Who’s on Second?

Some of them are crafted by the most famous winemakers in the world. They are all relative bargains. Most of us have never heard of them. And it’s not because they’re produced by small, esoteric vineyards or fetch exorbitant prices at exclusive wine auctions. It’s because they are second label wines, made by the same wineries as their better-known siblings but bottled under a different name.

“Second labels are a good fit for budget seekers looking for quality wines from a producer with a good reputation,” says Pamela Busch, wine director of CAV Wine Bar & Kitchen in San Francisco. Approachable and affordable, second labels offer the finesse of their winemakers and the distinctive style of both their grapes and terroir in a wine designed to be consumed, not cellared.

From Bordeaux to Napa

Second labels were born in 18th Century Bordeaux as a simple solution to an old problem: what do you do with too many grapes? Winemakers pick and choose only the highest-quality grapes for their premium wines. They also have different varieties to choose from, creating  overflow: to craft a red Bordeaux or Cabernet Sauvignon, for example, winemakers will use some Merlot to soften the more muscular Cabernet grape. Plus, they harvest grapes from young vines, or vines that were affected by rain or hail; use old barrels, new barrels; encounter too much oak, not enough oak; and so on. The winemakers’ pickiness leaves vinters with a lot of runner-up or declassified winemaking material. Rather than mess with the formula of their grand vins or sell bulk wine, they create a second label. But don’t worry. A declassified grape from a premier league winery is better than the top shelf fruit used by bulk producers.

Many chateaux in Bordeaux create a grand vin and a second label. A 2006 Alter Ego de Palmer sells for around the $50, compared to around $250 for big-brother Chateau Palmer. Les Pagodes de Cos is a second label of Château Cos D’Estournel, a Saint-Estèphe high flyer. Carruades de Lafite is the second label of Chateau Lafite Rothschild. And so on.

Bruno Borie, the head of venerable Chateau Ducru-Beaucaillou likens second labels to the bistro that belongs to a three-star restaurant — it has same master chef and same suppliers, but a simpler menu and lower price tag. “It’s a different style wine, more casual and airy, more fun,” he says of his second label, Le Croix de Beaucaillou. Different wines for different occasions. “After all, you cannot drink a grand vin at a barbecue,” Borie says.

In America, the practice is commonplace as well, especially in Napa. Duckhorn, Stag’s Leap, Stewart Cellars, Woodward Canyon, Philip Togni, Sequoia Grove, and Trefethen are among the many U.S. wineries that produce a second label.

All in the Family

Same winemaker, same terroir, same grapes (more or less)… the result is a win-wine. Winemakers can maintain the highest standards in producing the first label wines. Jason Pahlmeyer, founder of Pahlmeyer winery, puts it this way: “The [second label] goes into the same barrels, has the same barrel-aging regimen, same blending, same care and dedication from my winemaker. It’s 90 percent of the quality at 50 percent of the price.” Wineries get a better first label, safer balance sheet, and less wine sold as bulk. Consumers get diversity and savings.

And the winemaker? He or she gets a creative challenge. Kim Nichols, winemaker of Napa’s Markham winery and second label Glass Mountain, sees crafting a second label wine as “an extension of our winemaking skills.” Karl Lawrence vintner Mike Trujillo enjoys the freedom afforded by second labels: “I don’t have to cringe at trying to make everything fit into one signature wine.”

Expect a consistency of style between a winery’s first and second labels, but if you don’t like the first offering, don’t expect to fall in love with the second label. For the most part, second labels are a good way to learn about a winery or region and indulge your taste buds without sacrificing your wallet. “They are a good first experience,” says Nicolas Jaboulet, scion of France's Jaboulet wine empire. “You will taste the same family of wine.”