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generic wine

generic wine

6.3
A wine not allowed to show its place or grape and sold under a simple name such as red
  • noun
  • /dʒəˈnɛrɪk waɪn/
  • Specialized
translation icon : vino genérico
  • Some producers sell their surplus as generic wine under a simple color or class label.

Examples

  • This generic wine is affordable and pleasant.

  • Many European countries have strict regulations for labeling, and a generic wine may only carry a basic description.

  • The sommelier explained that generic wine is often less expensive than those with a protected designation of origin.

  • Many people enjoy generic wines during casual gatherings.

  • The restaurant offered a selection of generic wine that was cheaper than the local varieties.

  • When shopping, I often choose generic wine because it's affordable and still tastes good.

  • He poured a glass of generic wine for the guests, who appreciated the value over fancy labels.

Antonyms

varietal wine
  • Specialized
5.2

A wine made mainly from one type of grape and labeled with the grape name

How Specific

appellation
  • Specialized
1 9.9
varietal wine
  • Specialized
5.2
table wine
  • US
1 2.9
generic wine
  • Specialized
6.3

Surface Forms

generic wine singular
generic wines plural

Morphology

generic + wine

The phrase is compositionally transparent: 'generic' (not specific or branded) combined with 'wine' straightforwardly yields 'wine that is non-branded / not specific to a variety or origin'. A B1 learner who knows both constituents can infer this basic meaning even if they miss the technical legal appellation nuance.

Etymology

Generic wine comes from the idea of selling a bottle under a plain, general label when it could not use a special place or grape name. Imagine a bottle simply called 'red wine' or 'table wine' instead of a town name, so it now means wine with 'no special origin' and often costs less.