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+--- Thread: What is this? (/thread-18757.html)
- Oregonia - 01-11-2002
I am finding my self examining the wine shelves at the various stores that I encounter and I keep seeing bottles of "Table Wine". They are mostly red. I've picked up a few to read the label, but it just says that it is from Italy and was bottled for various "names". What is table wine?
Just curious.
Thanks!
- Innkeeper - 01-11-2002
In America table wine is unfortified wine with between 7 and 15% alcohol. Some wine that falls within this definition made with late harvest or similar grapes that turns out very sweet wines are called dessert wines.
- barnesy - 01-11-2002
IK has given you the American definition of an American table wine.
If you are looking at an Italian bottle it means several things. Vino da tavola (table wine) is the lowest rung on the Italian legal classification system. It can mean its a wine using non conforming grape varietals, vinification methods, or any number of other reasons. The Italian system is crafted to formalize traditional styles, not quality. A vino da tavola may be higher in quality than a DOCG wine, but it doesn't conform with the system to get a higher ranking. Vino da tavola wines can not carry a vintage or a location other than Italy. In some cases ( I have one in my cooler) it just may so be incredibly small in production that they haven't bottered applying for any higher legal classification. I have a vino da tavola that is a wonderful white that is only produced by two wineries in the entire world. Most of its clientel is probably local and so they don't need to worry about getting a legal classification.
It isn't a quality issue, although it often is. This is pretty much how the French table wine system works as well.
Barnesy