American wines must use labels with volume in metric measurements.
Requirements for wine labels were established in the 20th century, as wines became widely available to consumers throughout the world, reports Food Reference. Today, wine labels, on both bottles and barrels, must adhere to strict regulations, depending upon the country of origin and the location in which the wine is sold. In the United States, the regulations for wine labels vary depending on the state in which the wine is sold, but a number of general requirements exist for wine barrel and bottle labeling. Add this to my Recipe Box.
Class
All wine labels must identify the class of wine that the barrel contains. The most common class found on labels is Class 1, which is the definition of a table wine containing no less than 7 percent and no more than 14 percent alcohol by volume, according to Wine Pros. The class-rating system of nine classes includes Class 2 for sparkling wines, Class 7 for apertif wine (no less than 15 percent alcohol by volume) and Class 8 for retsina wine, which is grape table wine fermented with resin. Other classes include citrus wines, fruit wines, wines from other agricultural products and imitation wines.
Quantity
According to U.S. law, all wineries are required to label the quantity of wine using the metric system. All quantities larger than 3 liters, which includes those contained in wine barrels, must also be listed on the barrel label in even liters, such as 7 liters and 8 liters. For tax purposes, U.S. labeling law also requires that the barrel is filled to 1 percent of the labeled amount.
Name and Location
The name and address of all American wineries must be affixed to each wine barrel, reports Wine Pros. While specific labeling requirements for bottles do not apply to barrel labeling, certain words must be affixed to barrel labels, if applicable. The word "Cellared" must appear if the winery cellar treated the wine. The word "Vinted" or "Prepared" should appear if the winery subjected the wine to clarification or barrel aging.
Alcohol Content
Fortified wines, wines that contain more than 14 percent alcohol by volume, must be labeled as such since fortified wine is taxed at a rate of four times higher than those wines under 14 percent alcohol by volume. If a wine is under 14 percent alcohol by volume, the words "table wine" or "light wine" can be printed on barrel labels to indicate a wine ranging from 7 percent to 14 percent alcohol by volume.
Tags: alcohol volume, percent alcohol, percent alcohol volume, than percent, wine labels, table wine