Wine - Spain - Glossary Of Label Terms

Front 1

What does the term "añejo" mean on Spanish wine labels?

Back 1

Añejo:

Aged for 12 months in cask or bottle.

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What does the term "blanco" mean on Spanish wine labels?

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Blanco:

White.

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What does the term "bodega" mean on Spanish wine labels?

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Bodega:

Literally a "wine cellar," commonly used as part of the name of a wine firm.

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What does the term "cava" mean on Spanish wine labels?

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Cava:

A sparkling DO wine produced using the traditional method.

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What does the term "clarete" mean on Spanish wine labels?

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Clarete:

Midway between light red and dark rosado, synonymous with "tintillo."

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What does the term "cosecha" mean on Spanish wine labels?

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Cosecha:

Means vintage, and indicates that a minimum of 85% of a wine thus labeled is produced in the year marked.

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What does the term "cosechero" mean on Spanish wine labels?

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Cosechero:

A fresh, fruity, "new" or nouveau style wine, synonymous with "nuevo" and "vino joven," and usually a "vino de mesa."

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What does the term "criado y embotellado por" mean on Spanish wine labels?

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Criado y embotellado por:

Blended and bottled by.

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What does the term "crianza" mean on Spanish wine labels?

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Crianza:

A red "crianza" must be aged for a minimum of 2 years (of which at least 6 months must be in oak); a white or rosado "crianza" requires 1 year of aging (with at least 6 months in oak).

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What does the term "crianza corta" mean on Spanish wine labels?

Back 10

Crianza corta:

Wines that have less than the legal minimum cask-age for any cask-age designation. Synonymous with "sin crianza."

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What does the term "Denominación de Origen (DO)" mean on Spanish wine labels?

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Denominación de Origen (DO):

Wine that originates from a controlled-quality wine region.

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What does the term "Denominación de Origen Calificada (DOCa)" mean on Spanish wine labels?

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Denominación de Origen Calificada (DOCa):

The highest official classification, above "Denominación de Origen."

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What does the term "doble pasta" mean on Spanish wine labels?

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Doble pasta:

This term refers to red wines that have been macerated with double the normal proportion of grape skins to juice during fermentation. Such wines are opaque, with an intense color, and may be sold in the bottle or for blending.

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What does the term "dulce" mean on Spanish wine labels?

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Dulce:

Sweet.

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What does the term "embotellado por" mean on Spanish wine labels?

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Embotellado por:

Bottled by.

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What does the term "espumoso" mean on Spanish wine labels?

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Espumoso:

A sparkling wine made by any method.

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What does the term "generoso" mean on Spanish wine labels?

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Generoso:

A fortified or dessert wine.

Front 18

What does the term "Gran Reserva" mean on Spanish wine labels?

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Gran Reserva:

Red wines must be at least 5 years old, with a minimum of 18 months in oak. White and rosado "gran reservas" must be at least 4 years old, with a minimum of 6 months in oak.

Front 19

What does the term "noble" mean on Spanish wine labels?

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Noble:

Aged for 2 years in cask or bottle.

Front 20

What does the term "nuevo" mean on Spanish wine labels?

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Nuevo:

A fresh, fruity, "new" or nouveau style wine, synonymous with "cosechero" and "vino joven," and usually a "vino de mesa."

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What does the term "reserva" mean on Spanish wine labels?

Back 21

Reserva:

Red wines must be at least 3 years old, with a minimum of 12 months in oak. White and rosado "reservas" must be at least 2 years old, with a minimum of 6 months in oak.

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What does the term "rosado" mean on Spanish wine labels?

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Rosado:

Rosé.

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What does the term "seco" mean on Spanish wine labels?

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Seco:

Dry.

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What does the term "semidulce" mean on Spanish wine labels?

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Semidulce:

Medium-sweet.

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What does the term "sin crianza" mean on Spanish wine labels?

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Sin crianza:

A wine without wood-aging, including all cool-fermented, early-bottled white and most rosado wines. The term "sin crianza" is falling out of use, in favor of "vino joven."

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What does the term "tintillo" mean on Spanish wine labels?

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Tintillo:

Midway between light red and dark rosado, synonymous with "clarete."

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What does the term "tinto" mean on Spanish wine labels?

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Tinto:

Red.

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What does the term "viejo" mean on Spanish wine labels?

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Viejo:

A term that literally means "old." Use of this term was not controlled by law until 2005, since which date such a wine must be aged for at least 3 years.

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What do the terms "viña" or "viñedo" mean on Spanish wine labels?

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Viña, viñedo:

Literally "vineyard," but often merely part of a brand name, and nothing to do with a specific vineyard.

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What does the term "vino comarcal" mean on Spanish wine labels?

Back 30

Vino comarcal:

A regional wine, above "Vino de mesa" and below "Vino de la tierra."

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What does the term "vino de aguja" mean on Spanish wine labels?

Back 31

Vino de aguja:

A semisparkling, or "pétillant," wine.

Front 32

What does the term "vino de calidad con indicación geográfica" mean on Spanish wine labels?

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Vino de calidad con indicación geográfica:

A stepping stone between "Vino de la tierra" and "Denominación de Origen."

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What does the term "vino de la tierra" mean on Spanish wine labels?

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Vino de la tierra:

Literally, "country wine."

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What does the term "vino de mesa" mean on Spanish wine labels?

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Vino de mesa:

Literally "table wine"; likely to be seen on the labels of very ordinary, inexpensive wines.

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What does the term "vino de pasto" mean on Spanish wine labels?

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Vino de pasto:

An ordinary, inexpensive, and often light style of wine.

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What does the term "vino joven" mean on Spanish wine labels?

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Vino hoven:

Wine made to be drunk within the year. There are moves to replace the term "sin crianza" with "vino joven," but while wines in both categories must be without any wood-aging, some "sin crianza" wines are made to age well in bottle, unlike "vino joven."

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What do the terms "Vinum Optimum Rare Signatum," or "Very Old Rare Sherry (VORS)" mean on Spanish wine labels?

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Vinum Optimum Rare Signatum, or Very Old Rare Sherry (VORS):

Minimum age of 30 years.

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What do the terms "Vinum Optimum Signatum," or "Very Old Sherry (VOS)" mean on Spanish wine labels?

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Vinum Optimum Signatum, or Very Old Sherry (VOS):

Minimum age of 20 years.

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What does the term "adega" mean on Spanish wine labels?

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Adega:

Winery

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What does the term "añada" mean on Spanish wine labels?

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Añada:

Wine from a single vintage.

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What does the term "pago" mean on Spanish wine labels?

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Pago:

A wine from a single vineyard, which may or may not be a pago denomination (effectively a single-vineyard DO, which is a sort of "grand cru" appellation).

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What does the term "semiseco" mean on Spanish wine labels?

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Semiseco:

Medium-dry (which is as "dry" as demi-sec in France).

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What does the term "Viñedos de España" mean on Spanish wine labels?

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Viñedos de España:

The equivalent of "Vin de France," this new denomination takes advantage of EU laws that have dispensed with all national forms of "vin de table" (formerly vino de mesa in Spain) and now permit such wines to be labelled with the vintage and grape variety. Various regions have opted out of this new denomination (at the time of writing, these included the Canaries, Balearics, Asturias, and Cantabria), so vino de mesa will be around for the time being at least.

Front 44

What does the term "vino añejo" mean on Spanish wine labels?

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Vino añejo:

A wine that has been aged in oak or in bottle for at least 24 months.

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What does the term "vino de licór" mean on Spanish wine labels?

Back 45

Vino de licór:

A sweet, possibly fortified wine.