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French wine bottle labels | Picking a French wine bottle from the aisle of a bar could be challenging. French wine bottle labels are hard to read and understand. There are many terms listed on the label in different sections. While the pros may know what to look for, it may be problematic for those who rely on the bartenders. If you want to learn how to read French wine bottle labels, we can help you understand the complicated terms’ meanings.
French wines are famous all over Europe and the U.S. you may find French wine lovers in a typical bar or a restaurant. If you have tried some of the famous wines from France, you can have an idea of the taste we are referring to.
Before getting down to the terms and their meanings, there are a few interesting facts about French wine bottle labels that you should know.
The French winemakers like to maintain a prominent presence in the market. Unlike in the States, wineries in France label bottles based on their regions. It may not be easy at first, but once you try a few wines from different regions, you will most likely develop a familiarity.
The law divides the regions into three primary categories. Consumers can identify wines with labels having one of the three categories listed. We have listed the categories with their details below to help you distinguish them.
AOC is the most famous region category based on its winemaking regulations. Each appellation in this category reflects strict practices of the winemaking process, the selection of grapes, and the cultivation process. You can find the famous names of the region, including Bordeaux, Champagne, Burgundy, Gigondas, and Minervois.
Some of the appellations in the category often overlap based on their geography. Margaux AOC comes from the Médoc AOC located in the wider Bordeaux AOC. While distinctive names help you identify the root of the wine’s production, they may confuse you due to the overlapping geographies.
The total AOC appellations currently lie over 300, making up more than a third of France’s wine production. Some producers use the terms AC or AOP to describe the same region.
The second category on the list is IGP (also known as Vin de Pays). Those wine producers that do not conform to the defined rules of the AOC system lie in this category. While this may be correct, you can find many great IGP wines in the market.
It is worth noting that IGP wines are relatively easier to read. The labels of these wines list the varieties present inside to help the consumer identify.
Vin de France is the most common with the locals. The wines from this category have relatively low prices and are easy to consume daily. Like IGP, Vin de France wine producers have to conform to fewer rules giving them more freedom.
French consumers like to keep Vin de France wine bottles in their homes to drink frequently. Many prefer to have a glass with their dinners.
If you are looking for white French wine in an aisle, you may find the term Sur lie on some French wine bottle labels. This term indicates the aging of wine with dead yeast cells left after the fermentation process. Wines with this term on the label may have a bready or brioche character.
Mis en bouteille au chateau/domaine refers to an estate-bottled wine. This term indicates a good-quality wine officially packed inside the bottle. If you do not find this term on the label, it may point to a merchant-packed bottle. In such cases, merchants purchase wines from different producers and bottle them to sell.
If you read vigneron on the bottle label, the producers used their grown grapes instead of buying them to ferment wines.
The term cru translates to “growth.” If you read it on a French wine bottle label, the wine is from a specific vineyard. Some bottles may have Premier Cru written on the label. It refers to the prestigious category wines of the region. Premier Cru may appear as Ier Cru and Grand Cru on some bottles. While this may be true, these terms may have slight differences to note.
Grand Cru refers to the top-rated AOC wines from Burgundy vineyards. Premier Cru comes second in line among the AOC region wines.
The term crémant refers to the bubbly nature of wines. You can also call them sparkling wines of France. When you find this term listed on a bottle label, you may not need to confuse it with the Champagne region wines. These bottles offer high value for money and may cost lesser than a standard Champagne bottle.
Moreover, you may locate the terms Méthode Champenoise or Méthode Traditionnelle on some French wine bottle labels. These terms indicate the use of the same production method for Champagne and sparkling wine.
Blanc de Blanc means “white from white.” This term means that the winemakers used white grapes to make the Champagne.
In contrast to Blanc de Blanc, Blanc de Noir means “white from black.” If you find it mentioned on a bottle of Champagne, you can identify the use of black grapes to produce the white Champagne.
Brut or Extra Brut refers to the dryness of the sparkling wines. Such drinks may contain small amounts of residual sugar.
Demi Sec or Doux refers to the sweet element in the taste of wine. If you need to pair up your wine with a dessert, any bottle with these terms may be your go-to choice.
Learning to read the French wine bottle labels can be exhausting. While this may be true, remembering how wine labeling in France works can take a few turns. Using the terms mentioned above, you can classify the region, taste, and type of the wine while choosing a French brand.
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