Commonalities: French Wine Certified Level

Question 1

France - Appellation d’Origine Contrôlee / Protégée (AOC/AOP):

Answer 1

~ Top Tier - Most Restrictive ~
- With EU regulations;
100% Vitis vinifera grapes,
all grapes = exclusively sourced from + resulting wine produced in stated geographical area.

Extensive Detail:
In 2007, the INAO (oversees protected appellations of wines, spirits, cheeses, and other foodstuffs) became the L’Institut National de l’Origine et de la Qualité— retained its former acronym. INAO brought its appellation system in line with new EU standards in 2009 + established “Appellation d’Origine Protégée” (AOP). French AOPs fall within EU’s Protected Designation of Origin (PDO) category, + existing AOC + new AOP designations are complementary: going forward, producers may choose to use one or the other on their labels.

Question 2

France - Vin de Pays / Indication Géographique Protégée (IGP):

Answer 2

~ 2nd Tier - Less restrictive, Widely varying quality ~
- 29% of all french wine released under this classification
- As the wines fall within the EU’s PGI (Protected Geographic Indication) category, must be produced from Vitis vinifera vines or hybrids,
+ minimum 85% grapes must be sourced from the stated geographical area.

• Yields are set:
  white wines @ 90 hl/ha
  red and rosé wines @ 85 hl/ha
  + total output for any producer making Vin de Pays must fall within 100 hl/ha.
• Minimum alcohol levels:
  Range from 9% to 10%.
• There are three levels of IGP zones:
  regional, departmental, and local.

Extensive Details:
The Vin Délimité de Qualité Supérieure (VDQS, or AOVDQS) category was created in 1949 as a steppingstone to AOC, but the INAO eliminated the category in 2011, with most VDQS regions advancing to full AOC/AOP status. VINIFLHOR, a government agricultural office, used to oversee Vin de Pays regulations but control of the category was transferred to the INAO after the European reforms were finalized. Producers of Vin de Pays observe controls on added sulfur and total acidity, submit wines to tasting panels for approval, and source grapes from within the specified region. Just as AOC and AOP now coexist, Vin de Pays producers may now choose to label their wines as Indication Géographique Protégée (IGP).

Question 3

France - Vin de France

(Formerly Table Wine / Vin de Table / Vin Ordinaires):

Answer 3

~ Last Tier - Lowest quality, Basic, Least Restrictive ~

Extensive Detail:
Previously, table wines could not state varietal, vintage, or place of origin on the label. As of 2009, the table wine category was rechristened as Vin de France, + both vintage and varietal may now appear on the label. This change, designed to allow basic French wines to compete with New World varietal wines, coincided with the approval of new practices for table wines, including acidification and the use of oak chips.