What Makes Estate Wine More Expensive Than Standard?

Imagine you're standing in your favorite bottle shop trying to figure out how to decode the wine labels and decide which one to bring home. They're both made by the same winery with the same kind of grape, and even the vintage is the same. However, one costs over 30% more. What gives? Look a little closer. If you see the word "estate" on a wine label, that's your answer — and there's a reason for the premium price. Wine labeling regulations differ from country to country, but in the U.S., a winemaker can only use the term "estate bottled" for products that are made with grapes grown on property that it owns or controls. The wine must also be produced entirely on-site, from crushing and fermenting through finishing, aging, processing, and bottling. Estate bottled wines are regulated by the Alcohol and Tobacco Tax and Trade Bureau (TTB).

However, the terms "estate," "estate-grown," or "single vineyard" are less regulated and used more loosely. They do still typically indicate a slightly higher quality or other special attributes. Because the grapes are all grown in the same area with the same farming methods, they share a specific terroir, which may give them a distinctive flavor. It's also likely that the wine is produced in a limited quantity, since the winery can only harvest what it grows. Both of these factors mean customers may be willing to pay more for estate bottles. Meanwhile, the higher price tag allows the winery to recoup some of the costs of farming and owning land.  

So, is that higher price tag worth it? It may be, if you want something out of the ordinary. Let's take an example. Napa Valley winery Robert Craig charges around $50 for its 2014 bottle of Cabernet Sauvignon and around $70 for a 2015 Affinity Estate Cabernet Sauvignon. Both are made from the same grape varietals and aged in oak for 18 months, and they are both unfiltered and unfined. The less expensive bottle is described as "plush and powerful, with intriguing notes of espresso, graphite, fresh cherry, nutmeg, and oak." 

Meanwhile, the estate version is described as being derived from older vines, which "deliver classic black raspberry, licorice, espresso bean, and crushed stones on the palate." If you're just getting to know classic wines, any Napa Valley Cab is likely to please. But if you're seeking something more distinctive that demonstrates a special dedication to a certain type of grape or style of winemaking, why not splash out a little more for the estate bottle? You only live once!