Cheers to Clarity: Ingredient Labels to Be Introduced on Wine Bottles

Ever wondered what’s inside a bottle of wine? Obviously grapes, but what else? Sure, it’s wine, not some flavored vodka beverage.

But let’s think broader—beyond the grapes to over 60 additives that are legally permitted in wine. These include gum arabic from acacia tree sap, albumen from egg whites, isinglass from fish bladders, and even polyvinylpolypyrrolidone, a type of industrial glue. Think of that the next time you see the words “special blend”.

One might argue it would be practical to have an ingredients list on wine labels, right? Yet, when I discussed the idea of mandatory ingredient and nutrition labels on wine bottles back in the early 2000s, a leading figure in a prominent wine trade organization dismissed it as unnecessary and confusing for consumers, who purportedly didn’t even want such information. A significant U.S. wine critic also mentioned, “Most wine drinkers aren’t intelligent enough to understand what all of that means.”

With such resistance, it’s little surprise that nearly two decades later, despite continued efforts by federal regulators, wine still lacks a mandatory fact box that would detail calories, fat content, and a list of ingredients. For context, consider that during this time, we’ve seen the election of the first African American U.S. president, the widespread adoption of doorbells with cameras, and the Chicago Cubs winning their first World Series in over a century. Yet, straightforward nutritional and ingredient labeling for wine remains elusive.

“For over two decades, I’ve doubted whether my push for detailed ingredient labels would ever yield results,” shares Randall Grahm, a pioneering winemaker from California who has long championed this cause. “The lack of enthusiasm within the wine sector definitely makes our efforts more complicated.”

However, this year marked a pivotal change. Regulatory bodies have reintroduced the idea of mandatory labels, and, surprisingly, the industry isn’t pushing back as before. Why the sudden shift? A decline in wine sales and interest, especially among non-baby boomers, along with an abundance of unsold grapes, might be influencing factors. Perhaps now is the opportune moment for label transparency. The consensus seems to be that transparency could alleviate some economic strain.

Frankly, it’s about time. Informing consumers about what goes into their wine is undoubtedly beneficial. It’s regrettable that it took so long to reach this conclusion.

The Tax and Trade Bureau (TTB) of the U.S. Treasury Department, which has jurisdiction over alcohol regulation instead of the Food and Drug Administration due to the nature of the product, first floated the idea of mandatory ingredient labeling for wines back in 2003. According to Michael Kaiser of Wine America, the proposal aimed to standardize labeling for wines, beers, and spirits similar to what has been established for food products like ketchup and cream-of-mushroom soup, though precise details from that period are hazy.

Was this request particularly unreasonable? According to Jamie Mok, a national spokesperson for the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics, not really. “From a dietitian’s perspective,” she mentions, “the goal is to enlighten and raise awareness about what individuals are eating so that they can make informed decisions regarding their health.” This might include key information like sugar content for diabetic individuals and potential hidden allergens such as eggs and nuts.

However, considering the backlash in 2003 (34 pages of comments!), one might assume the TTB was attempting to reintroduce Prohibition. A notable resistance came from the Wine Institute, which argued that nutritional labeling doesn’t effectively address health issues. According to them, despite the introduction of nutritional labels in the 1990s, American obesity rates have only risen. They suggested this was akin to discarding the good with the bad, urging the government to seek “reasonable alternatives.”

Grahm, on the other hand, has consistently believed that the usage of reasonable mainly refers to corners cut in winemaking rather than genuine concerns. “If winemakers were obligated to disclose everything used in wine production, they would think twice about their ingredients,” he notes. “This would likely lead to an enhancement in the overall quality of wine in the industry, resulting in more distinctive and higher quality wines.”

Another counter-argument was the challenge of so-called label clutter. With back labels already packed with a UPC barcode and indulgent marketing text, how could there possibly be space for ingredient facts and lists? Indeed, the industry argued that whimsical wine descriptions—like “notes of gooseberry and lychee nuts”—were deemed more significant than transparent nutritional information.

My preferred strategy? Because wine is for enjoyment, it should not require labels! These words reflect a perspective from a 2014 piece by a pair of lawyers in a trade publication that has since ceased. This notion was part of the “Wine Is Art” debate, positing that wine, unlike other consumer products, should be exempt from certain regulations. To echo a 2019 study, the initial reaction of consumers was insecurity and confusion over ingredient lists, which diminished their view of wine as a natural product.

To give credit where due, the wine industry did have some valid points of concern. There was uncertainty about how the TTB would manage label regulations for imported wines, which make up roughly 40 percent of U.S. wine sales. More critical was the potential economic impact on the approximately 11,000 small wineries in the country. Unlike canned soup, wine nutrition labels could require annual updates with each new vintage. While feasible financially for the largest 100 wineries representing 90 percent of U.S. wine production, smaller producers, bottling merely 500 to 1,000 cases annually, might incur significant costs if forced to update labels each year.

Also significant were the reservations from the beer and spirits sectors, particularly craft beer manufacturers. These producers resisted nutritional listings mainly because their highly hoppy beers could contain up to one-third to half more calories. Furthermore, they contested the TTB’s method for calculating serving sizes—products with higher alcohol content would have smaller designated serving sizes. Most beers hold about 5 percent alcohol, but craft beers might contain double or triple that amount. Craft beer makers were opposed to a label suggesting a bottle of their 9 percent beer constituted two servings, in contrast to a single-serving label on a similarly sized bottle of mainstream beer.

Thus, the proposal remained just that… until 2016.

When the TTB introduced an optional labeling rule, it was quickly embraced by several large beer and spirit companies, though nearly all wine producers chose to overlook it. Kaiser, representing the Wine America trade group, dubbed the issue resolved, allowing those interested in utilizing labels to do so while others could maintain their usual practices. Meanwhile, Grahm perceived this as a halt to mandatory labeling efforts.

However, this development was merely a prelude to further actions. In the ensuing years, various incidents compelled the TTB to reconsider its stance, supported by the two predominant wine trade associations.

In 2022, three consumer advocacy organizations, including the Center for Science in the Public Interest, initiated a lawsuit against the Treasury Department, demanding enforcement of a proposal dating back to the early 2000s to mandate alcohol labeling. The lawsuit’s feasibility received mixed reviews from legal experts, but it highlighted a broader consumer demand for such labels, according to Kaiser. He asserted, “All the market research shows consumers want this. We just have to find a way to do it so that adding the labels won’t financially impact the industry.”

The European Union offers a model, having mandated ingredient and nutritional information labels by the end of 2023, a requirement that extends to U.S. wines sold within its jurisdiction. To alleviate financial strain on smaller wineries, the EU adopted a UPC code system. This allows wineries to adjust the label details online rather than altering the physical labels each year, simplifying the process to a few digital updates without the need for new prints.

But perhaps the most important event is the 2-year-old—and still-going-strong—wine slump and what appears to be little enthusiasm among younger cohorts for red, white, or anything else. Mok says those younger consumers prefer ingredient transparency, especially for things like added sugar and nonvegetarian ingredients. Not surprisingly, two urban myths have emerged in the past decade or so, directly related to the lack of labels: that wine is full of added sugar, when, in fact, most of the sugar disappears during fermentation; and that wine uses animal products for filtering, when almost all wine is filtered through a gravel-like product called bentonite.

So where are we today? How soon can you expect to see a proper label on your favorite bottle? The TTB has outlined a process to first add fact boxes and allergen warnings, followed by ingredient labels. It includes a period for public comment as well as what are called listening sessions, during which TTB staff can talk to producers about the proposal. The timeline is vague, says Kaiser—maybe by the end of 2025, maybe longer. And it could also change depending on the results of the presidential election in November; a GOP victory could further slow the process.

For those of us who have been waiting two decades for labels, this isn’t the best news. But a process is more than we’ve had, and as long as we keep the process moving, we can get the change we want—and that the wine business needs. Just think: In a few years, you might be able to gaze into your evening glass and fully appreciate what’s in there—lovingly harvested grapes, fish bladder derivatives, and so much more besides.

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About the Author: Chris Lehoux

Meet Chris Lehoux, an experienced wine connoisseur and dedicated blogger with a deep passion for all things wine-related. With years of expertise in the industry, Chris shares insightful wine reviews, valuable wine tasting tips, expert pairing advice, and captivating tales of vineyard visits. Join Chris on a journey through the world of wine, where every sip is an adventure waiting to be savored!