What Does it Mean When a Wine Says "Reserve" on the Label?

Don't let one word convince you to splurge on a bottle before you've done a little extra research.

It’s one of the most vexing and widely asked questions in the world of wine: If the label says “reserve,” is the liquid inside actually better? And does that liquid actually justify the usually higher cost?

Many of the classic wine-producing countries of Europe make determining the answer to this question easy, mainly because of the range of specific and highly detailed rules and regulations regarding use of the word “reserve” — or reserva and riserva — in Spain and Italy, for example.

In Rioja, red wines labeled Reserva must be aged for a minimum of three years, including at least one in oak, before hitting the market. Gran Reserva wines are aged for at least five years prior to hitting shelves, two of which, at a minimum, have to be in oak.

Wines from Tuscany’s Chianti region may be labeled as either Chianti Classico or Chianti Classico Riserva, the latter of which indicates that they’ve been aged for at least two years in barrels and then another three months in bottle before being sold. Chianti Classico can also be labeled as Gran Selezione, which tells you that it’s entirely estate-grown fruit that’s been aged for 30 months in oak, and has also passed muster with a group of tasters who determine whether it’s worthy of the label.

Related: 15 Rules for Great Food and Wine Pairing

It’s all a bit confusing, of course, but at least there are specific rules that need to be followed. On this side of the Atlantic, and in many other parts of the so-called New World of wine, that’s not the case — which is where the confusion often results.

For many larger brands, the determining factor is grape sourcing; it’s not uncommon to find a producer that offers a California Cabernet Sauvignon alongside a “reserve” Cab that’s labeled as having come from a more specific part of the state, like Paso Robles or North Coast, as is the case with Josh Cellars. It’s also not uncommon to find that reserve-labeled wines have seen more time in oak barrels, or are made in a more concentrated style.

There are others that bring another set of variables to the reserve equation. Taylor Family Vineyards, for example, a top producer in Napa Valley’s Stags Leap District, released a 2019 Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon and a Stags Leap District Estate Reserve Cab from the same vintage.

What sets these two examples apart? “Our use of the [word] ‘reserve’ on our label originated with our Estate Cabernet,” Sandy Taylor, president of her family’s estate (and the sixth generation of it in Napa Valley), explained in an email, “primarily to denote the specific source of the fruit within our SLD vineyard. When we established our brand back in 2002, it quickly became evident that our hillside grapes needed a clear distinction from those grown in deeper soils. The hillside vines face considerable challenges, thriving in rocky soils that yield only a limited number of clusters and very small berries. Both our winemaker, Gustavo Brambila, and ourselves firmly believe that where the fruit is situated within the vineyard makes a significant difference.”

“The Napa Valley Cabernet…represents the archetypal Napa Cabernet, typically cultivated on the valley floor,” she added. “It's intended to possess a pleasing tannin structure, a robust body, a rich mouthfeel, and a slightly more fruit-forward profile compared to our single-vineyard AVA Cabernets, such as our Diamond Mountain and Atlas Peak Cabernet. Typically, there is no Stags Leap District Cabernet in our Napa Cabernet blend.” That estate fruit stands on its own in the Reserve.

Simon Family Estate, another fantastic producer in Napa Valley, uses a somewhat different calculus to determine their use of the word “reserve.” Their 2019 Estate Cab, for example, is based on fruit from the appellations of St. Helena, Oakville, and Coombsville. The wine is aged in 70% new French oak for 18 months, and is intended to be enjoyed both in its youth while also having the potential to age. Their 2019 Reserve Cab, on the other hand, leans more heavily on St. Helena and Oakville, sees 21 months in 100% new French oak, and is built to age for the long-haul.

There are other brands that use the term “reserve” more or less as a marketing strategy, with little difference in terms of the flavor and aroma of the wine itself. So how are you to know which is which, and whether any of them are worth an extra outlay of money?

The key to differentiating between reserve and non-reserve wines is to know the rules that dictate the use of the term where the wine is being grown and made (if you’re talking about Europe) or how the individual producer is defining it if you’re dealing with wines from much of the so-called New World (the United States, Australia, etc.).

Not all reserve wines are the same; some of them are little more than attempts to extract a bit more money from the consumer. Others, like the unique Gran Selezione bottlings from Barone Ricasoli, or the reserve Cabs from Taylor Family Vineyards and Simon Family Estate, respectively, offer the fascinating (and delicious) opportunity to explore geological and geographical differences from one particular place to another, or how different winemaking or aging techniques impact it all. In those cases, the spend is worth it.

Just don’t assume that “reserve” translates to “better,” because it doesn’t necessarily. I love the non-reserve Cabs and standard Chianti Classico bottlings from the producers mentioned above, as well; they are not inferior in any way. All of them have a place in any collection or at the table, and all of them have something to teach us. No matter what the label says.

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