The term Reserve on wine labels should indicate:

• A. Always higher price
• B. Always indicates dessert wine
• C. Better quality, but can be a marketing ploy
• D. Always comes from a single vineyard

Answer: (C)

Reserve labeling signals that a wine is being presented as a premium or specially selected bottling, often because of longer aging or chosen lots. But there isn’t a universal standard for what that term must mean, and practices vary widely by region and producer. That means it can indicate higher quality from the winemaker’s perspective, yet it can also be used mainly as marketing to suggest a step up in status. It does not guarantee a dessert wine, nor does it require the wine to come from a single vineyard, and while it can accompany a higher price, that isn’t guaranteed either.