Is the R on a wine bottle intriguing you? Then you are in the right place. What does the letter R mean on a wine bottle? This is an extremely common question among wine lovers. So, in this article, we are going to decode what this letter means. You will then be able to clearly read this part of the wine capsule. It is not enough to know how to read a wine label, you also have to decode many other elements. You will then look the part during your wine tastings.
What does R mean on a wine bottle?
The R on the wine bottle stands for Récoltant (grower). This letter indicates that the bottler controls the entire value chain of wine production: from harvest to bottling. So, when you see the letter R appear on a wine capsule, you know that the wine was made by the same person. Whether it is the tending of the vine, the harvest, the winemaking or the bottling. The rule is not always borne out, but the presence of the grower marking is often a first indication of the quality of the drink you are going to drink. !The letter R on a wine bottle: grower marking on the capsule
What are the other letters?
There are other letters that indicate the origin of the grapes that gave the wine in the bottle:
- The letter N on a wine bottle stands for Négociant (merchant). It indicates that the bottler bought the wine in bulk and bottled it.
- The letter E stands for Entrepositaire agréé (approved warehouse keeper). In this case, a house buys the wine externally and sells it under its own name.
We will come back in future articles to the meaning of these letters and to the capsules of wine bottles. You will then have all the knowledge to shine at your tastings. If you are a winemaker and you would like to fully understand all these standards, you can head to the DGDDI website.
