Fake inscriptions on a wine bottle (3 photos)

You'll find a lot of obscure words on a bottle that seem very meaningful, but in reality, some producers are just misleading you with their high-sounding terms, hoping you'll think it's a top-notch wine.





Let's be clear, these wines can actually be quite good, despite the meaningless label. However, when choosing a wine in a store based on the label (when there's no one around to recommend it), you want to know what to trust and what not.

The fact is that wine production is very, very strictly controlled. Therefore, winemakers can't simply write whatever they want on the label. There are many terms they can use freely, but they sound fancy and can mislead you.



So, let's talk about a few labels that often mean nothing:

Reserve – This is often used to designate wines aged in oak barrels, especially in Italy or Spain. In France, they might call a wine "Reserva" to indicate that it's special (either the vintage was particularly good, or the flavor was particularly successful, etc.). It can also denote the style of the wine or a higher alcohol content (this is the case in Portugal). Or they might just add it for aesthetic reasons; it's not forbidden!

Supérieur – Many believe that these wines are necessarily high quality because they sound like "Super," but in reality, these wines have a higher alcohol content, which is generally true of being "super," but only partially.

Grand Vin – It's truly a special honor to be named a Grand Vin, but not quite so much as to be considered a "Great Wine," as the name suggests. This designation designates the top wines of a French estate or winery.

Classic, or perhaps Exceptional, or even Limited Release – Anything of this nature means little. More accurately, these designations are not backed by anything, and therefore merely attract your attention. A German for exclusivity, nothing more.

What, then, is more likely to confirm a good wine? Labels like Cru (designated for the best vineyards in Bordeaux, Burgundy, Champagne, and Alsace), Traditional Method (for sparkling wines), Old Vines (old vines, which typically produce more intense wines), or Estate Bottled (producers are usually proud of these wines, as they were created entirely in a single location).