Honest Wine: Why Regions Matter
If you could potentially save money per bottle AND enjoy a more complex wine, would you go for it? I did this week and look how happy I am! Let’s explore how specific elements on the label can lead you to that sweet spot of incredible quality while not breaking the bank.
There are thousands of grape varietals grown all over the world. They shine and reach their best potential in certain climates and soils. To put it simply - grapes thrive in very specific regions, also known as appellations. They often have strict standards for grape growing, ensuring some level of quality in every sip.
Tell me more about wine regions…
Now, let's talk specifics. When we talk about appellations, think California—break it down further, and you have Napa Valley, Anderson Valley, Paso Robles, and more. Labeling a wine from one of those places "California" would be too generic for where those grapes are grown. For most fruit, generic is fine. I don’t want to downplay those delicious blueberries you get from the grocery store that say, “Product of Chile”; buuuut, I think I’m going to. For these tart little snackers, I am expecting uniformity. But, if you are curious to explore wine that might have more character and possibly a higher quality, then yes a more specific region matters. Big time.
Whenever I am eye-ing a new wine, I always ask myself: “Is this an honest price for what I am paying for?”
Wines for $15 that I’m not questioning…
Let’s take Pieropan Soave Classico from Northern Italy for instance. I recently purchased from Costco at $15 a bottle. Crisp and refreshing like a Sauvignon Blanc. Soave Classico is the appellation and listed right on the front of the bottle. This wine is certified organic, estate-owned, and produced from native grapes in a tiny hillside region of Northern Italy. Frankly, the winemaking doesn’t need much intervention because the grapes themselves will shine with a minimal amount of work. The wine has a special DOC classification seal on the bottle directly from Italy that confirms this producer upheld some serious standards of quality.
Wines I Question a Bit More…
On another bottle commonly picked up in just about every grocery store and all over social media, you will see catchy phrases like ‘Vegan’, Zero Sugar Added’, ‘Made with Organic Grapes’. This wine has caught our eye as a conscious producer and yet, if you flip the bottle around, you will notice it says, ‘Product of Spain’ on the back label. Yep, Spain. The whole country. Anywhere in that county. And I didn’t find much more information on the vineyards and grape growing. This one costs $20 on the shelf and when you taste it - yep, it sure has A LOT less character than that delish Peiropan. And it cost $5 more. Can you take a guess what wine I am referring to? It’s important to note that a more generalized place does not mean the wine is definitely lower quality. It just means that you might want to ask a question or two… especially if that wine has flashy marketing statements. Look up the producer and see what other information you can find.
Stay curious friends! XX, Kris
Further reading:
Check out this enlightening article - make me wonder if ‘California’ wines are really from the Golden State after all.
This article is great on the basics of how to read a label taking into account appellation.
