The biggest word is usually a place
Someone hands you a bottle covered in French, and there's no grape in sight. Don't panic. On most European labels, the biggest word is the place the wine comes from, not the grape it's made from.
Take Chablis. It looks like a brand, but it's a small town in northern Burgundy. The wine is named after the town, and the town's rules decide what goes in the bottle.
Four things every label tells you
| On the label | What it tells you |
|---|---|
| The place (Chablis, Rioja, Chianti) | Where the grapes grew, and so the style |
| The maker (often "Domaine", "Château" or "Bodega" plus a name) | Who made it |
| The vintage (e.g. 2021) | The year the grapes were harvested |
| The alcohol (e.g. 12.5% vol) | Strength; also a hint at body, since fuller wines tend to be stronger |
The vintage is the harvest year, not the bottling year or a "drink by" date. For everyday wines, a recent vintage is usually what you want.
The small line that matters most
Look for a small line like "Appellation Contrôlée" (France, often written Appellation Chablis Contrôlée or AOP), DOC or DOCG (Italy) or DO (Spain). It means the name is protected: a wine labelled Chablis must come from Chablis and follow its rules, including which grapes are allowed.
That is why the grape can go unsaid. In Chablis, the rules say Chardonnay, so the label doesn't bother to tell you.
New World labels lead with the grape
An Australian, Chilean or Californian bottle usually does the opposite: the grape is front and centre ("Chardonnay", "Shiraz"), with the region in smaller type. Same grape as a Chablis, just a different labelling tradition.
A handful of places worth knowing
| If the label says | The grape is |
|---|---|
| Chablis, white Burgundy | Chardonnay |
| Sancerre, Pouilly-Fumé | Sauvignon Blanc |
| Red Burgundy | Pinot Noir |
| Bordeaux (red) | Mostly Cabernet Sauvignon and Merlot |
| Chianti | Sangiovese |
| Rioja (red) | Mostly Tempranillo |
So if you fancy a crisp Chardonnay and not one bottle on the list says "Chardonnay", look for the Chablis: it's Chardonnay by law, and usually crisp and unoaked.
Questions people ask
What does the year on a wine label mean?
It's the vintage: the year the grapes were harvested. It isn't when the wine was bottled or when you should drink it. Wines without a year (non-vintage) blend several harvests, which is common for Champagne.
Why don't French wine labels list the grape?
Because French wines are traditionally named after the place, and each place's rules (its appellation) already decide which grapes may be used. Knowing the place tells you the grape. Many producers now add the grape too, especially on wines aimed at export.
What grape is Chablis made from?
Chardonnay. Chablis is a town in northern Burgundy, and by law its wines are 100% Chardonnay, usually in a crisp, unoaked style.
