Jancis Robinson
One of the world's leading wine critics, author of a dozen books on wines, co-author of a landmark work, MBE holder, Queen Elizabeth II wine cellar consultant. Considered one of the most authoritative specialized resources, it has published more than a hundred reviews and materials about wines from around the world.
Avoid heat and light
Do not take a bottle that has been exposed to direct light (including from a display case) or that has been stored near a battery. The harmful effects of direct light or heat deprive the wine of fruit and freshness.
Pay attention to where the wine is poured
Give preference to wines bottled as close to the vineyards as possible. Beware of New Zealand wine bottled in the UK. Most of the wine materials are transported by tanks on cargo ships. Manufacturers,
those who care about quality bottle the wine themselves or trust it to professionals. On French wine labels, pay attention to the inscription "Mis en bouteille au domaine / chateau" - "Bottled in the estate / chateau."
Prefer bottles stored horizontally
If the wine is stoppered with a natural cork, choose something that has been stored in a horizontal position: the cork remains moist and oxygen does not enter the bottle.
Look closely at the level of wine in the neck area
Check the level of wine in the neck area. If you put the bottle upright, there should be no more than two to three centimeters of air above the surface of the wine. Otherwise, it is a sign of too much oxygen being in contact with the wine.
Check if there is extra information on the label
Beware of overly detailed labels describing flavors and food pairing recommendations. This is a sign of aggressive marketing. Personally, I prefer details regarding the characteristics of wine production.
Install apps for wine lovers on your smartphone
Feel free to torment sellers
Focus on conscientious vintners and don't hesitate to ask for advice. If the advice of one does not suit you, turn to another until you find understanding.
There are many articles on the subject of Reading a Wine Label. I think those who are seriously interested in wine already know a lot about how to use the information on the labels. The most difficult thing, of course, is to deal with the labels of French classified wines. Indeed, in each region there are certain requirements for inscriptions on labels that all manufacturers must comply with. But what to do if you have recently become interested in wine and have not had time to explore all the regions of France, Italy, Spain or other countries?
First of all, I ask you to pay attention to the bottle that you took on the store shelf. The cost of quality wine is not only based on its quality, but it is also important to consider the cost and design of the container (i.e. bottle), cork and capsule (on the neck of the bottle).
If you want to buy white or red wine to prepare a dish for dinner (for example: for a marinade or sauce), dry wine in a “light” bottle is suitable for you. A “light” bottle is made with thin walls, made of pale green, pale brown, blue or completely transparent glass. There is no notch on the bottom. Many people mistakenly consider this notch to be a device for the convenience of pouring wine (that is, they believe that this is a notch for a finger). I want to dissuade you: the recess in the bottom exists for completely different purposes: so that during long-term exposure, the sediment in the wine collects along the walls in the bottle, which helps prevent clouding of the wine during its serving and decanting. Usually, table wines or wines that are not intended for long aging are poured into “light” bottles. They are recommended to drink within 1-2 years.
If you are planning to please yourself with elite wine to accompany any gastronomic delights, or “lay” wine for storage in your cellar, you should take wine in a “heavy” bottle. Usually these bottles are made of dark green or dark brown glass. There is a wide variety of shapes among bottles, and some of them are regulated by law. The most famous and popular bottles are Bordeaux, Burgundy and Alsatian flute, i.e. "flute" (also regulated by law in Germany). In the picture from left to right: Burgundy bottle, Alsatian flute, Bordeaux bottle.
Pay attention to the cork. If it's a screw cap, it's most likely a wine from New Zealand, Australia, Austria, Germany, or the United States. Most often, wines corked with a screw cap are recommended to be drunk within 1-3 years. But there are exceptional cases: quite expensive Australian wines are often corked with a screw cap. This is due to the fact that experiments are currently being carried out in Australia on aging wines with a screw cap, and producers are not afraid of such experiments. Although no more than 30 years have passed since the first batch with screw caps laid in the cellars, the experiment showed that the wine is in excellent condition!
The advantage of natural Portuguese oak cork is that it is able to pass microscopic doses of oxygen in order for the wine to develop and age. Particular attention should be paid to the cork if you want to purchase a batch of old vintages of a particular wine. To get started, buy one bottle to taste the wine itself and see how it has been stored. The cork will help you with this. You will see: if the cork is dry, then the wine was stored incorrectly - i.e. upright. If the cork, on the contrary, is very wet, this should also be feared. It is permissible to soak the cork with wine no more than half. For further exposure, the cork should be replaced with a new one. By the way, even if there is no label on the bottle, you can judge the quality of the wine by the cork: the longer it is, the better the wine is in front of you.
I will no longer talk about traffic jams, you can read more about this topic in the article by Anton Borovich. I can only add on my own that you should not be afraid of artificial traffic jams, since the content is more important.
Capsule on the neck of the bottle. We rarely pay attention to it. But here the rule is simple: inexpensive everyday wines most often use plastic material to make the capsule. On classified expensive wines, thick foil capsules are always used. For collectors, albums were even invented to store the upper part of the capsule (disk) with the image of the manufacturer's coat of arms. By the way, there are showcases for metal caps from champagnes and sparkling wines to collect a collection.
Well, now about the label. I will only say a few words about the most popular wines on sale. And I will describe the main inscriptions, in which there may be a catch.
First about France.
Bordeaux.
Most consumers buy French wine if it says the word Chateau, which means "castle" in French. Sometimes they don't even remember the name of Chateau, but only the inscription on the bottle that it is Bordeaux. So it turns out that a person who was instructed to buy a good French red comes to the store and asks for a bottle of Chateau Bordeaux. Of course, the seller is confused and tries to explain that Bordeaux is the region of production, and Chateau is just an introductory word to the name.
One little tip: if you can't remember the name of a wine you tasted at a party or in a restaurant, take a picture of the label with your phone. This photo will help the seller in the store or the sommelier in the restaurant, if not find this wine, then at least find something similar for you.
Although, of course, it is better to choose Bordeaux wines with the names Pauillac, Margaux, Sent-Julien, etc. (you can find out about this only by reading the reference material on Bordeaux wines). These words are the name of appellations (that is, smaller territorial units).
The label also indicates where the wine was bottled. By this inscription you can determine the quality of the wine. If the bottle says Mis en bouteille au Chateau ... - most often this means that the wine was bottled in the same castle that is indicated on the label and produced from its own vineyards. If Mis en bouteille par ... is indicated, this means that the wine was bottled in another place by the merchant, i.e. a large company that buys grapes from individuals. That is, the quality of growing grapes cannot be sufficiently controlled.
You can find out about grape varieties on the back label (that is, on the back), but only certain grape varieties are allowed to be used for wines from Bordeaux. Also in other regions of France, there are specific varieties allowed for the use of classified wines.
Burgundy
Here Chateau is called by another word - Domaine. And the situation with manufacturers is somewhat different. In Burgundy, for the most part, the leading producers are precisely the merchants. Moreover, each merchant owns some land and vineyards, but in order to expand the line for a larger assortment, they produce wines from purchased grapes from reliable growers from other parts of Burgundy. When buying Burgundy wine, you should still look into the guide and read about the manufacturer's reputation and the most successful and interesting wines, as well as harvests. In Burgundy, the vintage year is of the utmost importance, as weather conditions greatly influence the style of the wine.
Alsace
Alsace is dominated by white wines. This is the only region where it is regulated by law to indicate the grape variety on the label. At least this one is easy. But there are also wines from several varieties (blends), they have two names Gentil and Edelzwicker. But most likely, you will not find them on sale in Russia, since these are very simple simple wines to accompany the local Alsatian cuisine. They must be drunk at a young age.
Alsace has another problem. Most of the consumers are already familiar with the concept of Grand Cru, which means the elite of French wines. But there are as many as 51 Grand Cru vineyards in Alsace! And not all of the wines made from these vineyards can be considered great. There are also a few producers who, as a matter of principle, do not label the Grand Cru name, but only use the ancient monastic name Clos for the best historical part of the vineyard, for example: Trimbach produces a wine from the Grand Cru vineyard called Clos St. Hune. This is one of the great Rieslings of Alsace!
But I will end in France. It's time to move on to the wines of Italy, Spain and the wines of the New World.
Italy
In Italy, you can find interesting high-quality and expensive wines in almost any category of local classification, be it DOCG - the highest level of classification or IGT - local regional wines. The difference is that the DOCG and DOC categories include wines that have been historically produced in a particular area for more than a dozen years. You can recognize DOCG wines by the pink ribbon around the neck of the bottle. But be careful! In this category, there are both great Brunello di Montalcino, Barolo, Chianti Classico wines, as well as rather mediocre ones, such as the sparkling sweet Asti.
In the IGT category, winemakers have more freedom to experiment, which is so appreciated by modern winemakers. As a rule, these experiments usually come down to the use of grape varieties prohibited for the area (most often international, such as Cabernet Sauvignon, Syrah, Chardonnay, etc.). Therefore, such wines lose the right to historical classification.
Spain
The classification of Spanish wines, as in France and Italy, regulates grape varieties for a particular DO or DOCa. But in Spanish wines, you should pay attention to such inscriptions as Joven, Crianza, Reserva and Gran Reserva.
All these inscriptions indicate a certain exposure for wine, in ascending order. For example, Joven is the youngest wine, without aging in oak barrels, and Gran Reserva is the most aged (varies in different regions), usually at least 5 years (2 years in barrel + 3 in bottle).
Gran Reserva wines in Spain are produced only in the best vintage years!
New World
The New World is Chile, New Zealand, USA, South Africa. There are no strict rules in these countries (with the exception of the mandatory indication of alcohol strength and bottle size). Usually the grape variety from which the wine is made is indicated, but keep in mind that if Chardonnay is written on the label, this does not mean at all that it is 100% there.
In the US and California, it is allowed to add up to 15% of another grape variety, and only indicate the main one. And in these countries, you can not trust the Reserva inscription on the label - this has nothing to do with aging, rather it is a marketing ploy.
Many people choose wine solely on the label. And designers compete for the right to come up with an original packaging for a bottle of wine. Our review has collected 15 stunning wine labels, the creators of which have focused on meaning, and not just visual appeal.
Braille label
Lazarus Wines- a unique wine project from La Rioja, Spain. The wines are produced by blind winemakers - their heightened taste qualities make it possible to create an excellent balanced drink.
Label with floral design
The bright label of the bottle makes this wine a great gift for any woman. The design will appeal to those who are not attracted to minimalistic drawings.
perforated label
This label will allow any person to make a kind of political statement. Thanks to the perforation, the paper strips from the bottle De Bandera are removed, turning the painted Spanish flag into a Catalan one.
Label illustrating the optimal drinking time for wine
Wine label color from Motif tell you what time of day to drink a certain wine. For example, the wine in the photo should be consumed in the morning, until about 3 pm.
Label for those keen on psychology
Label for wine, coined Inkwell Wines, inspired by the Rorschach test - everyone sitting at the table can tell what he sees in these ink spots.
Label to speak up
A beautiful label that allows a person to express what's on their mind.
Travel label
An interesting label drawn in the style of a plane ticket.
Eco style label
Australian company Equilibrium Estate advocates for environmentally friendly methods of wine production and uses them in their vineyards. Formulating a unique selling proposition, the owners decided to focus on caring for the environment. As the company monitors the reduction of waste and water use, the negative impact on the climate, in particular, the rise in sea levels, is reduced. This idea is reflected on the label, decorated with wavy lines that disappear with the wine.
humorous label
A funny label will cheer you up even before drinking the wine. She took first place in the Modern House Wine competition in 2012.
Menu card label
Tapas Wine Collection produces Spanish wines that are ideal for use with bread, olives, ham, olives, cheese and other snacks. That is why the label is made in the form of a restaurant menu on a slate board.
Label dedicated to sans-serif fonts
Typography lovers should appreciate this wine. Only 100 bottles were produced and the labels were designed by the Spanish studio. Wild Wild Web Studio. It's funny if someone came up with the idea to release Comic Sans wine.
Label inspired by geography
This label was designed by Rob Schellenberg. Abstract drawings are prints from topographic maps, and the numbers indicate the lines of latitude on which the vineyards are located.
exclamation mark label
The designers implemented an interesting idea - they drew an exclamation mark on the label, which speaks of the exclusivity of the wine. In addition, such packaging clearly stands out on the store shelf.
label for romantics
Space black labels were designed for wine from a vineyard White Fence Vineyard which, unfortunately, has closed. Constellations and planets on a black background look very stylish and impressive.
Window labels
The unusual wine bottle is not only divided into 4 "glasses", but also demonstrates the color of the contents - through the slot in the label, the viewer can appreciate the shades of different varieties of wine.
All wine lovers will also be interested in studying the review.
We are accustomed to the classic wine bottle...umm.. To be honest, we are somewhat at a loss to characterize it - it is so common. But there are producers who have gone a little further and tried to draw attention to their wine, at least to its appearance.
The bottle plays an important role in winemaking. It is not uncommon for winemakers to complain if they come across a bad batch, with marriage. Champagne owners are especially indignant: bottles, even with the slightest speck, explode when champagne begins to ferment.
A bottle can also be a calling card for the wines of an entire region, as well as be explained by certain characteristics. Take, for example, Bordeaux. Their classic bottle with steep shoulders, and a dimple at the bottom to allow sediment to accumulate in the canvas at the base. But Burgundy wines do not have such a “dimple”, since sediment is rare in them.
Well, especially sophisticated bottles are difficult to discuss, since the reason for their appearance was a marketing ploy and nothing else.
An unusual bottle of "blood grapes" according to the label
True, unusual decanters can be found more often. These are, for example:
You will not find such a bottle on sale, as it is rather a business idea. But, you see, it's not bad. We would not refuse such a bottle at home. However, if you really try and look, maybe there is one for sale?
This, again, is not a bottle for sale, but an original way of storing or serving wine. But even in an empty form, it can happen to be an interesting piece of furniture.
And for those who cannot decide which wine to drink - white or red, this bottle will be a great option!
Or here's an option. There is something in this, vaguely reminiscent of chemistry lessons at school.
In the WineStreet store, too, not all bottles are standard:
Wine Villa Grande (Moldova)
Wine "Ice Wine" (Fanagoria, Russia)
Having invented wine, people immediately thought about how and in what to store it. In ancient times in Greece and Rome, amphorae and barrels were used for this purpose. Wine was served on the table in wide metal or ceramic jugs, shaped more like a modern saucepan, but not a bottle at all. And it was usually transported in clay vessels or waterskins made from animal skins.
The ancient Egyptians already possessed glass making skills. In the Nile Valley, glass vessels were already in use in the second millennium BC. The Romans mastered the technology much later, apparently having adopted from the Phoenicians, but brought it to perfection. They were the first to use natural corks for capping wines. But for the transportation and storage of wine, until the 17th century, various containers made of clay, faience and wood continued to be used everywhere. Apparently, glass products seemed not reliable enough for these purposes.
The first wine bottle, similar to the modern one, was produced in 1652 by the Englishman Sir Kenelm Digby, but did not patent his invention. The patent was issued by his compatriot John Colnet in 1661. From the second half of the 17th century, the industrial production of bottles began in England. In the 18th century, the glass bottle became the most popular container for storing and transporting wine. The reason for this popularity is obvious: glass is chemically neutral, which is ideal for wine. With the spread of glass bottles and natural corks, wine became more reliable, it was easier to store it, in addition, it continued to develop in bottles and practically did not undergo oxidation.
The first bottles were made of black glass. Later, olive, green, and then brown bottles appeared. At first, the bottles were pot-bellied, like a large onion, then their shape stretched out and began to resemble a cylinder. Over time, each region of wine production developed its own typical forms of bottles, and each manufacturer put their own stamp on them. Since 1894, bottles began to be produced by machine, and the first such bottle was cognac. The era of the standard has begun.
Wine bottle shapes
The cylindrical shape of most bottles has an obvious practical advantage: they can be stored horizontally in the cellar to allow the wine to mature. This position allows the cork to remain moist so that the wine does not come into contact with air.
At first, there were thousands of different shapes of wine bottles. However, several main ones gradually emerged:
Bordeaux bottles
Bordeaux bottles are easy to distinguish by their characteristic “shoulders”. These are the most popular red wine bottles in the world. The bottom of such a bottle is slightly concave, it helps to prevent sediment from entering the glass when pouring wine. Therefore, before opening it, the bottle must first be placed vertically on the table so that the sediment sinks to the bottom and settles in the grooves around the bulge. Bordeaux bottles are available in green (for dry red and white wines) or clear glass (for sweet and some dry white wines). The classic grape varieties for these bottles are Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Petit Verdot, Cabernet Franc, Sauvignon Blanc and Semillon.
Burgundy bottles
The "Burgundy" type bottle has sloping, unexpressed "shoulders". It is used for red (usually Pinot Noir) and white (such as Chardonnay) wines. The classic burgundy bottle is green, however, transparent ones are also occasionally found. This form is traditional for wines from the Côtes-du-Rhone and the Loire Valley, as well as Beaujolais. In California, such forms are used for chenin blanc. In Italy, it is used for various wines, such as Barolo. In this case, the color of the glass is very dark, often brown.
Tall flute bottles
"Flutes" are similar to elongated burgundy ones. They first appeared in Germany - here their shape is compared with a flute or a leg of lamb. These bottles are used for wines made from traditional German grape varieties: Riesling, Sylvaner and Gewürztraminer. In the Rhine region they are brown, in the Moselle they are green. In addition to Germany, these bottles are common in France (Alsace), Austria and Switzerland. All over the world they are used for Rieslings and dessert wines.
Bottles for champagne and sparkling wines
According to legend, the champagne bottle was invented by the monk Dom Pérignon. The concave bottom was originally intended for more convenient and economical storage and transportation of bottles: the neck of one bottle was inserted into the bottom of another, so they were rigidly fixed, which saved space in the box. In addition, such a bottom distributes pressure in the bottle better - it falls on the walls. The classic bottle for champagne is green, less often transparent. Such bottles should not be left in the sun for a long time, otherwise the taste of the wine may suffer. Therefore, champagne in transparent bottles is often packaged in a box or paper. Green or brown glass protects the wine from harmful ultraviolet rays, which is very important for wines that need to age in the bottle for a long time. The rule is this: the darker the glass and the place where the bottle is stored, the better the wine is protected.
The technology for the production of sparkling wine by the classic champagne method assumes that at a certain moment the so-called secondary fermentation begins in the bottle. Due to this, the wine is saturated with carbon dioxide. But at the same time, the internal pressure in the bottle increases, so its walls are made especially strong and thick. Otherwise, the glass will not withstand and burst. In the 19th century, sometimes up to 80% of bottles exploded during secondary fermentation. Today, their number is many times less, but still wine explosions in the cellar are not uncommon.
Olga Lepekha, based on materials from foreign publications
