Words on French Wine Labels From French Wine For Dummies ®
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Appellation… Contrôlèe (AOC): The word(s) appearing between these two words on the label indicate the official place-name of the wine, the location where the grapes grew. Blanc de blancs ("white from whites"): A white wine made from white grapes only. In particular, Champagne made exclusively with Chardonnay grapes. Blanc: White Brut: A dry sparkling wine Château: A wine estate Crèmant: An AOC sparkling French wine from some region other than Champagne. Cru: A vineyard, a village, or sometimes a wine estate Cuvée: A blend of wines, or a particular batch of wine Domaine: Wine estate, usually a smaller property than a Château. Extra Dry: A sparkling wine that's slightly sweeter than brut Grand cru classè: A wine estate that has officially been classified as a top property Grand cru: A region's highest quality vineyard or vineyard area Grand vin: A winery's best wine Millèsime: Vintage (year of the harvest) Mis en bouteille au château: Estate-bottled Premier cru: A top vineyard area or wine estate, but less prestigious than a grand cru Reserve: Suggests a better-quality wine, but it's an unregulated term that anyone can use for any wine. Rouge: Red Sec: Dry Vielles vignes: Old vines, suggests better quality, but it's an unregulated term. Vins Délimités de Qualité Supérieure (VDQS): A place-name wine that's less prestigious than an Appellation… Contrôlèe wine Vin de Pays: A French country wine; the words following this phrase on the label indicate the zone where the grapes grew. |
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