French Laws (AOC/P)

Question 1

French Wine Laws referred to as

Answer 1

Appellation d’Origine Contrôlée/Protégée

AOC/P

Question 2

Vin de pays

Answer 2

• “country wine”
• refers to mostly wines made in important but not classic wine regions
• relaxed winemaking restrictions
• can be labeled by grape varietal (like USA)
• important vin de pays regions are in souther France, specially Vin de Pays d’Oc (around 80% of wines in this category are made here)
• more than 1/4 of wines in France

Question 3

Vin Délimité de Qualité Supérieure

VDQS

Answer 3

• just below top quality classification
• “delimited wine of superior quality”
• temporary classification: for particular wine regions in France that aspire to move into the top quality classification

Question 4

Appellation d’Origine Contrôlée/Protégée

AOC/P

Answer 4

• Strictest and highest quality classification
• Origin: 100% of grapes used must be from vineyards within the AOC
• Approved grapes: wines must be made from grape varietals or varietal approved in that region
• Harvest: AOC/P regulates min. and max. alcohol content found in wines in specific regions, this dictates time of harvest and ripeness
• Yield: max. and min. amount of grapes, in weight, that can be harvested each vintage. Different in each region
• Aging: told how long to age and what materials to use to age
• Viti and vini: how grapevines grow, how vineyards are planted, and how wine is produced is regulated, different in each reagion

Question 5

French government strictly enforces these AOC/P laws with the___________

Answer 5

Institut Nationale Des Appellations

INAO

Question 6

Vin Rouge
Vin Blanc
Vin Rosé
Sec
Doux

Answer 6

Red wine
White Wine
Rosé wine
Dry
Sweet

Question 7

Côte

Answer 7

Hill or Slope

Question 8

Clos

Answer 8

Walled vineyard, common in Burgundy

Question 9

Château

Answer 9

Wine estate, common in Bordeaux

Question 10

Domaine

Answer 10

Vineyard estate, common in Burgundy

Question 11

Supérieur

Answer 11

Term used to indicate wine of higher quality than minimum standards, often earned with higher alcohol content and/or lower yields

Question 12

Cru

Answer 12

Vineyard or growth.
Commonly seen as: “Grand Cru” (great growth) or “Premier Cru”(first growth), quality designations that refer to top wines and have different meanings in the various regions of France

Question 13

Vin de Table

Answer 13

• lowest quality and least strict classification
• “table wines”
• fewest restrictions
• these wines can be made with grapes from anywhere in France
• cannot mention specific region or grape variety, simply Vin Blanc, Vin Rouge, Vin Rosé and Produit de France.

Question 14

AOC Laws where first stablished in

Answer 14

1930’s