“Ingredients: wine grapes & potassium metabisulfite.” These aren’t words we often see on a wine label. Might wine ingredient labeling be a good idea?
We’ve become so used to ingredient and nutrition labeling on food in the U.S. that we hardly even notice them anymore..But labeling isn’t required on wine, beer, or liquor labels, and the drinks industry apparently prefers it that way.
As I wrote in the March 15, 2019, Wine Advisor, wineries and trade organizations generally opposed labeling requirements for fear that consumers would be put off by discovering some of the less appetizing trace elements that might be in our wine.from eggshells or fish bladders, historically used to clarify wine, to modern ingredients like Mega Purple,used to impart a deeper, darker color. Not to mention oak chips or the much-feared sulfites.
Optional ingredient labeling on a Ridge Pagani Zinfandel label.
Wine producers and lobby groups argued that yeast, wood, and unappetizing filtering and fining material don’t remain in the finished wine in which there’s nothing left ibut fermented grape juice and a tiny amount of sulfites that preserve the wine and keep it from spoiling.
In 2018, though, a consortium of nonprofit pressure groups including the Center for Science in the Public Interest, the Consumer Federation of America, and the National Consumers League, called for a new proposal for wine labeling. “Consumers of alcoholic beverages deserve the clear, consistent labeling that has long been available to other beverages,” the organizations argued.
The push for nutrition labeling apparently fizzled, though, and today only a handful of producers offer this ingredient information in optional formats like the information I noticed on the label of this week’s featured wine, Field Recordings 2023 Santa Barbara County Super Gnario.
A few other producers offer more detail, thanks to a 2013 federal rule that allowed optional nutrient labeling on alcoholic beverage labels and advertising. The new rule permits, in its words, “Truthful, accurate, and specific voluntary statements about nutrient content, including calorie and carbohydrate content, in the labeling and advertising of wines, distilled spirits, and malt beverages.”
The broader issue of required nutrient labeling remains alive- though. TTB has proposed a rule that would require ingredient labeling for the specific purpose of alerting consumers to possible allergens in wine, spirits, and malt beverages. If it goes forward, producers would be required to comply within five years after a final rule is published in the Federal Register.
Required nutrition and ingredient labeling may still be on the horizon. “Nutrition and Ingredient Labeling for U.S. Wine is Coming,” headlined a article by Michael S. Lasky in Wine Business Monthly on March 1, 2024. “While it may take some time, wineries should be aware of potential new legislation.”
Lasky pointed out that historically, when the European Union creates wine protocols, the United States eventually mirrors those rules because of the importance of international trade. The EU has mandated that all wine produced after Dec. 8, 2023, must include energy (similar to “calories” ) information on its packaging, with off-label fat, carbohydrates, protein, and salt information.
What’s your take on ingredient labeling? Whether you’re in the industry or a consumer, are you in favor of having this information on the wine bottle? Join the conversation on Substack Chat!
Now, as for the oddly named, ingredient-labeled, and quite delicious Field Recordings 2023 Super Gnario: Since I buy all the wines I review at retail and do not accept wine samples or other gratuities from the industry, I count on the support of paid subscribers to help cover the cost of the wines I review. So, I have to reserve wines over about $20 behind a subscription paywall. If you haven’t become a full subscriber yet, I’d love to have your support. Click here for information on our paid-tier edition. Our free-to-all edition featuring a quality wine for $20 or less will return in its biweekly cycle next week.
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Today’s Tasting Report
Field Recordings 2023 Santa Barbara County Super Gnario ($23.99)
Ruby in color, clear but dark, Field Recordings 2023 Super Gnario is a California-grown blend of 70% Nebbiolo and 30% Barbera. It offers an appealing mix of aromas: blackberries and strawberries and elusive whiffs of fresh herbs and wildflowers, with a light touch of saddle leather and spicy French oak in the background. Dry and well-balanced acidity frames mixed-berry fruit, with soft tannins appearing in the long finish. 13.9% alcohol imparts a touch of heat; a light chill might serve this one well on hot summer evenings. (June 3, 2025)
FOOD MATCH: It’s a natural partner for steaks and chops from the grill or hearty plant-based fare.
WHEN TO DRINK: There’s no need to wait for this wine, but I wouldn’t worry about keeping it in a temperature-controlled cellar through the late 2020s.
VALUE:
This excellent Central California take on a traditional Northwestern Italian blend is more than fairly priced at Wine-Searcher.com’s $23 average U.S. retail, my $24 local price, and the $25 toll at the winery.
WEB LINK:
Here’s the winery fact sheet on Field Recordings 2023 Gnario. Follow this link to read more about Field Recordings and its wines.
FIND THIS WINE ONLINE:
Check prices and find vendors for Field Recordings 2023 Super Gnario on Wine-Searcher.com.
Read about Santa Barbara’s Happy Canyon wine region at this Wine-Searcher link.
Click this Wine-Searcher link to browse wines, vendors, and prices for Field Recordings wines.
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Good wines we’ve tried under $10.99!
Want tips to still more good, inexpensive wines? Here are Wine-Searcher links to vendors and prices for a bunch more wines for $10.99 or less that I’ve told you about in recent years. In some cases, the prices may have risen over the $10.99 mark since I reviewed them, but they should still be excellent bargains. Please tell us about your favorites!
- Casal Garcia “Alegria” Vinho Tinto ($9.99)
- Boutinot Cuvée Jean-Paul Rouge ($7.99)
- Santa Cristina Toscana ($7.99)
- Santa Marina Toscana Rosso ($7.99)
- Famille Perrin Ventoux La Vielle Ferme ($8.99)
- Boutinot “Uva Non Grata” Vin de France Gamay ($9.99)
- Laroque Cité de Carcassonne ($10.99)
- Famille Perrin 2019 “La Vielle Ferme” Rouge ($7.99)
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