This California red wine provides a short, sweet lesson in wine-labeling - The Philadelphia Inquirer

With Presidents’ Day around the corner, why not celebrate with a richly textured red blend dedicated to the memory of “Honest Abe” Lincoln?

Honesty is a core value on which all wine labels in the U.S. must be judged before being offered for sale. Wine labels are regulated by a branch of the U.S. Treasury called the Alcohol and Tobacco Tax and Trade Bureau, or TTB, which mandates which wine label statements are mandatory (such as region of grape origin and alcohol content), which are permissible (such as grape varietal and vintage year), and which are forbidden (such as statements deemed false, disparaging, or indecent).

However, not every statement needs to be 100% accurate to be considered true enough to print on a wine label. For example, when a wine is labeled as a chardonnay or cabernet sauvignon, this does not mean that 100% of the grapes used to make the wine must be of that variety. The TTB mandates that it should contain at least 75% of the named grape. This same 75% threshold applies to the accuracy of region of origin designations, like California or Sonoma County. The TTB does raise the bar for wines that aspire to greatness, though. A higher 85% minimum standard applies to grape and region statements on any wine that names a regulated American Viticultural Area, like Napa Valley, as its source.

Which brings us back to this dense, dark, and rich California red blend honoring the legacy of Abraham Lincoln. Many vintners choose to label wines as blends and use umbrella appellations like North Coast to disguise their grape and vineyard sources. However, this “Honest” red blend stays true to its namesake by telling you upfront that it is a blend of merlot, zinfandel, and cabernet sauvignon and that these grapes come from Mendocino, Napa, and Sonoma counties. With an extra day off to enjoy this weekend, you may have more time to savor its plush flavors of black plums, dark chocolate, and black cherry cobbler, and to appreciate the all-American honesty of its label.