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What does reserve mean?
Reserve is the name given to a wine of superior quality, usually characterised by a higher alcohol content and/or a longer ageing period. The term is used in numerous wine-growing countries, but has different(wine-law) status in each of them.
In Italy, Spain and Portugal the conditions for a Riserva (Italian) or Reserva (Spanish and Portuguese) are regulated by law. In France, a Réserve has no concrete wine-law basis, nor does a reserve in the English-speaking world. In South America(Chile, Argentina) there are again clear regulations for Reserva wines.
In Austria, reserve stands for a quality wine with year of vintage and at least 13 percent alcohol by volume, which is produced from prescribed grape varieties and is particularly typical of the variety and origin. Often Reserve is associated with the protected designation of origin DAC (Districtus Austriae Controllatus) and then means that the wine in question additionally fulfils certain requirements with regard to vinification and maturity. In principle, reserve white wines may not be marketed before 1 March, reserve red wines not before 1 November of the year following the harvest; other, stricter regulations sometimes apply to DAC reserve wines. Wines with the designation Grand Reserve or Grande Reserve may not be marketed as white wines before 1 November of the year following the harvest and as red wines not before 1 May of the second year following the harvest.
In Germany, the use of the terms Reserve, Grande Reserve and Privat-Reserve has also been permitted since 2008 following a legal dispute, if a higher quality is given.