On the label of Australian wines, often the most quickly recognized part of the logo is the name of the wine and just how that name came to be may tell the entire story of the nectar inside the bottle.
Major Producers and Their Wineries vs. The Little Guy
For the major producers who provide a variety of different wines, the name of the winery isn’t necessarily the name of their products. For example, Beringer Blass is a major producer who showcases many popular wines, including Yellowglen, Saltram and Yarra Ridge. Smaller wineries, however, may sport the same name that their product claims. One popular and collectable version of a vintage wine bearing the same name as the company is Penfolds Grange, which was once Penfolds Grange Hermitage.
Where do the names come from?
Some popular namesakes of wines in Australian are people influential in the winery or vineyard community, places where vineyards are located or landmarks that are popular in the area of the vineyard. Penfolds is named after Dr. Christopher Rawson Penfold and Greg Cooley names all of his wines after people who have been influential in his life. Dromana Estate is one example of a winery and its product being named after a place, namely Dromana in Victoria. The Yarra varieties are named after the Yarra Valley and the town of Yarra Glen. One example from Australian wines named after a landmark is ‘The Armagh’ which gets its name from a famous landmark in the area. Some fun names have even come from the music industry. AC/DC can brag that four products from the Australian Warburn Estate will bear the names of four popular hits, such as Back In Black which is a Shiraz and You Shook Me All Night Long which is a Moscato.
What else is on the label?
As fun as the naming is, there are some important pieces of information that must be included on each bottle. These include:
- The physical address of the company and the official name of the company.
- The country from which the wines originate. If there is a mix that involves multiple countries, the percentages must be accurately labeled.
- The volume must be listed front and center in a font that is easily read.
- All products that were used during the process of winemaking. This includes additives and any aids in processing. This information is listed to prevent potential allergic reactions.
- The variety of grape. Sometimes a description of the product is listed if the variety of grapes wasn’t on the label.
- Finally, the amount of alcohol content must be part of the label including a count of how many drinks are available inside the bottle.
In conclusion, the name of your favorite Australian red wine may tell you where the drink came from, who produced it, the percentage of alcohol, the type of grapes and any other ingredients, maybe some advice for food pairings and maybe even who the owner’s favorite rock star is!
The post Naming The Wines Of Australia appeared first on Learn About Wine, Wine Basics on Reds, Whites, and Varietals | Two Guys Wine.