🍷 Wine label

A wine label is the sticker on a wine bottle. It states who made the wine, where it comes from, which year it is and how much alcohol it contains. This information helps the buyer understand what he or she is getting.

A label usually shows the name of the wine or producer, the place of origin, the harvest year (called the vintage), the strength in percent and the bottle volume. The grape variety is often given. In the European Union, allergens such as sulphites must also be stated, and more recently the ingredients or an address where they can be viewed. Various countries add warnings, for example for pregnant women.

On the back of the bottle there is sometimes a back label: it gives a description of the taste, serving tips and extra details. Labels on wine and on milk play a similar role: they show the contents and the shelf life.

Interestingly, similar inscriptions were made in ancient Egypt: amphorae from Tutankhamun's tomb noted the year, the winemaker and the place where the grapes were grown.