Behind the Label.

Whether you buy your wine online, at a local liquor outlet or specialist wine store, your decision has to be made partly or wholly on trust - that you’re given sound advice, the label descriptions are accurate, and the wine will suit your needs and tastes.

I’m often asked to decode or explain wine label language - from grape variety and pronunciation, to back label wording and the meaning behind stickers.

All wine sold in New Zealand, including imported wine, must follow the labelling and composition rules and requirements of the Food Standards Australia New Zealand (FSANZ) code.

If a wine label announces a grape variety or varieties, a vintage or region of origin statement (for example, Chardonnay 2018 Marlborough), this means 85% of the variety, vintage and geography must be as stated. Producers can vary the other 15% - perhaps including the use of other varieties, regions and vintages to complete aroma, palate feel and balance – though most wines are 100% as stated.

Additives

Most, if not all, wine is clear, with no haze or unusual-looking suspended matter. During winemaking, most winemakers use a substance to assist in making a wine clear and consumer ready.

A growing number of people now react to additives in food and beverage products, and many make lifestyle choices around animal products. Reactions to additives in wine are actually extremely rare (current research supports this).

• Fish products, typically isinglass, may be used to remove tannins, making wine feel softer and more balanced.

• Egg white, or albumen may also be used for the same effect, removing tannin particularly in red wine.

• Milk and milk products are used to remove compounds associated with bitterness and browning.

According to the New Zealand MPI (Ministry for Primary Industries), a wine label must include an allergen declaration, if milk, egg and fish (except isinglass, which is not an allergan) are present.

All wine is decanted off any sediments before bottling so any trace amounts are extremely low.

If a label states ‘bottled unfined’ this will indicate that a wine has not been subject to any of the processes listed above, keeping the texture of the wine as the winemaker intended. As a taster you may notice more complexity and texture.

Many wines are passed through a filter or membrane before bottling, rendering it clear. The winemaker may choose not to filter the wine, to keep a particular texture and complexity.

Additives like sulphites are used as part of the bottling process for wine, and trace amounts may remain in the wine. A label may say ‘Contains sulphites’ (very common, but used in extremely tiny amounts). Sulphites and sulphur are natural elements, modified to be used as liquid or gas to stave off or neutralise bacteria, and slow the effects of oxygen on wine. If preservatives are used (usual practice) then this must be declared on the label.

Vegan & Organic

Vegan wines are increasingly popular. This means there are no animal-based agents like milk, fish or gelatin used in the winemaking, stabilisation or filtering process. I am frequently asked about the status of sulphites – they are 100% vegan.

‘Organic’ or ‘biodynamic’ refers to philosophies around grape-growing and winemaking. No chemical pesticides, herbicides and manufactured fertilisers are used in or around the vineyard and winery, nor are artificial additives, making these wines a good choice for wine drinkers sensitive to particular compounds. Biodynamic wineries follow the lunar calendar, apply particular tea preparations, homemade compost and other plant life to enhance soil health, and for weed control and vine growth.

The organic movement in New Zealand is significant enough that increasing numbers of producers practice. Some wonderful examples pass through my tasting table (see page 45).

Scores & Stickers

There are a plethora of brightly-coloured award stickers. In the very competitive world of wine any recognition of quality a producer receives can become very important, so it pays to be aware of the meaning and significance (or otherwise) of these accolades.

Some wine lovers will talk to their friends or a trusted sommelier, some to wine store hosts - others regularly read wine reviews and scores to assist in their decisions. Displaying scores and accolades by way of stickers on the bottle can unquestionably be a successful marketing tool -those gold, silver or bronze decals draw attention, and a high score or critic review can be a recipe for successful sales.

But. What do all these scores, stickers and reviews mean for you?

Wine scoring originated in wine competitions to allow a group of judges to recognise quality wine by using a relative scale. Many wine writers and critics adopted the strategy for their own reviews – these days I, like many others, use the 100 hundred points scale (see page 7), though some use the 20 Point, or *star* awards. An 88/100 score generally equals a very nice wine, equivalent to a bronze in a wine show. On the same scale, 95/100 equals an excellent wine – which will translate to a gold sticker if that is offered (silver sits between).

The Star system is also recognised by consumers. It’s an easy-to-follow, simple for consumers to understand system (for example, 3.5 Stars would be a recommended wine and 5 Stars an excellent example).

Some wine producers choose to display layers of stickers, or worse - make labels littered with stickers in the design. I am not a fan of this approach.

Take care to read stickers – while some represent a genuine review from a recognised critic, wine competition, or reputable magazine panel, others may simply refer to an award the winery has received.

Fine Wines of New Zealand

Some of the best wines in New Zealand are regularly rated by well-known critics, or through wine competition events (though there are select wineries who don’t enter, for many reasons including super-small production or already sold out production). The most recent addition to the review process here has been the Fine Wines of New Zealand programme, of which I am a proud member. This Air New Zealand-supported programme is available to producers of wine in New Zealand. It is not a wine competition, but an opportunity to showcase current release wines to a team of local Masters of Wine and a Master Sommelier (yours truly).

If the wines meet the rigid standards, samples of older vintages are also reviewed to demonstrate potential longevity and style consistency. There are no gold stickers – rather a recognition of prestige and confirmation from some experienced and knowledgeable palates that the wine represents the best from New Zealand, making it an excellent purchase decision.