Private Reserve see reserve below
reserve
Even though this term is found on U.S. wine labels, it has no legal definition, which means it can’t be relied on to have any special meaning. reserve appears on labels in a number of ways—Private Reserve, Proprietor’s Reserve, Special Reserve, Vintner’s Reserve, or simply reserve. For some producers—like Beaulieu Vineyards and Beringer Vineyards—the term Private Reserve means the wines are their top quality. These wines are either produced from grapes coming from special vineyards or blended from superior batches of grapes. But the terms DO not always indicate high quality and are often used simply as a marketing ploy. The bottom line is that wines using any of these terms should be judged on their own merit and not on the labeling.
The New Wine Lovers Companion, 2nd Edition, by Ron Herbst and Sharon Tyler Herbst. Copyright © (1) 2003, 1995 by Ron Herbst and Sharon Tyler Herbst. Reprinted by arrangement with Barron's Educational Series, Inc.