zweitwein designation (also second label) for a significantly cheaper and simpler line of a weingut winery that is marketed under names other than the grand vin (first wine). This is especially common in the bordeaux region, but the term is also used in other areas and countries. The best wines from the best lagen sites are used for the grand vin. The criteria vary significantly by châteaux and can also change with each jahrgang. These are weintrauben from vineyards with younger rebstöcke (about 10 to 15 years), grapes from lower quality sites, batches from the vorlese, wines from the second pressvorgang and wines from poorer fassproben.
In poor jahrgänge years, it can happen that the production of the first wine is waived, as was the case in 1987 at château lafleur and 1991 at château cheval blanc. Especially in very good years, the second wine often offers a significantly better price-performance ratio, as the Grands Vins cost at least double. Since 1993, it has been permissible to use the additional designations château or domaine for the second wine or drittwein.
The quality of the second wines can vary. At some houses, it reaches top class. For example, the second wine "Les Forts de Latour" from château latour is very close in quality and price to a Château of the "Deuxième Grand Cru Classé" (image center). At other Châteaux, these wines are of simpler qualität. Generally, the second wines have less aromen, alkoholgehalt and tannine compared to the main wines. They are usually fruchtiger, weicher in structure and also significantly earlier ready to drink and less haltbar. However, the signature is often fully evident in the second wine as well, and the best qualities can be expected from the top Châteaux.
Some wineries strive for a certain typizität. Even surplus batches of very good wine do not fully go into the Grand Vin, as in very good years the wine could then stand out too much from the other years. Therefore, the best qualities can also flow into a second wine. A good example is château léoville-las-cases, where the second wine from good years almost reaches the quality of the Grand Vin. However, the second wines do not have the rank assigned in the bordeaux classification 1855 regardless of the highest quality. Therefore, they also have a different name, so they cannot carry the name of the Château on the etikett.
The term second wine is also used in italien (and other countries) in a slightly different form. In particularly prestigious DOC-/DOCG areas, another wine from this area is referred to as a second wine. For example, the rosso di montalcino is considered the second wine of the brunello di montalcino area. However, the designation is especially popular in France. Many Châteaux produce a second wine. A third wine exists, for example, from château latour, château lafite-rothschild and château léoville-las-cases. No second wine is produced by château batailley, château clerc milon, château d’yquem, château latour à pomerol, château la consillante, château le pin, château pétus and château trotanoy. château mouton-rothschild only started this relatively late in 1993.
Known second and third wines
Most of the wines in this list are second and third wines from frankreich, especially bordeaux; but some from other countries are also listed.
