The four qualities of appellations of Burgundy wines should be easily distinguishable on the labels of wines. We have a system of recognizing them which should help you get through any confusion. First here is an excerpt from "The Wines of Burgundy", by Sylvain Pitiot and Jean-Charles Servant, explaining a little of what you may and may not find on a label:
Obligatory details - The label must give certain information and it must be given in legible characters of a size which enable it to be distinguished from the other contents of the label. The required details are:
- The name of the wine - in effect, its appellation (e.g. BOURGOGNE), followed immediately below by the words Appellation Contrôlée or Appellation d'Origine Contrôlée.
- The nominal volume, that is, the amount of liquid in the bottle. Usually expressed in centiliters. E.g.: 75 cl.
- The name, address and status of the bottler or packer... The address must include the name of the department (county) either in letters or in post-code form.
- Alcohol content by volume expressed to the nearest half degree and followed by % vol. E.g. : 12.5%
- The country of origin - compulsory for all wines destined for export. E.g.: Produit de France
- Since June 20th, 1991, wines sold in bottle must be identified by a lot number proceeded by the letter "L" which must be clearly visible somewhere on the bottle (e.g. on the bottle itself, the label, the back-label, the neck-label or capsule).
Optional details - In addition to this compulsory information there are a number of optional details which may appear on the label. A few of these are:
- Year of harvest. Contrary to the practice in some other countries, in France, the year of the vintage may only appear on the bottle if all the wine it contains comes from the same harvest.
- Place of bottling. Involving some such expression as Mise en bouteilles dans la région de production or Mise en bouteilles à la propriété (Bottled in the production region or Estate bottled)
- Grape variety. In Burgundy this may only be stated for regional appellations. Where it is used (contrary, again, to the practice in some other countries), all the wine must come from the named variety. The type-size must not be more than two-thirds that of the name of the appellation.
- Brand name. Brand names are used on labels by many négociants as a way of "signing" the wines they have selected and raised, putting their personal seal on the quality of their products. Such a brand name is often a helpful mark of recognition for the consumer.
Other optional details include: wine color, method of production, the name and address of the distributor, official distinctions awarded to the wine, etc.
It is a general principle that labels should not be misleading. They must include no indication drawing, illustration, image or sign whatever likely to create confusion in the mind of the purchaser as to the nature, origin, main characteristics, or composition of the product or the capacity of the receptacle in which it is contained.
Furthermore, decorative engraving on the bottle itself and anything appearing on the cork, capsule, or hanging label are all considered as part of the labeling and must conform to the regulations in force.
Now we can go through the four qualities and distinguish their labels:
Bourgogne Regionale - We like the name generic for this wine, due, in part, to the fact that it is the only appellation that has the word Bourgogne in the name of the wine. The other qualities will not say Bourgogne. It is also the only quality that will say the grape variety (although it is not required). The reason for this is that this is the only appellation can be either chardonnay or aligoté for white wines and either pinot noir or gamay for reds. Winemakers should, therefore, inform as to which variety is used. The other three appellations can only be chardonnay for whites and pinot noir for reds. They will not say the grape name on the label because that would insult your intelligence! Right?
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Village or communal - This appellation is the most complicated because the label only tells us the name of the village. If you know that it is a village, you are fine, but it is not always that easy. To determine if this wine is a village, look at the name, usually in the largest type: here it is Chambolle Musigny. Do you see the word Bourgogne in the name of the wine? NO. Do you see the mention of pinot noir? NO. OK, then this is not a regional wine. Do you see 1er cru anywhere on this label. NO. It cannot be a 1er cru. Do you see Grand Cru anywhere on this label. NO. It cannot be a grand cru. So, based on what you see, but more important, what you do not see - you can conclude that this wine is a village.
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Premier Cru - This should be one of the easiest qualities to recognize. A premier cru should always say "Premier cru" or "1er Cru" on the label. The winemaker can add the name of the field. In this case, the wine comes from the village of Pommard, the field or parcel, is called Rugiens. Some premier crus will not have the name of the field. This usually means that the winemaker has blended two or more premier cru fields from within the same village.
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Grand Cru - This is also an appellation that should be very clear. The words "Grand Cru" should be found on the label. Do not let anyone tell you "Trust me, this wine is a grand cru." You should have proof on the label that the wine is a grand cru. Most wineries want you to know this and will not hide it from you. A very interesting aspect of the grand cru label is that the name of the wine is the name of the field. There is no mention of the village where the field is located. This is because the field itself, no matter how small, is said to have its own, unique terroir. The village characteristics are no longer important - the grand cru field has its own personality.
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