Table wine

Table wine(rarely abbreviated TW) is awine termwith two different meanings: a style ofwineand a quality level withinwine classification.

In theUnited States,the term primarily designates a wine style: an ordinary wine which is notfortifiedor expensive and is not usuallysparkling.

In theEuropean Union wine regulations,the term is the lower of two overall quality categories, the higher of which isquality wines produced in specified regions(QWPSR). All levels of national wine classification systems within the EU correspond to either TW or QWPSR, although the terms that actually appear onwine labelsare defined by nationalwine lawswith the EU regulations as a framework.

Most EU countries have a national classification calledtable winein the country's official language. Examples includevin de tableinFrance,vino da tavolaor sometimesvino da pasto(pastomeaningmeal) inItaly,vino de mesainSpain,vinho de mesainPortugal,TafelweininGermany,andεπιτραπέζιος οίνος(epitrapézios oínos) inGreece.These classifications generally represent the lowest level of classification in their country.

United States

TheAlcohol and Tobacco Tax and Trade BureauandCode of Federal Regulationsdefine table wine asgrapewine having a maximum alcoholic content of 14 percentalcohol by volume.Wines between 14% and 24% ABV are known asdessert wines.Table wine may also be designated using terms such as light wine, light white wine, red table wine, sweet table wine, etc.

European Union

European Unionguidelines stipulate that all wine produced must fall into one of two categories:table wineor the superiorquality wines produced in specified regions(often referred to asquality wine psr).Within the category of table wines, a difference is made between "plain" table wines, which are only allowed to display the country of origin, andtable wines with geographical indication,which may indicate a region of origin and are a form ofprotected geographical indication(PGI) applied to wine.

For the lowestvin de tablelevel in France, the producers must use postal codes to prevent the name of an appellation from appearing even in fine print on the label or its vintage date (though "lot numbers" which can bear a striking resemblance to dates are permitted). The new appellationvin de Francepermits a vintage date.

List of national table wine designations

The following national levels of wine classification correspond to table wines and table wines with geographical indication.

Country	Table wines with geographical indication	Other table wines
Austria	Landwein
Belgium	Landwijn (Dutch), Vin de pays (French)
Brazil		Vinho de Mesa, "Table Wine"
Bulgaria	Pегионално вино (Regionalno vino), "Regional wine"
Cyprus	Τοπικός Οίνος (Topikós Oínos), "Regional wine"
Czech Republic	Zemské víno, "Country wine"	Stolní víno, "Table Wine"
Denmark	Regional vin, "Regional wine"
France	Vin de pays,"Country wine";Vin de France(new category from 2010)
Germany	Landwein, "Regional wine"
Greece	ονομασία κατά παράδοση (onomasía katá parádosi), "Traditional appellation"; τοπικός οίνος (topikós oínos), "Country wine"
Hungary	Tájbor, "Country wine"
Italy	Indicazione geografica tipica(IGT), may in some areas also be written in German asLandweinor in French asVin de pays
Luxembourg	Marque Nationale-Appellation Contrôlée,"National Brand - Controlled Appellation"
Malta	Indikazzjoni Ġeografika Tipika(I.G.T.)
Netherlands	Landwijn, "Regional wine"
North Macedonia	Регионално вино, Verë rajonale, "Regional wine"	Трпезно вино, Verë tryeze, "Table wine"
Portugal	Vinho regional,"Regional wine"
Romania	Vin cu indicație geografică,"Wine with Geographical Indication"
Russia		Столовое вино (Stolovoye vino), "Table Wine"
Serbia	Регионално вино (Regionalno vino), "Regional wine"	Стоно вино (Stono vino), "Table Wine"
Slovenia	Deželno vino spriznano geografsko oznako(Deželno vino PGO), "Regional wine - Recognized Geographical Indication"
Spain	Vino de la tierra,"Regional wine"
United Kingdom	Regional wine

Distribution

The fraction of national production classified as table wine varies dramatically from country to country. As of 2000, in France, a majority (by volume) of wine isvin de table,while in Germany only 5% isdeutscher Tafelwein.Table wine from anywhere in the EU can be blended together to produce European table wine.

European table wines are generally made from the highest-yielding sites andvinifiedin an industrial manner. In the 1950s, when per capita consumption of wine was much higher, there was a need for vast quantities of cheap wine, but now much of it goes into the European Union's troublesome "wine lake".Even today it is possible in France or Spain to purchase a litre of thin, pale wine, packaged in a box rather than a bottle, for the equivalent of a couple of U.S. dollars.

Naming contradictions

In contradiction to the presumed order, exceptional table wines are uncommon in Europe, but do exist. Ambitious wine-making outcomes may be classified as mere "table wine" if they are made from non-traditionalgrapesor with unconventionalwine makingprocesses. Even wines made with every measure of care (such as low vine yields and hand harvesting) and grown on sites otherwise entitled to a prestigious appellation may be denied status.

The best-known examples are the wines calledSuper Tuscans,which are made either with more than allowed quantities ofinternational varieties(grapes not indigenous to Italy such asMerlotorCabernet Sauvignon) or without the once mandated inclusion of small proportions ofCanaiolo,MalvasiaandTrebbianoper the relevant Tuscan appellation (i.e. Montevertine's Pergole Torte).

In 1992, Italy created theIndicazione geografica tipica(IGT) specifically to permit Super Tuscans to leave the table wine classification and become quality wine. Still, wherever legitimacy in a given appellation is stipulated by something more than a geographic boundary, one may find producers willing to ignore limitations in pursuit of extreme quality.

In common usagevin de tableis the fourth and lowest ranked wine under the French wine classification. These wines are the cheapest to buy and to make (they can be bought from € 0,80), and are generally drunk accompanying a midday meal or used to make wine-based cocktails.

See also

• House wine
• List of grape varieties
• Wine vintages