Table Wine Classification in Europe
Have you ever been invited in a formal dinner in a restaurant? Have you been invited in a neighbor's home for a special occasion? As you sit down on the table, the host or a waiter may pour some wine in the wine glass that is placed on your table. In fact, this wine is served before the food.
This is called table wine. A table wine is a light wine that has very low alcohol content, usually around 14% in the
US. Here, the term "table wine" is used to acknowledge standard wine from other wines with more alcohol level..
In the European Union, table wines have 8.5% to 14% alcohol content. If a wine has more than 14% alcohol or if it has bubbles, it is considered a light wine or table wine. Also, table wine in the European Union is considered the lowest quality of wine class. In fact, it is not qualified as an appellation. It is not even designated with a regional designation.
In France and Luxembourg, table wine is called vin de table. This is almost the same as Spain's vino de mesa, Romania's vin de masa, Portugal's vinho de mesa, Italy's vino da tavola, Greece's epitrapezios oinos and Germany's Deutscher Tafelwein.
In these European countries, the labels of table wines do not include information such as its region of production, vintage date or the variety of grape that is used.
Also in Europe, wines that have very fine taste can be classified as a simple table wine if the grapes that are used are not know or non-traditional. The same statement holds true if the wines are made using a non-traditional wine making process. Even carefully produced wines that are produced in a region that does not hold a name for prestigious appellation are considered table wine.
Some examples of these excellent table wines are the Super Tuscans fermented from grapes that are not indigenous to Italy.
Then in 1992, Italy created the Indicazione Geografica Tipica or IGT wine classification. This classification is made to elevate the Super Tuscans from table wine to quality wine. But even with this classification, wine producers often ignore the status of these upgraded table wines.
Under the French wine classification, table wine is the fourth and lowest ranked wine Table wines are quite cheap. They serve as an accompanying drink with food or used to make party cocktails.
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