EU Wine Law

Question 1

What is the government organization in France that oversees the AOC system?

Answer 1

Institut National de l’Origine et de la Qualité

Question 2

what does AOC stand for?

Answer 2

Appellation d’Origine Contrôlée

Quick tip; when figuring out what the appellation is on a French wine, look for those AOC words. the appellation will be between “ appellation” and “Contrôlée”

Question 3

why was the AOC system created, and in what year?

Answer 3

To combat rampant wine fraud and restore trust in France’s wine industry.
It was created in 1935

Question 4

The need for the AOC system in France was ignited due to rampant wine fraud in the late 1800s. Why did wine fraud happen in the first place?

Answer 4

Chronic wine shortages where everywhere in France following the outbreak and lasting effects of phylloxera, which ad started in the late 1800s.
There were wine shortages also due to vine disease sustained several years in a row.

Question 5

What does the AOC system do?

Answer 5

It defines, protects, and regulates the authenticity and quality of certain wines and wine regions within France.

Question 6

give an example of how the AOC regulates wine from a specific region.

Answer 6

it regulates what grapes are allowed to be planted in specific wine regions.

Question 7

Are most French wines identified by their AOC or grape they’re made from?

Answer 7

AOC.
For example, chardonnay is grown pretty much all over France, but it performs differently in different AOCs. In cool climate Chablis, chardonnay is lean, focused, flinty, and shows bright lemon notes while in Mâconnais, a warmer climate, chardonnay is richer and rounder with riper stone and apple fruits. This is why people talk about France’s wines by appellation, not by the grape; they talk about the style of the place.

Question 8

What does AOP stand for?

Answer 8

Appellation d’Origine Protégée

Question 9

When was the AOP system created and by whom?

Answer 9

2009. created by the EU as a wine-quality designation with the intent of raising quality standards across all countries with the EU.

Note: AOC is same thing as AOP, but the latter is the revised designation (with higher standards) and was changed in 2009

Question 10

what were the 2 quality categories created in the AOP system?

Answer 10

1. wines WITH geographic indication

2. wines WITHOUT geographic indication

Question 11

what is the quality level in France that is equivalent to an AOP wine WITHOUT geographic indication?

Answer 11

Vin de France

1/5 of all France wines are VdF

Question 12

Which has fewer restriction: IGP or AOC wines?

Answer 12

• IGP = fewewr restrictions than AOC

- AOC = the most restrictive

Question 13

What is the least restrictive designation in France?

Answer 13

Vin de France is the least restrictive designation, which means a winemaker has a lot of latitude to do what they want – they can put grapes in blends that aren’t allowed under AOC laws, use grapes outside of a delimited AOC area, maybe not age a wine as long as the AOC laws require, etc.

Question 14

What are wines with the Vin de France designation allowed to do (or not do)?

Answer 14

• high yields are ok
• don’t need to put a specific place on the label stating where the wine is from
• grape and vintage are allowed on the label

Question 15

are oak chips allowed to be used in wines with the Vin de France appellation?

Answer 15

Yes, oak chips are allowed in Vin de France wines

Question 16

Hybrid grape varietals:
Are they allowed in IGP wines?
Are they allowed in AOC wines?

Answer 16

Hybrids are allowed for IGP, but not for AOC

Question 17

Which of the following is true:

1. Neither IGP nor AOC wines are allowed to put the name of the grape on the label.
2. IGP wines can be labeled by grape, but AOC wines cannot.
3. AOC wines can be labeled by grape, but IGP wines cannot.
4. Both IGP and AOC wines can be labeled by grape.

Answer 17

2. IGP wines can be labelled by their grape, AOC wines cannot put the name of the grape on their label

Question 18

what are the two quality levels in France that allow wines WITH geographic indication?

Answer 18

1. IGP/Vin de Pays
   - 30% of all French wine
2. AOC/AOP
   - 50% of all French wine

Question 19

What are some of the tightest restrictions AOC laws impose on winemakers who want to use the AOC on their labels?

Answer 19

Vineyard practices regulated:
•	what grapes are planted
•	crop yields
•	irrigation, if it's even permitted
•	type of vine trellising
•	alcohol minimums and maximums
Winemaking techniques regulated:
•	whether residual sugar is allowed and how much
•	aging + bottling requirements
•	100% of the grapes used must be from the stated AOC/AOP

Question 20

When a wine is labeled with an AOC/AOP, what percentage of grapes must come from stated area?

Answer 20

100%

Question 21

In Italy, what is the quality level that corresponds to wines WITHOUT a geographic indication?

Answer 21

Vino

Question 22

In Italy, what is the quality level that corresponds to wines WITH a geographic indication?

Answer 22

• IGP/IGT

- DOP (Includes DOC + DOCG)

Question 23

In Germany, what is the quality level that corresponds to wines WITHOUT a geographic indication?

Answer 23

Wein

Question 24

In Germany, what is the quality level that corresponds to wines WITH a geographic indication?

Answer 24

1. Landwein (PGI)
2. Qualitätswein (PDO)
3. Prädikatswein (PDO)

Question 25

In Austria, what is the quality level that corresponds to wines WITHOUT a geographic indication?

Answer 25

Wein

Question 26

In Austria, what is the quality level that corresponds to wines WITH a geographic indication?

Answer 26

1. Landwein (PGI)
2. Qualitätswein (PDO)
   • w/in this is the Districtus Austriae Controllatus (DAC), which is for dry wines only
3. Prädikatswein (PDO)

Question 27

In Spain, what is the quality level that corresponds to wines WITHOUT a geographic indication?

Answer 27

Vino

Question 28

In Spain, what is the quality level that corresponds to wines WITH a geographic indication?

Answer 28

1. IGP/Vino de la Tierra
2. DOP
   • VCIG (Vinos de Calidad con Indicación Geogáfica)
   • DO (Denominación de Origen)
   • DOCa (Denominación de Origen Calificada
   • Vino de Pagos

Question 29

In Portugal, what is the quality level that corresponds to wines WITHOUT a geographic indication?

Answer 29

Vinho

Question 30

In Portugal, what is the quality level that corresponds to wines WITH a geographic indication?

Answer 30

1. IGP

2. DOP