Reserve wine

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Reserve wine is a term given to a specific wine to imply that is of a higher quality than usual. Traditionally winemakers would "reserve" some of their best wine rather than sell it immediately, coining the term.

Sometimes, reserve wine originates from the best vineyards, or the best barrels, making it more special. Additionally, reserve wines might be made in a style suited to longer aging periods. However, the mere presence of the term "reserve" on a wine label may be nothing but a marketing strategy. Indeed, in the case of one of the largest-selling premium wines, Kendall-Jackson chardonnay, every single bottle produced is "Vintner's Reserve." To indicate a genuine reserve wine, Kendall-Jackson had to resort to "Grand Reserve."

In Spain and Italy, the equivalent terms of "reserva" and "riserva", respectively, are controlled by law, at least ensuring that reserve wines get some additional aging.

Outside of these countries, there is typically no regulation whatsoever. Like the term "old vines," "reserve" should indicate a wine that is special, or at least different in flavor or aging potential. In general, the more reputable the producer, the more likely the word "reserve" is meaningful. Similarly, the presence of a non-reserve or "regular" bottling makes it more likely that there is something unique inside.

Partly because of the often flimsy meaning of "reserve," many wineries produce named cuvées instead. Typically these are genuine reserve wines.