Interpreting Labels

At first, trying to make sense of a Spanish wine label may seem to be a daunting task; but it's not really that difficult. Rather than run a course in label interpretation, let's just try and get a handle on the basic terminology.

First of all keep in mind 6 basic quality levels:

• 1. Vino de mesa table wine without a geographic denomination
• 2. Vino joven young wine, usually from a qualified DO region, sometimes with a bit of ageing, but not enough to be a "roble" or "crianza"
• 3. Roble "roble" means oak, some regions allow this term on the label for lightly oaked wines that don't reach "crianza" standards
• 4. Crianza aged 2 years, at least 6 months in oak
• 5. Reserva quality wine, normally aged at least 3 years, at least 1 year in oak casks, 2 years in the bottle, made from top vintages
• 6. Gran Reserva quality wine, aged at least 2 years in oak plus 3 years in the bottle, made from exceptional vintages

Other useful terms:

• Bodega = Winery
• Añejo = Aged
• Cepa = Vine or name of grape
• Cosecha, vendimia = Vintage year

  Types of wine:

• Tinto = Red wine
• Rosado = Rosé wine
• Blanco = White wine
• Cava = Sparkling wines made by champagne method
• Espumoso = Sparkling wines made outside the "cava" denomination

  Sweetness (whites, sherries and "cavas"):

• Dulce = Sweet
• Semi-seco = Medium-dry
• Seco = Dry
• Brut = Very dry

  Sherries (Jerez, Montilla, Sanlucar de Barrameda):

• Fino = Light dry sherry
• Manzanilla = Very dry sherry from Sanlucar
• Amontillado = An aged "fino"
• Palo cortado = Dark, superior grade sherry (or Montilla)
• Oloroso = Dark, full-bodied sherry
• Pedro Ximenez = A dark, sweet sherry (or Montilla)
• Cream = Very sweet sherry

Note: Don't forget de Denominación de Orígen label. It's your guarantee of the wines origins and content. The function of the Consejo Regulador (regulatory body) of each D.O. region is to insure the quality of it's wines.