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French wine labels are a language of their own. Here are a few key
terms to help you understand what you are reading:
HOW TO READ A FRENCH WINE LABEL
CHÂTEAU MARGAUX The name of the estate
where the wine is produced.
GRAND VIN Translates to "great wine." Used
by estates to denote their best wine, though
the term is not government‑regulated and is
often overused.
MIS EN BOUTEILLE AU CHÂTEAU Indicates
the wine was bottled on the estate—directly
from vine to bottle without leaving
the property.
1978 The vintage year or the year the wine was
made. This may differ from the bottling year,
as many fine wines age in oak casks
before bottling.
PREMIER GRAND CRU CLASSÉ Translates
to "First Great Classified Growth." This
indication means that Château Margaux
is in the highest tier of a classification of
58 Bordeaux château—a classification
system created for Napoleon III in 1855.
APPELLATION MARGAUX CONTRÔLÉE Refers
to the AOC (Appellation d'Origine Contrôlée),
the government‑designated area of origin.
Margaux is both the name of the estate and
the AOC.
