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10 Practical Tips That Will Make You An Expert At Reading A Wine Label

It's undoubtedly confusing, but these little tips will help.

Have you ever looked at a wine label and thought to yourself what the heck does this all mean? Reading a wine label can be overwhelming, especially if you don't know what you're looking for. But with a few tips and tricks in your arsenal, you can buy a bottle of wine with confidence, knowing exactly what's inside.

1. First, determine what country the wine is from.

2. Next, take a closer look at the region (called an appellation) or sub-appelation.

A bottle of Dumol Pinot Noir from Russian River Valley in Sonoma County.

3. Check if the label displays the grape variety.

The back of a Dumol wine label, showing where the wine is grown and the variety.

4. If no wine variety is listed, the region will help you determine it.

5. Look at the alcohol by volume.

6. Look at the year the wine was harvested, aka the vintage.

A bottle of Gaja Ca'marcanda from the year 2009.

7. Or check if the label displays an age classification.

8. And see if the label displays any quality classifications.

A bottle of Flor de Pingus from D.O Ribera del Duero.

9. If you're buying Riesling, look for an indication of the ripeness level.

A bottle of Kabinett (dry) Riesling from Mosel, Germany.

10. And finally, consider the producer.

A bottle of Gaja Ca'Marcanda wine.