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Vineyard land · Pauillac≈$2,798,250 a hectare▼ down 17% on 20232024Opening price · Château Lafite Rothschild 2025≈$376 a bottle▲ up 17% on the year beforeSold at auction · Romanée-Conti Grand Cru, DRC 2019$22,917 a bottleSotheby's, Sep 2026Cost to make one bottle · Burgundy grand cru (Pinot Noir)$48–283US duty on wine from · Canada+50%since Aug 2026Everyday bottle in a US shop$13.77 a litre▼ down 1.3% in a yearSep 2026Vineyard land · Margaux≈$1,567,020 a hectare▼ down 7% on 20232024Opening price · Château Cheval Blanc 2025≈$376 a bottle▲ up 22% on the year beforeSold at auction · La Tâche Grand Cru, DRC 2018$5,417 a bottleSotheby's, Sep 2026Cost to make one bottle · Champagne prestige cuvée$26–89US duty on wine from · Australia+12.5%since Jul 2026Vineyard land · Côte-Rôtie≈$1,511,055 a hectare▲ up 8% on 20232024Opening price · Château Mouton Rothschild 2025≈$336 a bottle▲ up 19% on the year beforeSold at auction · Richebourg Grand Cru, DRC 2012$3,542 a bottleSotheby's, Sep 2026Cost to make one bottle · Bordeaux classified growth (2nd–5th)$17–61US duty on wine from · New Zealand+12.5%since Jul 2026Vineyard land · Côte de Nuits grand cru≈$7,275,450 a hectare2019Opening price · Château Palmer 2025≈$268 a bottle▼ down 19% on the year beforeVineyard land · Pomerol≈$2,238,600 a hectare2023
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New to wine? Start with the short lessons, then look up any word you do not know.

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How to read a wine label

A label answers four questions: who made it, where, from which grape, and in which year. The trick is knowing where to look.

4 min read · For beginners

How to read a wine label

The four things on almost every label

  1. The producer. Who made the wine. Often the biggest words on the label.
  2. The place. Where the grapes grew. This might be a country, a region or a single village.
  3. The grape. Such as Chardonnay or Merlot. Not always shown. See below.
  4. The vintage. The year the grapes were picked.

Named after the grape

Usual in the United States, Australia, Chile and Argentina.

Example RidgeCabernet SauvignonNapa Valley202114.5% vol · 750 ml
Everything is spelled out. The grape is the biggest clue to the taste.

Named after the place

Usual in France, Italy and Spain.

Domaine ExempleChablisAppellation Chablis Contrôlée202212.5% vol · 75 cl
No grape anywhere. You are expected to know that Chablis is always Chardonnay.

Both labels are invented, to show where to look.

Why some labels name the grape and others name the place

Wines from the United States, Australia, Chile and most newer wine countries usually put the grape on the front: Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon.

Many European wines are named after the place instead, and you are expected to know the grape. A red Burgundy is Pinot Noir. A Chablis is Chardonnay. A Rioja is mostly Tempranillo. A Barolo is Nebbiolo. It feels unfair at first, but there are only a handful worth learning, and our region pages spell them out.

Words you will see

  • Appellation. An official, legally protected growing area. France uses the letters AOC or AOP, Italy DOC or DOCG, Spain DO or DOCa.
  • Reserve, Riserva, Reserva. In Italy and Spain this means the wine was aged longer by law. Elsewhere it can simply be marketing.
  • Grand cru, premier cru. French terms for the highest-ranked vineyards or estates.
  • Brut. On sparkling wine, dry.
  • The percentage. Alcohol by volume. Around 12% feels light, 14.5% and above feels big.

The back label is often more useful than the front. It may tell you the grapes, how sweet the wine is, and what it tastes like.

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