| Spanish wine laws were first enacted in 1932 and | | | | the name of the winery with the date of the wineries |
| have been revised as recently as 1970 and are the | | | | founding directly underneath, typically in much smaller |
| only wine regulations in the world based on the archaic | | | | print. In the middle of the label will be the name of the |
| French Appellation d'Origine's meaning that wines are | | | | wine, with a small name underneath which tells you |
| from specific geographical regions, not ownership as | | | | where the wine was actually bottled. This is a |
| we think of here in the United States. | | | | significant different from new world producers as |
| Spain has 54 officially recognized and geographically | | | | Spain gives you all relevant information while in the |
| defined wine regions with Rioja standing above the | | | | United States we typically only see where the grapes |
| rest as the only region counted as a Qualified | | | | came from. |
| Denomination of Origin, or great wine region. | | | | At the bottom of the label you'll see the quality level of |
| Lastly, especially given the recent flap with Gallo buying | | | | the wine, such as Reserva and the year of the |
| what they thought was French Pinot Noir (only to find | | | | vintage, which is the year when the fruit was picked |
| out it was in fact Merlot) the Spanish government has | | | | off the vine. At the lower right hand corner you'll see |
| given each wine growing region their own governing | | | | the common marks of alcohol level by volume and |
| control board. These boards are responsible for | | | | volume of the bottle itself. If you see Denominacion de |
| everything from vinicultural and winemaking standards | | | | Origin listed anywhere on the very bottom of the label, |
| as well as limiting the total acreage that can be | | | | you have found a wine that is not only controlled by |
| planted, maximum yield of the fruit, time the wines | | | | the same government agency which will ensure that all |
| must be aged....and perhaps most importantly running a | | | | information provided is in fact true. |
| laboratory to ensure that each bottle actually contains | | | | I hope you've enjoyed this look at Spanish wine labels |
| the wine that consumers have paid for. | | | | and laws. Compared to many other old world |
| Spanish wine labels are as easy to understand as the | | | | producers Spain makes it relatively easy to understand |
| wine laws themselves. At the top of the label you'll see | | | | and feel comfortable with the wine that you're buying. |