What does it mean?

What's written on the bottle of wine?

Legally defined wine-growing region under French law. :

Very dry (unsweet), in specific reference to Champagne. :

Literally "classed growth," French legalese for a vineyard historically identified as being of exceptional quality.

Roughly equivalent to "vineyard" or "winery" in French wines.

The first wine of the vintage, first sold by tradition on the third Thursday of November and best consumed before the end of that year.

Literally "soil" in French, a term widely used by wine hobbyists in reference to the flavors and aromas that soil and geography impart to a wine.

Slightly sparkling, perhaps sensed merely as a prickling on the tongue without actual bubbles being visible.

Traditionally made not by blending red and white juice (although some inexpensive wines do this), but by using red grapes and removing the skins from the fermenter before they have had time to impart much color. Also sometimes labeled "Vin Gris" It can be a refreshing treat on a hot summer day.

"Great growth" or "great classed growth." In France, legal terms for specific vineyards identified as historically producers of exceptional wine.

The wine waiter in a restaurant :

Legal significance, meaning "estate bottled," wine made by, and from grapes grown on the property of, the winery.

Literally, "wine of the country," a category of French wines considered lower in status than Appellation Controllée, but because it's considered less "desirable," may offer particularly good value if well-chosen.