Wine Myth Buster: The Truth About Declassified Wines

I recently came across an advert on my Facebook feed from a wine business claiming: “Why pay more for a wine when you can have the same wine, declassified, at half the price?” Unfortunately, this statement is misleading at best. Declassified wines are rarely the same as what they were originally intended to be, and the reasons behind declassification are far more complex than most marketing campaigns suggest.

When a winery decides to declassify a wine, it is never a strategy aimed at attracting bargain-hunting customers. Rather, it is a careful, and often heart-wrenching decision made at the very last moment. This choice is driven entirely by the quality of the grapes or the resulting wine, reflecting the winemaker’s commitment to integrity and excellence. It is a recognition that, despite months of careful cultivation and meticulous attention in the vineyard, nature or circumstances have prevented the wine from reaching the standard required for its intended appellation.

At that moment, the winery faces a choice:

Option One: Proceed with bottling the wine under its original appellation, risking the reputation of the entire winery. If the wine does not meet expectations, loyal consumers may be disappointed, and the winery’s credibility can be damaged.

Option Two: Bottle the wine under a lower classification or appellation, acknowledging that it does not meet the high standards set for its original label. A classic example comes from the Barolo region in Piedmont. Nebbiolo grapes grown within the Barolo appellation area may, in a poor vintage, be bottled simply as Nebbiolo rather than Barolo.

This is not an easy choice. Wineries often make this decision knowing they will lose money. The Nebbiolo grapes intended for Barolo have been meticulously tended all year, including keeping yields low and maintaining strict vineyard practices to ensure the quality needed for Barolo. If these grapes cannot become Barolo, the winery suffers financially—but chooses integrity over profit.

For those who follow my blog, you know that I firmly believe wine is made in the vineyard, not in the winery. Climate change has added unpredictability to every vintage. Once, a challenging harvest might occur every few years; today, it is becoming the norm. Small producers, particularly those following organic or biodynamic methods, feel this strain acutely. Every vintage is a test of skill, patience, and adaptability.

When a winery declassifies, it is because the grapes or wine did not meet their standards. No matter how long a poorly made wine is aged in barrels or bottles, it cannot magically improve. In fact, wines poorly made tend to have a shorter lifespan than well-made wines.

Take Barolo as an example. This wine is traditionally aged in wood, a costly and time-intensive process. A skilled winemaker who recognizes that a vintage is not up to Barolo standards will not waste resources aging it unnecessarily. Claiming that a declassified Nebbiolo - sold at less than half the price of Barolo - is “the same wine at half the price” is a marketing lie, plain and simple.

However, the opposite scenario can also occur. Some wineries cultivate Nebbiolo outside the Barolo appellation and produce wines that rival the best Barolos. These wines cannot legally carry the Barolo label, so their price may be slightly lower, but the effort, care, and cost involved remain very high - low yields, wood aging, and careful vineyard practices are still required. In these cases, the wine’s quality is exceptional, even if its classification does not reflect it.

Declassified wines are a fascinating aspect of winemaking, reflecting the challenges, ethics, and judgment calls that define the art. They tell the story of a winery’s dedication to quality, even when nature or circumstances do not cooperate.

So, next time a wine shop advertises a “declassified wine at half the price of the original,” take a moment to think critically. Declassification is about protecting quality and maintaining integrity, not offering bargains at the expense of truth. If it sounds too good to be true, it probably is. And for those willing to explore and understand the story behind each bottle, the world of wine can reveal surprising hidden gems: wines every bit as good as those from the most prestigious appellations. The key is to buy from an honest, trustworthy wine merchant, one who will not mislead you by claiming that a declassified wine is a bargain.