Wine Labeling Rules

This article in the Miami Herald provides an excellent introduction to how wine terms are regulated: http://www.miamiherald.com/2011/05/05/2202961/stricter-wine-labeling-rules-put.html#ixzz1LX0mmhW1

As the article points out, many people think words such as Proprietors Blend, Barrel Fermented, Bottle Aged, Old Vine, Vineyard, and Reserve mean something or other – and they’re right, they do mean something, but there are no rules on what they should mean.

New proposed regulations by the Alcohol and Tobacco Tax and Trade Bureau would tighten up some of these definitions.

Interesting tidbit: the word Estate Bottled is regulated and can only be used if certain conditions are met. But the word Estate is unregulated and can mean anything the winemaker wants it to.

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Library guides for wine research

Librarians love to compile the best resources on any topic. Check out a few of these guides to wine information.

Note: Don’t be discouraged when you discover some of these resources are restricted to specific library users. Keep looking for the guides with public websites, or ask at library near you for access to some of the restricted resources.

• Cornell University.  Enology & Viticulture. http://guides.library.cornell.edu/enology_viticulture
• CalPoly Kennedy Library. Wine, Viticulture and Enology Research Center.  http://libguides.calpoly.edu/agbusiness_wine
• Wake Forest University.  Business of Wine guide. http://guides.zsr.wfu.edu/content.php?pid=40339&sid=296937
• George Brown College. Wine & Winemaking. http://georgebrown.ca.libguides.com/wine
• Ocean City Public Library. Wine Subject Guide. http://reference.oceancitylibrary.org/wine

— S.S.