French labels say a place, not a grape, which is the only thing that makes them look hard. Bordeaux means cabernet and merlot, Sancerre means sauvignon blanc, Cotes de Provence means dry pink. The full kosher French shelf from $12.99 to $399.99, and what to buy at every price.

Grand Vin is French for great wine, and on a label it means the estate's flagship bottling - not a legal classification, and not the same thing as Grand Cru. Where the idea comes from in Bordeaux, what it does not tell you, and the Domaine du Castel ladder from $29.99 to $112.99 as a worked example.