle’s contents (this can appear either on the label itself or molded into the glass bottle, usually near its base) - Mandatory. 5. The alcohol content of the wine (this is usually expressed as a percentage of the wine’s volume) - Mandatory. 6. The name of the shipper and importer responsible for bringing the wine to the country (eg. India), occasionally the shipper and importer are two different companies - Mandatory. 7. The country of origin (always in English) - Mandatory 8. The kind of wine (always in English) - Optional 9. The quality of the wine - Optional 10. The year the wine was made, also known as the vintage - Optional. FRENCH WINE LABELS
Wine labels give certain mandatory information, such as name of the bottler, who is legally responsible for the wine. Other details include :
Color of the wine
Style of the wine Grape variety Vintage Alcoholic strength FRENCH WINE CLASSIFICATION
Appellation d’Origine Controlee (AOC)
28% of total production
30% exported, 70% consumed within France France was the first country to set up a system for controlling the origin and quality of its wines. The best French wines are almost all AOC. The label indicates where the wine comes from, and the appellation law regulates the grape varieties used, viticulture methods, harvest and yield restrictions, minimum alcoholic content, wine making techniques and the quality of the product - approved by an official tasting panel
Vin Delimite de Qualite Superieure (VDQS)
1.3% of total production
10% exported, 80% consumed within France VDQS wines are subject to controls similar to those with AOC status, but the yields may be higher. Many VDQS wines have been promoted to AOC status and this has reduced the average annual production in recent years.
Vin de Pays (VDP)
13% of total production
10% exported , 90% consumed in France Can be described as French country wines. Although they must have a specified origin on the label, a wide range of grape varieties can be used and high yields are allowed - with the result that the quality of the wine varies greatly.
Vin de table
12% exported, 88% consumed within France
Also known as Vins Ordinaire or Vin de Consommation courante, these are inexpensive wines for everyday drinking and are not intended for keeping. The label must not specify the wine’s origin and both strength and quality may vary.