Glass of wine next to wine bottles.

What It Means When A Wine Bottle Is Labeled 'Reserve'

NEWS

By TIM FORSTER
Bottles of wine on store shelves.
If you’ve ever come across a wine bottle with the label “reserve,” “reserva,” or “riserva” and assumed the wine is of higher quality, you’re right, but that’s not the whole story.
A bottle of Kendall-Jackson Vintner's Reserve Chardonnay.
The “reserve” marker comes from Europe and was used to designate wines that were likely to age well, often having been made during top-quality years for grapes.
Bottles of wine in wooden boxes.
The idea was that the wine would be reserved for aging and sold later, which would yield a spirit with a higher alcohol percentage, more tannins, and a complex, nuanced flavor.
Hands holding a bottle of wine.
However, in some countries, like Australia, no particular meaning is tied to the word. “Reserve” can be slapped on any bottle as a marketing ploy to bump up the price tag.
Winemaker next to oak barrels in a cellar.
On the other hand, in countries like Spain, as a rule, “reserva” red wines must be aged for three years, with at least a year of that happening in oak barrels.
Bottles of red wine.
Still, there’s no guarantee that wines with these labels are good quality since it’s possible to make a wine with lousy grapes and age it enough to earn the “reserve” label.
Bottles of Vina Ardanza Rioja Reserva.
In countries like Australia, the U.S., and France, “reserve” has no legal meaning, but in countries like Spain, Italy, and Portugal, you can trust the label, thanks to their rules.