Lots of wiggle room on rules for wine labels
Some recent wine-label queries remind me that these apparently simple pieces of paper sometimes need to be decoded.
Labels are legal documents. Producers must provide certain information (such as bottle volume and alcohol content), and may not provide certain information (such as health or dietary claims). But there’s a lot in between that’s confusing.
One reader asked why some wines are labelled as containing sulphites while others aren’t. The reason is that some wine laws (such as the U.S.) require it while others don’t, and some actually forbid it. It’s confusing, as it leads people to believe that some wines contain sulphites while others don’t. In fact, all wines contain sulphites, although to varying degrees.
As for the various classification levels shown on labels, each country has its own (although the European Union has standardized to some extent). Some countries and regions have a single classification, such as Ontario’s and British Columbia’s VQA (Vintners Quality Alliance).
In principle, VQA certification should ensure that a wine is superior to one not certified as being VQA, but in practice it’s more complicated. Some perfectly good wines are rejected by VQA tasting panels, and some decidedly mediocre wines are passed. So the presence or absence of a VQA symbol needn’t indicate anything about a wine’s quality.
It’s the same with France’s AOC (Appellation d’origine contrôlée) system. Even the head of the governing organization said a few years ago that many AOC wines did not meet the quality standards. To be certified AOC, producers need to meet stringent conditions, such as using only specified grape varieties. Even the apparent certainties on wine labels aren’t so certain. Your California Cabernet Sauvignon might be 100 per cent Cabernet, but it might legally contain up to 25 per cent other varieties. Likewise, a Chardonnay from New Zealand (or Australia or Ontario) might contain up to 15 per cent other varieties. Depending on wine law, the alcohol percentage might be half or a full percentage point higher or lower, and your 2014 pinot Grigio might contain some from another vintage.
It’s all perfectly legal, depending where the wine comes from, but it means that label information is never as transparent as, say, a New Zealand Sauvignon Blanc.