French Wine Classifications AOC Law Wine Grapes Vineyards of France French Wine Classifications AOC Law Wine Grapes Vineyards of France Vineyards of France France is not only the world’s most famous wine growing country, it also takes credit for being one of the world’s oldest wine regions as well. The ancient Romans began cultivating vines in France about 125 BC. They moved into the Rhone valley not too long after that. By the first century AD, the Romans were also active in Bordeaux . Ancient ruins and antiquities can be easily spotted all over France, especially in Bordeaux as well in the Rhone Valley. The Romans knew what to look for. They wanted to plant on hillsides with exposure to the sun and natural drainage. Plus the vineyards could not be too far from towns and cities to allow for ease in trading. As of 2016, France is second in production of wine, at least in terms of volume all over the world. Only Spain makes more wine today. Currently, over 792,000 hectares of vines are planted with the purpose of growing grapes for wine in France.

This is a change in the amount of planted hectares as less than a decade ago, France had 861,000 planted hectares. The French Governmental Agricultural board has helped force the reduction in the amount of vines planted, as several small vineyards in poor areas were not able to make money selling their grapes or wine. Those 792,000 hectares planted in France, depending on the vintage can produce between 7 and 8 billion bottles of wine per year! Yes, that is Billions with a B! That makes France the world’s most important wine producing region in terms of volume and in dollar value. France, Spain, Italy and America are the world’s largest producers of wine in terms of dollars and hectoliters. However, that could one day change as China is rapidly catching up in production as they are now in the top 5 producers as well. In fact, China now has more more planted hectares of vines than France. Chinese vineyards now occupy up to 11% of the world’s plantings for grapes used to produce wine. The growth in China is massive when you consider that in 2000, they had less than 4% of the world’s vineyards.

But the amount of wine and dollar value of the wine remains dwarfed by France. In fact, at least 85 of the world’s most important wines are produced in France. France still stands above all the other wine producing countries with its massive volume of wine, and more importantly, its ability to export their wine all over the world! However, for those of you that like to look at numbers, Spain has 1.02 Million hectares, China, 799,000 hectares, France, 792,000 hectares, Italy, 690,000 hectares and Turkey comes in at #5 with 502,000 hectares. For years, France claimed the record for the most hectares of land, cultivated with wine grapes. That is no longer the case, at least as of 2016. Today, Interestingly, the areas with the most land planted with grapes are Spain, China, France and Australia. This is not to be confused with volume in terms of hectoliters, number of bottles, or value, but in pure raw land, France has fallen behind, and that trend is expected to continue.

For those that like vineyards by the numbers, the largest appellation is the Languedoc with almost 2000,000 hectares of vines. The honor for the single largest vineyard belongs to San Bernabe Vineyards in Monterey California . Today it has close to a whopping 2,800 hectares of vines! France, with its ocean of wine makes both red wine and white wine. Out of all that French wine, about 70% of it is devoted to the production of French red wine and 30% is devoted to making French white wine. While wine is produced all over France, the most important, top wine producing appellations of France are: Alsace, Beaujolais, Bordeaux, Burgundy, Champagne, Corsica, Jura, Languedoc-Roussillon, Lorie, Provence, Rhone Valley, Savoy and South West France. The most top, most important appellation for wine production in France based on volume per vintage and dollar value is Bordeaux. In fact Bordeaux produces an average of more than 450 million bottles of wine per year! Bordeaux produces the most wine in terms of dollar value as well as in volume and export.

90% of Bordeaux is devoted to red wine, the remaining 10% is white Bordeaux wine. More than 60 different grape varieties are planted for the production of red wine and white wine in France. Obviously some grape varietals are more important than others due to their ability to produce complex, age worthy wines of character and distinction and of course, their popularity with consumers.

The top ten grapes with the highest concentration of planted vineyard hectares in France are: #1 Merlot 13.6% – 116,715 hectares #2 Grenache 11.3% – 97,171 hectares #3 Ugni Blanc 9.7% – 83,173 hectares #4 Syrah 8.1% – 69,891 hectares #5 Carignan 6.9% – 59,210 hectares #6 Cabernet Sauvignon 6.7% – 57,913 hectares #7 Chardonnay 5.1% – 35,252 hectares #8 Cabernet Franc 4.4% – 37,508 hectares #9 Gamay 3.7% – 31,771 hectares #10 Pinot Noir 3.4% – 29,576 hectares While almost all French wines are blends of more than one grape varietal, that is not always the case. In Burgundy, only Pinot Noir is used to produce red Burgundy wines.

Chardonnay is the only allowable grape used in the production of white Burgundy wine in Burgundy. In Bordeaux, the vast majority of red wines are blends. However, in St. Emilion and Pomerol , some of the most famous producers make wine from 100% Merlot. Almost all white Bordeaux wines are blends. But that is not always the case. There are a few chateau in Pessac Leognan for example that produce wine from 100% Sauvignon Blanc. In Sauternes , some estates produce wine using 100% Semillon . The choice of blending or not depends on the rules and laws of the appellation, the terroir and the vision of the wine maker. The type of wine and the choice to blend or not starts with the terroir, soil and grape varieties planted in the vineyards. Much of where the fruit was planted has an impact, (soils, terroir, weather) on the quality, character and style of wine. Further impacting what nature provided are the choices made by the vineyard managers during the growing season and harvest, coupled with decisions the winemaker will need to make in the cellars.

All those factors are part of determining the quality, style and character of the wine. Terroir is more of a concept than a specifically identifiable trait. Terroir encompasses a myriad of important natural conditions including: the soil, altitude, elevation, exposure to the sun, temperature ranges, access to water, trees, types of rock on top of the soil as well as in the soil and microclimate for each appellation or vineyard. For a detailed explanation of the terroir in Bordeaux; Bordeaux Terroir and Soil This is important because when vines are placed in close proximity to other vines, they naturally compete for food sources. The underlying logic is that closely planted vines have to compete with each other for life giving water and nutrients. This competition forces the plant roots to delve deeper into the soils, which helps the plants sustain life in dry periods and produces lower yields and smaller, but more concentrated grapes. The majority of well managed vineyards in gravelly terroir are planted to a standard 10,000 vines per hectare. That means that in each row, the vines are placed 1 meter apart.

In the Right Bank , and other terroirs with more clay and limestone, the planting density is less, with averages of 6,5000 vines per hectare to 7,500 vines per hectare. However, there are exceptions to every rule. For example, Chateau Ausone has some plantings at 14,000 vines per hectare and Jean Philippe Jannoueix, with his Croix Mouton 20 Mille vineyards has plantings of 20,000 vines per hectare. The record for the highest level of vineyard planting density belongs to Dominique Leandre Chevalier in the Cotes de Blaye appellation. They have a 3 hectare parcel of vines that is planted to a whopping 33,000 vines per hectare! Domaine Leandre Chevalier produces several wines blending in portions of their high density plantings, but “Tricolore” is the only wine made using 100% Petit Verdot from a vine density of 33,000 vines per hectare. Climate is of course one of the key factors in the character and style of wine a vineyard can produce.

Terroir or soil alone does not make a quality wine. The wine making decisions of the grower and wine maker can have an equal impact on the wine. If that was not the case, how do you explain two completely different expressions of wine produced from the same vineyard? The uniqueness of terroir in part, gave birth to the often cumbersome French system of classifying their numerous wines, countless regions, appellations and of course the AOC system. The most famous classification of French wine took place in 1855, the year of the original Bordeaux wine classification of the Medoc . The 1855 classification only takes into consideration 61 different chateaux from the Medoc and Haut Brion from Pessac Leognan. The wines classed according to their price and quality in five different classes; First Growth , Second Growth , Third Growth , Fourth Growth and Fifth Growth . The sweet, white Bordeaux wine of Sauternes were also classified in 1855. St. Emilion was first classified in 1955. That classification is redone every 10 years. The most recent classification for St. Emilion took place in 2012. Current St.

Emilion Classification This was followed by the classification of Graves, which took place in 1959. To learn more about Bordeaux along with facts and figures of its production: Production Facts, Figures for Bordeaux But what about the rest of the wine producing regions of France? In 1935, the INAO, Institut National des Appellations d’Origine defined strict, specific, appellation characteristics to help guide the consumer, promote minimum levels of quality and energize growers into producing better wines. The AOC system. Appellation d’Origine Controlee. The purpose of the AOC system, which is used for food and other European agricultural products makes good sense. The thought being that it is the specific place where the product is produced that gives the wine or product its unique character and style. Today, as of 2016, the Bordeaux wine growing region encompasses 60 different appellations in total: The Bordeaux Appellations Guide Aside from creating the appellation system, in 1935, the INAO also wrote a series of French Laws and gave birth to the original four main categories, or classes of French wine which many of us are familiar with today.

Subsequently, these categories were modernized, but we will get to that in a moment. These are the four original categories or classes of French wine: Vin de Table – Wines with this designation are listed as being from France and provide the producers name on the label. Vin de Table, or Table wine are made from any vineyard or grape varietal in France. Wine sold as Vin de Table do not by law, list grape varietals, vintage, regions, appellations or production techniques on the label. There are no restrictions on the grapes, vineyard management or production techniques used to produce Vin de Table wine. Vins Sans Indication Geographique – VSIG is the new classification for Vin de Table wines. VISG wines are allowed to use the name of the country. but not the specific grape variety, year, appellation or region on the label of Vins Sans Indication Geographique classified wines. Vin de Pays – VDP – Wines using the Vin de Pays designation were produced from a specific, major, wine growing region, they also state the producers name and France. Vin de Pays allows more information to be placed on the label including the area the wine was produced in.

There are very few restrictions in the production of wines sold as Vin de Pays. Vin Delimite de Qualite Superieure – VDQS is seldom encountered today. Less than 1% of all French wines bear the VDQS designation on the label. Vin Delimité de Qualite Superieure is similar, but less restrictive in its rules and regulations for the grape varieties, terroir and production techniques than the more commonly seen AOC classification. VDQS wines are seen as being produced from a recognized area that has not yet been approved as an appellation by the AOC. Appellation d’Origine Controlee – AOC, accounts for 53.4% of all wines from France. Currently, more than 450 separate and potentially distinct AOC’s in France are in use today. There are a series of rules and regulations that go along with being classified as an AOC wine. This includes restrictions as to the specific geological area where the fruit is grown and the wine was made; along with the type of allowable grape variety planted in the vineyard. There are also specific, agreed upon production methods, minimum levels of alcohol and maximum levels of yields, vine age and required minimum vineyard planting densities.

There are also rules for harvesting and vinification techniques in place along with restrictions on where the cellars must be located. In some cases, exemptions are granted in the case of cellar locations and on occasion some of the other rules. However, it is important to note that every quality grower produces wine from lower yields and higher levels of alcohol than is the minimum standard allowed by AOC law. In fact, most of the standards required for the Appellation d’Origine Controlee classification are surpassed by every serious wine producer. Beyond the classification of the appellations and vineyards, depending on the specific appellation or AOC, vineyards and chateaux can also be classified. The most famous of these classifications is the 1855 Classification of the Medoc that we discussed earlier. Burgundy has its own vineyard classification system as does St. Emilion. While Bordeaux is the most heavily classified, wine producing region in France, it is not the only appellation to classify their wines. Burgundy is the second most, wine producing, classified region in France. Fortunately for Burgundy wine lovers, the classification is reasonably simple to understand.

The main ideal that differentiates the classifications of Burgundy from that of Bordeaux is that in Bordeaux, with the exception of St. Emilion, it is the chateau or producer that is classified. In Burgundy they classify the terroir. Grand Cru is the top classified status in Burgundy. Not many vineyards are eligible for Grand Cru status. To give you an idea, about 2% of the Burgundy regions vineyards are classified as Grand Cru. On the label, only the vineyard and classified status is listed. Grand Cru wines are produced from the lowest yields of all classified Burgundy wines. Premier Cru is the next highest level of classified status for Burgundy wines. Close to 12% of all Burgundy vineyards are classified with Premier Cru status. Premier Cru classified wines provide the name of the village first, and then the vineyard on the label. If the wine is produced from multiple vineyards from the same village, only the vineyard name will appear on the label. Village wines, the next level of classification in Burgundy list the appellation when they are produced from multiple villages. This is quite common as many of these wines are produced from a myriad of villages and vineyards.

For wines produced from one village and vineyard, that information is placed clearly on the label. Regional wines are the lowest level of classification in the Burgundy system. The wines are not produced under the same rules and conditions as the higher levels of classified Burgundy wines. Chablis, even though the appellation is located in Burgundy has its own unique system of classification or its wines. Generally speaking, the Chablis classification is quite close to what is established in Burgundy. However there are a few differences. Chablis has 4 levels of classified status: Grand Cru, Premier Cru, Village Chablis and Petit Chablis. Beaujolais has their own system of classification, even though they are also in Burgundy. The wines of Beaujolais have the following different levels of classification: Beaujolais AOC/AOP, Beaujolais Villages and Beaujolais Cru. Champagne has its own, unique system of classification. Interestingly, the classification of Champagne takes the level of quality of the grapes into consideration, along with the terroir and soil. In Champagne the best wines are classified as Grand Cru Champagne, followed by Premier Cru Champagne. Alsace wines are classified as well.

The wines of Alsace have two levels of classification, Grand Cru and Alsace AOC/AOP. It’s not just the French that like to classify things. Most, if not all of Europe enjoy classifications. It took long enough, but a new system for the classification of wines from France was created in 2012 to replace the previous, antiquated, classification. The 2012 classification system is much more simple. It relies on three levels of basic classification instead of four. Plus more information is available to the consumer on the new labels attached to wine bottles as allowable by law. However, it should be noted that due to competition on the marketplace, the recent 2012 classification has been amended as you will see below. The new categories are of classification in France are: Vin de France – This new classification, which replaces Vin de Table, allows the consumer to know much more information about the wine. Wines with the Vin de France designation sport wine labels that include the type of grape variety used to produce the wine and the specific vintage. However, other than the country of France, no information is allowed as to where the grapes are from.

It’s important to note that there are some Vin de France wines that can be quite good, and also quite expensive. That is because some wines are forced to use the Vin de France classification because the owners or winemakers violated their appellation law. As an example, they included grapes not allowed in the region, or the vineyard management techniques did not conform to specific AOC regulations. Indication Geographique Protegee – IGP will be used instead of Vin de Pays. IGP wines offer growers and producers a myriad of choices as there are no restrictions on grape varieties. Estates are also allowed to blend grapes or wine from multiple appellations. Appellation d’Origine Protegee – AOP is intended to replace the previously important AOC classification, Appellation d’Origine Controlee. Not much else has changed in this classification, other than the name. Organic and Biodynamic wines are now certified. To be a producer with the ability to place the words organic on your label, for a minimum of a three year period, the wine maker must use only organic farming techniques.

Certification be granted from any of the following agencies which are regulated by the French Ministry of Agriculture: Ecocert, Qualite France, ULSAE, Agrocert, Certipaq and ACLAVE. Estates with the right to place the word Organic on their label have two possibilities. Once they are certified as Agriculture Biologique, they can use a logo from either the EU or the official Organic label. Biodynamic Certification is granted to estates that for a minimum of a three period farm their vineyards utilizing the techniques created by Rudolf Steiner. The same bodies that certify organic producers also certify Biodynamic estates: Ecocert, Qualite France, ULSAE, Agrocert, Certipaq and ACLAVE. An additional or different certification is available, Demeter. Demeter certification is given to estates making wine from biodynamically certified fruit that was produced under the rule and regulations of the Demeter group. Producers with SIVCBD; Biodyvin on their label are members of The Syndicat International des Vignerons en Culture Bio-Dynamique association.

SITE MAP AoC = AoP Browse All Blog Posts » AoC = AoP The French government, not too long ago, officially announced that the long standing AoC (Appellation d'origine contrôlée) system for wine is being replace by an new quality ladder with the top step being an AoP (Appellation d'Origine Protégée). The AoP concept is suppose to be adopted by all EU countries over the next few years. So, we may be talking about the Italian Denominazione di Origine Controllata (DOC) possibly becoming a Denominazione di Origine Protettivo (DOP). For France, the complete wine quality classification stair-step was first put in place in 1937 with the adoption of the AoC and Vin de Table (VdT - "table wine") steps. That is, the "quality" and "table" wine steps. In 1954 the Vin Délimité de Qualité Supérieure (VDQS) step was added to the system as a step being used as a place to classify land being considered for promotion to (then) AoC status.

In 1976 the Vin de Pays (VdP) step was added as a "superior table wine" that could better compete with varietally labeled wines in countries like the US. So, the quality stairstep in France, until December of last year, was: Appellation d'origine contrôlée (AoC - top step) Vin Délimité de Qualité Supérieure (VDQS) Vin de Pays (VdP) The new quality stairstep is: Appellation d'Origine Protégée (AoP - top step) Vin Délimité de Qualité Supérieure (VDQS) Indication Geographique Protegée (IGP - replacing VdP) Vin de Table (VdT) However, it will be a couple of years before you see many labels with the new AOP designation. For wines that have many years of life you will continue to see the AOC statement for decades to come. More Questions? Visit our Frequently Asked Questions page. Tell your friends!

appellation d’origine contrôlée Definition and Meaning - Dictionary Central Definitions Food feminine The french designation that a wine or cheese has an appellation d’origine which guarantees the origin of the grapes and the yield . Travel noun a French wine classification , indicating that the wine comes from a particular area and is of a particular quality. Wine (written as Appellation d’Origine Contrôlée) a system of laws and rules devised in France in 1935 to regulate French wine production and quality and define its origins. The rules are administered by the Institut National des Appellations d’Origine (INAO) and cover almost every aspect of wine production, from which varieties of grape can be planted in different appellations and which production methods can be used to make the wines to vine -planting density and expected yields. The rules govern every part of the process, including the area in which the grapes can be grown, the varieties used, the ripeness of the grapes when picked, the alcoholic strength of the wine produced and even the vineyard yields. Wines with this label are normally produced in state-controlled wineries to produce a consistent, reasonable-quality wine; this type of wine represents the top quarter of all French wines.

Wine producers who have not earnt AOC status can be classed (in descending order of quality) as Vin Délimité de Qualité Supérieure (VDQS), Vin de Pays, then Vin de Table. Nearby Definitions of “appellation d’origine contrôlée” Tweet Three Roqueforts: Vieux Berger (top left), Gabriel Coulet (bottom left) and Carles (right) We carry a number of AOC cheeses here at Formaggio Kitchen : Époisses , Langres , Comté and Fourme d’Ambert , to name a few. As a result (and not surprisingly), one of the questions that we often field on the cheese counter is what the term AOC actually tells us about a given cheese. AOC stands for Appellation d’Origine Contrôlée (translating to: Controlled Name of Origin) and is a designation of process and provenance that is used in France.

There are equivalents of the AOC program in other countries – in Italy it is called DOC (Denominazione d’Origine Controllata) or DOP (Denominazione di Origine Protetta)*, in Spain it is called DO (Denominacion de Origen) and, in the EU as a whole, the designation is PDO** (Protected Designation of Origin). Essentially, these programs are designed to ensure that products with a long history and a strong sense of terroir are able to maintain their identity in the marketplace. They are not specifically designed to ensure a level of quality but rather a process or method of production. It is because of the AOC program that when you buy champagne, you know that it comes from the Champagne region of France and has been made using specific methods passed on from generation to generation. It is also why sparkling wines from any other place in the world are not called champagne. The AOC designation covers many different food groups – wine, oils, spices and cheese to name a few. Currently, there are forty-six cheeses that have AOC designations in France. The Law for the Protection of the Place of Origin was passed in France on May 6, 1919.

However, the history of protecting cheeses in France extends further back than that. For example, in 1411, King Charles VI conferred the exclusive right to ripen Roquefort cheese to the people of Roquefort. The concept of AOC in France evolved from a decree dating back to 1666 (in which Roquefort was specifically mentioned). Today, AOC designations are monitored and enforced by the INAO (Institut National des Appellations d’Origine), a branch of the French Ministry of Agriculture. *In Italy, the DOC program is primarily for wine, whereas the DOP program tends to encompass local produce and food products. **Note: in other countries, the PDO of the EU acquires a language appropriate acronym. In France, Italy and Spain, PDO becomes DOP. Appellation Wine Labels Understanding Wine Labels (Part 2) APPELLATION LABELS By definition, an appellation is a designation, name, or title that refers to either an object, a place, or a product. With regard to wine labels, appellation refers to the place where the grapes are grown.

Many appellations have official status, with either a government or trade bureau directly responsible to delimit the geography and regulate usage in order to assure both quality and authenticity. This may also include establishing and regulating both viticultural and wine production standards within its jurisdictions. An appellation may be as large as an entire region, encompassing hundreds of thousands of acres and many separate vineyards, or as small as a single vineyard of perhaps four acres or less, depending upon the unique geographic and climatic conditions, as well as extant or historically established wine commerce. Most of the best-known wines from France are appellation wines. Appellations are also used to identify most of the wines of Italy, Germany, Spain and Portugal. Systems for officially identifying and regulating winegrowing regions are developing and advancing in countries of the New World. France started seriously experimenting with grape cultivation and site selection decades or even centuries ahead of many growing regions. Their commercially successful system of appellations was operating long before any specified and enforced regulations. This system evolved around the level of demand and prices paid for the wines from vineyards with reputations for most consistent quality.

The official French system of appellation d'origine contrôlée ( AOC or AC ), developed later and grew to become the model for the world. ORIGINS AND FUNCTIONS OF THE AC & INAO The AC began in the first decades of the 1900s. Devastation of French vineyards by mildew and phylloxera in the last quarter of the 1800s caused significantly reduced production from the most famous vineyards. Fraud was rampant, commonly by substitution of or liberal blending with grapes grown in Southern France, Spain, and Northern Africa. Laws began geographically delimiting the specific areas which could produce wine using those famed vineyard names. The laws evolved to prevent sloppy winemaking and the planting of varieties which produced quantity abundance, rather than quality flavor characteristics. So the AC developed with the dual purpose of protecting the integrity of unique regional characteristics for the producers and insuring the representative high quality of these characteristics for the consumers. In 1935, the INAO (Institut National des Appellation d'Origine) was established to administer and enforce the AC system.

In addition to setting the area boundaries of the specific appellations, the INAO also specifies and approves which grape varieties may be grown, the maximum yields or quantities of fruit which may be harvested during a single year (vintage), the minimum ripeness levels required (based on must weight) and maximum alcoholic strength permitted, viticultural practices of vine spacing, pruning methods, and trellising mechanics, all of which may vary even from one appellation to the next within the political borders of the country. Although a grower-producer may theoretically make his own choices, in order to qualify to use the government-controlled appellation names (that bring the highest prices) on the labels, he must use only the approved grape varieties, practices, and techniques. Many areas of France are excluded from the AC hierarchy. Although many growers from these regions now, more than half a century later, produce much better wines, they are not afforded the marketing advantages of AC rankings. Instead, they are relegated to the Vin de Pays (country wine) category, a notch above Vin de Table, but carrying little weight with consumers. Some producers have begun to question the rigidity of the French AC and there is some movement stirring towards an overhaul.

However in need of updating the AC system might be, it remains the world model. Until the 1970s, France was the only country with wine laws based on the geography of the entire country. Since then, Italy, Spain, Germany, Austria, South Africa, Portugal, Greece, Yugoslavia, Argentina, Chile, Bulgaria, the United States, have all mapped or begun mapping their respective "appellations." Most wine-growing countries have an official agency that approves and defines appellations within its political boundaries. Australia and New Zealand are each struggling with the idea of whether to provide appellations by trade agreement or through government regulation. TTB AND THE CONSUMER In the United States, the Alcohol and Tobacco Tax and Trade Bureau ( TTB ), a division of the Treasury Department, regulates the geographic boundaries of appellations. This is part of their responsibility to oversee the safety of wines and prevent fraud to consumers. Beyond delineating appellation boundaries, regulatory concern has not yet penetrated within the vineyards. American growers are free to plant any grape varieties they fancy and may harvest as large a crop as the vines will bear, or as their concern with quality dictates. TTB also regulates wines imported into the United States and includes some consumer protections against fraud in foreign wine.

Imported wines using an appellation label must have 75% of their contents derived from grapes grown within that designated appellation. In addition, the wine must conform "to the requirements of the foreign laws and regulations governing the composition, method of production, and designation of wines available for consumption within the country of origin." AMERICAN VITICULTURAL AREAS The requirement for appellation labeling of wines produced in America is somewhat more restrictive, requiring a higher portion of the grapes from the named appellation. Again, the TTB is the agency that oversees the creation and adjustment of the American Viticultural Areas. The AVA system was begun in 1979, and is still in relative infancy. New AVAs are being applied for and approved each year. To petition the TTB for a new AVA, the area must be specifically delineated geographically and have both climatic uniqueness and historical precedent, as well as either local or national recognition. It takes about US$15,000 to initiate and pursue the process through to approval and establishment, so new applications are unlikely to be sought frivolously. The first AVA approved by the TTB in 1980 was Augusta, Missouri!

The list of AVAs includes many of the most famous California place-names for wine, such as Napa Valley, Alexander Valley, and Carneros, as well as lesser-known and newer appellations, such as Sonoma Mountain, Green Valley, and Sonoma Coast. In order to use an AVA on a wine, no less than 85% of the grapes must have been grown within the boundaries specified and the wine must "conform to the laws and regulations of the named appellation area governing the composition, method of manufacture, and designation of wines made in such place." This clause protects and defers to the authority of each State to regulate methods of wine production. ESTATE BOTTLED The term Estate Bottled may only be used on labels of wine where the bottling winery is located within the appellation named on the label, the grapes were entirely grown within the named appellation on land owned or controlled by the bottling winery, and the fermentation, finishing, aging, and bottling of the wine was done in one continuous process, with the wine at no time having left the premises prior to bottling.

MARKETING APPELLATION LABELS Rising worldwide competition for wine customers, especially from wines of North and South America, Australia, and New Zealand, has resulted in more emphasis on marketing and the "branding" of wine estates and vineyard names. A consumer faces greater challenges to not only learn each country's existing appellation laws, but also to keep up with the additions and changes to each. Appellation labeling laws have a preoccupation with authenticity and often a stricture that may be indifferent, or even antithetical, to quality. Location and site selection is important to wine quality, but alone, it neither guarantees wine quality nor stands independent of grape variety selection, cultivation methods, seasonal climate conditions, or fermentation techniques. Excellence in any of these categories may not overcome flaw or weakness in another; to produce outstanding wine requires the harmony of all. Wine-Searcher. Human race only please ... Find and price wines, beers & spirits across all online stores. Are you a real person? To keep Wine-Searcher running smoothly, we've added some extra security measures to make sure you are a real person and not a robot . Please complete the form below, click 'Continue' and we'll have you back on the site in no time.

We do not allow automated software to read our website. If you would like to learn more about accessing Wine-Searcher's data, please contact us at feedback@wine-searcher.com. © 2015 all rights reserved, Wine-Searcher™ Appellation d�Origine Control�e, Wine Portfolio, Eat, Drink, Travel, TV, Televison Appellation d’Origine Controlée Appellation d’Origine Controlée It is widely known that the AOC (Appellation dï¿½Origine Controlï¿½e) guides Franceï¿½s wine laws and is regarded a gold standard model for wine producing countries around the world. There are three main categories of wine under the AOC system. In Ascending quality: 1. Vins dï¿½Appellations dï¿½Origine Controlï¿½e These are the finest wines of France. 300 French wines hold this title. Each of the 300 wines that have been given this title have abided by a very strict set of regulations, which fall into eight categories: • Area of Production Each wine growing region in France is strictly defined.

Only wine made from the grapes grown within those boarders have the right to use that appellation (for example, Bordeaux or Champagne) • Grape Varietals Each geographical area has permissible grape varieties and given proportions. This is based on historical records that have determined which varieties perform best in particular soils and climates. If a producer makes wine with grapes other than those permitted or in improper proportions, they forfeit their right to use that appellation. • Yield per Hectare Larger grape yields decrease their quality, so the best crop comes with a restricted yield. Maximum grape yields are set for each appellation. For example, in Bordeaux, the maximum yield for red wine is 55 hectoliters per hectare, which translates to 1452 gallons of wine for every 2.47 acres. • Viticultural Practices This category regulates pruning techniques and timing, fertilization methods, the type of trellising system and irrigation guidelines. • Alcohol Content All wines denoted as AOC wines must stay within a certain range of alcohol content. • Wine Making Practices Based on historical studies, wine-making practices are controlled in each appellation. This includes guidelines on aging requirements and chapitalization (the process of adding sugar to increase alcohol content).

• Tasting Analysis All wines given the label AOC must go through a chemical analysis as well as pass a taste test for typicity. If the wine doesnï¿½t stay true to its kind, it will be declassified. • Varietal Labeling While the regulations surrounding this category are beginning to change, traditionally, producers were forbidden to put the name of the grape varietal on the label. In doing so, they would be forfeiting the right to use the appellation. 2. Vins Dï¿½limitï¿½s de Qualitï¿½ Supï¿½rieure Wines in this category fall slightly below those in the AOC in terms of quality. These wines tend to have higher grape yields and lower alcohol levels 3. Vins de Pays These ï¿½country winesï¿½ are defined by regions much less strictly regulated than AOC wines. Grape yields tend to be much higher and grape varietal regulations are much more lenient.

Question: What do the French ‘Appellation d’Origine Controlee’ laws regulate?
Answer: Wine