A wine label mentions “Mis en bouteille”. Does this mean it’s a better wine?
The term “mis en bouteille” on a bottle of wine simply means that the wine has been bottled. An addition such as “au Domaine” indicates that this bottling took place on the wine producer’s own premises. While this really meant something in the previous century, today this wine term says little about the quality of a wine.
It is one of many terms on a wine label that makes you go: what does it mean and what use is it to me? Even if you don’t know what it means, chances are your gut feeling tells you that the wine is of better quality. In reality, this term does not say much about the wine. Cloud Wine helps you understand why.
What does “Mis en bouteille” mean
First of all, it is useful to know what it means. “Mis en Bouteille” literally translates as “placed in the bottle” or simply bottled. This is hardly useful information, since virtually every wine is bottled. But the term suggests that the wine was bottled at the winery itself!
In practice, you will find the following terms being used:
- Mis en bouteille à la Propriété (‘on the property’)
- Mis en bouteille aux Château (used in Bordeaux, France)
- Mis en bouteille au Domaine (used in Burgundy, France)
- Erzeugerabfüllung (Germany)
- Estate bottled (United States)
Please note! If the one who harvests the grapes is not the same as the one who bottles the final wine, you will see the label term combined with a name. For example, “Mis en bouteille par Cloud Wine” 😉. The devil is in the detail.
Why do you see Mis en bouteille on a wine label
Not so long ago, most wine was purchased in barrels by an intermediary. This intermediary (English: merchant, French: négociant) took care of the bottling process themselves. Unfortunately, this proved to be an ideal opportunity for fraud. It was easy to increase the volume by mixing in cheaper wine or to sell it under a different designation of origin with more prestige (i.e. higher price).
It was not until halfway through the previous century that the tide turned, heralded by a well-known wine producer in Bordeaux (Mouton Rothschild). Bottling at the wine estate itself became common practice. The substantial investments in expensive equipment were more than offset by the improved image and guaranteed quality. But not everyone had the money to make these investments. Even today small wine estates are dependent on bottling companies. That means that your wine is not “Mis en bouteille au Domaine” … unless if the bottling company comes to your door with its mobile unit. Yep, that’s right. In that case, you can claim that the wine was bottled on your property.
Is Mis en bouteille a better wine
Not necessarily. Yes, a wine producer who can bottle their own wine potentially has more control over quality. This quality is indicated by the words “Mis en Bouteille” on the label. But bottling is a risky process: it’s a bit like the final ‘make it or break it’ moment in the winemaking process. Specialized bottling companies may be much better equipped for this than a winegrower. It may also simply be a logistical choice not to bottle the wine “au domaine”. In the end, none of these labelling terms have a direct relation to the wine quality.
As is often the case, a label is meant to entice you, especially in the world of wine. Take it from Cloud Wine: don’t pay attention to who bottled the wine, but to who you open the bottle with 🍷.
Robert, Cloud Wine
Hi wine enthusiast. Congratulations on finding Cloud Wine! On this wine blog I will amuse and infuse you with useful wine knowledge. All towards helping you make better wine choices in your daily life.
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