Wine labels - Peeling off the mystery
A single of the most baffling subjects that confronts the budding wine enthusiast is the deciphering of the myriad of details contained on the bottle label, specifically that contained on wine bottles from European nations. For alternative ways to look at the situation, please consider taking a look at: sushiflower60's Profile | Armor Games. When the simple guidelines are taken on board it becomes a lot simpler. Whereas most New Globe countries place facts of the grape varieties on the front label, a lot of European regions do not, and as this is the most standard of data for taste purposes why is this the case?
European winemakers tend to place much more emphasis on the spot of origin. For instance, a Bordeaux red normally wont say Cabernet or Merlot on the front label, but as an alternative have the name of the chateau where it was produced, and typically the element of Bordeaux where it was produced, for instance Haut-Medoc. Similarly a Sancerre is totally Sauvignon Blanc, but an in depth analysis of the label will leave you none the wiser. Visiting success certainly provides warnings you can give to your friend. For the French the important element is that the wine comes from Sancerre in the Loire valley and for them it is inbred knowledge that white Sancerre is Sauvignon Blanc.
Moving south to Spain, red Rioja declares itself as Rioja on the label, not Tempranillo the grape variety utilized, while in Italy most Tuscan reds have no info on the Sangiovese grape that is most broadly used in these wines. Given this mish-mash of info it is no wonder that many of us head for that bottle with the label announcing it is a Chardonnay Viognier from the Ironstone Vineyard of California.
It is clear then that the Europeans believe the most crucial element influencing a wines character is the soil, climate and culture of the area exactly where the grape is grown and this is particularly crucial to single-vineyard wines who make the most of capturing the essence of a certain location of land. So whereas a French winemaker will see his wine as reflecting the character of a distinct region, a New World winemaker mad about grape varieties will contemplate that soil is just the expanding medium in which the fruit grows, and that the grape selection and challenging perform in the winery are what truly counts. Right now these two opposing approaches to wine labelling are moving closer together with New World producers emphasising their regionality and its characteristics, whilst European, even the parochial French winemakers possibly prompted by the wholesalers and the supermarkets are labelling their wines much more clearly. Get supplementary information on save on by browsing our dynamite article.
European winemakers tend to place much more emphasis on the spot of origin. For instance, a Bordeaux red normally wont say Cabernet or Merlot on the front label, but as an alternative have the name of the chateau where it was produced, and typically the element of Bordeaux where it was produced, for instance Haut-Medoc. Similarly a Sancerre is totally Sauvignon Blanc, but an in depth analysis of the label will leave you none the wiser. Visiting success certainly provides warnings you can give to your friend. For the French the important element is that the wine comes from Sancerre in the Loire valley and for them it is inbred knowledge that white Sancerre is Sauvignon Blanc.
Moving south to Spain, red Rioja declares itself as Rioja on the label, not Tempranillo the grape variety utilized, while in Italy most Tuscan reds have no info on the Sangiovese grape that is most broadly used in these wines. Given this mish-mash of info it is no wonder that many of us head for that bottle with the label announcing it is a Chardonnay Viognier from the Ironstone Vineyard of California.
It is clear then that the Europeans believe the most crucial element influencing a wines character is the soil, climate and culture of the area exactly where the grape is grown and this is particularly crucial to single-vineyard wines who make the most of capturing the essence of a certain location of land. So whereas a French winemaker will see his wine as reflecting the character of a distinct region, a New World winemaker mad about grape varieties will contemplate that soil is just the expanding medium in which the fruit grows, and that the grape selection and challenging perform in the winery are what truly counts. Right now these two opposing approaches to wine labelling are moving closer together with New World producers emphasising their regionality and its characteristics, whilst European, even the parochial French winemakers possibly prompted by the wholesalers and the supermarkets are labelling their wines much more clearly. Get supplementary information on save on by browsing our dynamite article.
Replies