Names and labels help us identify and communicate beauty, value and authenticity. Consumers rely on common definitions of certain words and phrases when it comes to making purchases. We share a common language, so understanding labels should be easy, right?

Unfortunately for the wine consumer, a rose by any other name might not really be a rose at all. Although the wine industry is heavily regulated as to what can and cannot be put on a label (by the Department of Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms and the Federal Alcohol Administrations Act) the average person does not know or understand the subtle nuances that can easily mislead.

A good place to start is where do the grapes come from? In the United States there are two basic groups of geographical designations for wine-growing areas. The most basic one is an "American appellation of origin." This fairly generic term includes the entire United States, a particular state, or small group of states or, a specific county. To qualify to use an American appellation on your wine label, at least 75 percent of the grapes used for that wine come from that area. We often see a county designation such as "Napa County" or "Sonoma County." Here the consumer might reasonably assume that the wine is from one of the small districts of Napa or Sonoma, world-renowned for their special wines; however, this is not necessarily the case. Using a county designation is still very generic because the grapes can come from any section of the county and, in the case of Napa and Sonoma, the county is a pretty big physical area.

The second level of designation is an "American Viticultural Appellation," or simply AVA. An AVA is very special and it takes a lot of hard work and time to be awarded this for a grape-growing area. The ATF grants new AVAs infrequently and does so because there is a persuasive argument that a region shares common properties like soil, climate, elevation and physical features that have a unique impact on the wine produced in that area. This tough process is meant to protect consumers; if you buy a wine that has a Russian River Valley designation, you have the right to expect a level of quality and a certain type of style.

Less than 200 AVAs have been designated in the United States and more than half of them have been awarded to California. When an AVA is listed as the place of origin, the wine must contain at least 85 percent grapes from that specific region. If a wine is made up from grapes of several regions or counties, the percentage from each area must be listed.

And it doesn't get easier from there. Question: When is a Cabernet not a Cabernet? Answer: When 25 percent of it is made up from other varietals.

In the state of California, if the wine varietal listed on the label is made up of 75 percent or more of the contents, the winery is not required to reveal to the buyer what makes up the balance. It is quite common for wines to be blended; in fact, very few wines are 100 percent of a particular varietal or grape type.

So, up to 25 percent of the wine can come from the who-knows-where region and 25 percent of the wine can be made up of who-knows-what varietal. What about "vintage year"?

Vintage year is strictly defined as the calendar year the grapes were harvested, but the wine in the bottle can have up to 5 percent of other vintages blended in.

There is also a very special designation that is often overlooked by consumers--"Estate Bottled." With this descriptor the winery is authenticating that 100 percent of the grapes came from winery-owned vineyards in a specific AVA and that the wine, from crush to bottle to aging, never left the premise until it makes its way into the marketplace. "Estate Bottled" is the strictest label we have in California.

With so much legal definition out there for wine labels, what about words or phrases such as "Reserve," "Old Vines," "Limited," "Special Selection," and the like? For marketing terms like these it is up to the winery to define them as they see fit. There are no shared legal definitions.

My advice to wine consumers has always been and remains that you should make your purchasing decisions based on your taste and preferences, not on the label or critics opinions. Still, it is important to be able to decipher and understand what the wine label is telling us. I have high regard for wineries that give consumers all the basic information on the back label, spelled out in plain language without marketing trickery or misleading terms. A smart buyer can use this information to make an informed purchase.

A rose is always a rose, beautiful and serene; whether it's hand-picked in the yard for free, or imported from Ecuador at $80 a dozen, each rose communicates a loving thought from the giver. However, roses, like wines, have varying market prices and a savvy buyer will beware of marketing fluff, get their monies worth and have enough left over for chocolate.

Cara Finn is the owner of The Grapevine, a fine wine and cheese store and tasting bar. She can be reached at 408.293.7574 or at info@grapevine-wg.com.

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