Become a detective and learn to sleuth wine labels

The wine market is fiercely competitive and quality overall has never been better, but there’s still a lot of mediocre-to-dire juice being produced at every price point. Question is, how do you dodge disappointment when wine shopping? The best way is to read the label carefully because it contains clues that let you almost taste the wine before you buy it. Grape variety, producer/brand name, alcohol level, vintage and region all matter; and knowing why keeps your winebuying game on point.

Grape varieties and flavours of some popular wines

Reds Cabernet Franc — raspberry Cabernet Sauvignon — blackcurrant Carmenere — red plum Gamay — soft red fruits Grenache, also called Garnacha — mixed berries Malbec — black plum Merlot — cherries Pinot Noir — cranberry Shiraz — chocolate and dark berries Syrah — red meat Whites Chardonnay — apple Gewurztraminer — lychee Moscato, also called Muscat and Moscatel — fruit cocktail Pinot Blanc — white peach Pinot Grigio — lemon Pinot Gris — yellow peach Riesling — lime Sauvignon Blanc — lemon and grass Viognier — pear Viura, also called Macabeo — mixed citrus