The capsule on a wine bottle is full of stories and interesting details. Every bottle in your wine cellar has one. Yet most of the time we remove it without thinking. The capsule is a required element on a wine bottle, and it can hold some particularly useful information. Let’s dig into the details together-you’ll never look at them the same way again.

Where do the capsules on wine bottles come from?

Fun fact: until the mid-19th century, wax-and sometimes even tar-was used to seal wine bottles. The very first metal capsule was invented by André Georges Dupré in 1833.
You’ll find capsules on our wine bottles. They’re called Capsules-congés, more commonly CRD capsules (“Capsules Représentatives des Droits”).
They prove that the producer of this bottle has paid the alcohol duties (i.e., taxes) to the DGDDI (Direction Générale des Douanes et Droits Indirects), France’s General Directorate of Customs and Indirect Duties. The “Marianne” emblem certifying duties paid was created in 1960.
Beyond that stamp showing the producer has paid their taxes, the capsule also carries other useful information.

What you can read on a wine bottle capsule

First, you’ll see the bottle’s capacity on the capsule (in the video, 75 centiliters).

Next, just before the letter, you’ll find the number of the département (county) where the wine was bottled.

Immediately after the letter comes the administrative registration number of the company that bottled the wine-which isn’t particularly useful to consumers.

And finally, there’s a letter that tells you a lot about how the wine was bottled:

  • R for Récoltant (Estate/Grower): the bottler carried out every stage (harvest, winemaking, bottling).
  • N for Négociant (Merchant): the bottler is not the one who harvested the grapes.
  • E for Entrepositaire (Warehouse Holder). You’ll see this when a merchant house (a cooperative winery, for example) or a major brand buys grapes or wine from outside and sells it under its own name.

Now you know what the R on a wine bottle or the N on a wine bottle means.

The color of a CRD capsule

The capsule color also gives you information about the wine. You’ll see different colors:

  • Blue capsule: indicates table wine or country wine (vin de pays);
  • Green capsule: indicates a wine with a protected or controlled designation of origin (AOC/AOP);
  • Red capsule: replaces the green or blue, except for Champagne, which must use a green capsule;
  • Orange capsule: reserved for vins doux naturels (naturally sweet wines).

There are many other CRD capsule colors for other spirits, such as rum, Cognac, and various liqueurs.

How to remove a wine bottle capsule

Finally, you’ll need to remove the capsule to enjoy the wine. There are two schools to do it: those who cut the capsule above the ring and those who cut it below the ring.

So which method is best? Honestly, there isn’t one-and it doesn’t matter much. What matters is that the wine doesn’t touch the metal part, to avoid residue and any impact on its taste.

Personally, I prefer cutting just below the ring-I find it more attractive-but that’s a minor detail and clearly not the most important. On the other hand, don’t forget to choose the right wineglass (Zalto glasses are a safe bet).

Conclusion

There you have it-you now know all about the capsules on wine bottles. I hope this helps when you’re buying your bottles or opening them in good company.