Wine ingredient labeling

As with so much, the devil lurks in the details

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Wine ingredient labeling

The great wine label debate begins. Should wineries list ingredients on their labels?

Writing for wine-searcher.com, W. Blake Gray believes the U.S. should follow a European trend toward listing ingredients on wine labels. “I care about what I put in my body,” Gray asserts.

So do I. But, as with so much, the devil lurks in the details. What ingredients? Simple answer: 85-90% water and 10-15% alcohol. Maybe a tiny splash of sulfite. Done? Well, no.

Blake and others contend water would be listed only if added to the wine, not the water that exists naturally in wine. What about added sugar? Some winemakers add sugar, but that usually is converted into alcohol. What about yeast? With the common practice of filtration, there is no yeast in the bottle.