French Wine Law (R)

Question 1

What does AOC stand for?

Answer 1

Appellation d’Origine Controlee

Question 2

When was the AOC system created?

Answer 2

1935

Question 3

Who created the AOC system?

Answer 3

INAO (Institut national de l’origine et de qualite) (aka National Institute of Origin and Quality)

Question 4

How do the French label their wines?

Answer 4

In reference to where the grape was grown.

Question 5

Why was the AOC system created?

Answer 5

1. To combat fraud arising from successive attacks of vine disease and lasting impact of phylloxera epidemic in late 1800’s. 2. To ensure authenticity and typicity of style

Question 6

Define “typicity”.

Answer 6

A term in wine tasting used to describe the degree to which a wine reflects its varietal origins and thus demonstrates the signature characteristics of the grape from which it was produced.

Question 7

What rules were adopted as the basis for the broader AOC system?

Answer 7

• The rules created by Baron Le Roy in 1923 in Chateauneuf-du-Pape. - In 1905, legislation (the “Law of 1905”) was enacted to prevent the misrepresentation of products - Baron Le Roy and other producers created a set of rules for viticulture to raise and ensure quality - Laid the framework for delimiting vineyard areas and appellations

Question 8

What does the AOC system regulate?

Answer 8

Places where the best French wines can be made and how they can be produced in the interest of quality.

Question 9

What is the AOP and when was it created?

Answer 9

• Appellation d’Origine Protegee - Quality designation intended to raise quality and achieve uniform standards across all member countries - This is a protected designation of origin as a EU wide appellation - Created in 2009 (*My own research says the AOP completely replaced the AOC as of 2012. It will take some time for labeling to catch up, but ultimately AOC’s will simply convert to AOP’s creating a simplified 3 level ladder of quality - Vin de France, Indication Geographique Protegee (IGP), and AOP)

Question 10

What are the AOC / AOP quality levels?

Answer 10

1. Vin de France 2. Indication Geographique Protegee (IGP) 3. AOP / AOC (Appellation d’Origine Protegee / Appellation d’Origine Controlee)

Question 11

True or False: Vin de France is a quality level that produces wines without geographic indication.

Answer 11

True

Question 12

True or False: IGP / Vin de Pays is a quality level that produces wines without geographic indication.

Answer 12

False

Question 13

True or False: AOP / AOC is a quality level that produces wines with a geographic indication.

Answer 13

True

Question 14

Which levels of quality produce wines with geographic indication?

Answer 14

1. IGP / Vin de Pays 2. AOP / AOC

Question 15

Which levels of quality produce wines without geographic indication?

Answer 15

1. Vin de France

Question 16

How much of French wine is Vin de France?

Answer 16

20%

Question 17

How much of French wine is IGP / Vin de Pays?

Answer 17

30%

Question 18

How much of French wine is AOP / AOC?

Answer 18

50%

Question 19

What are the rules of Vin de France?

Answer 19

1. Least restrictive designation 2. High yields permitted 3. No specific place of origin allowed 4. Variety/vintage allowed on label 5. Oak chips allowed

Question 20

What are the rules of Indication Geographique Protegee (IGP) / Vin de Pays?

Answer 20

1. 74 delimited regions 2. Divided into: - Regional Areas - Departmental Areas - Zones 3. Fewer restrictions that AOP / AOC 4. Hybrids allowed 5. Can be varietally labeled 6. 85% of fruit must originate from stated geographic region

Question 21

What are the rules of Appellation d’Origine Protegee (AOP) / Appellation d’Origine Controlee (AOC)?

Answer 21

1. Highest, most exacting designation of French wines 2. Boundaries precisely defined and regulated - Can be a large regional area, smaller village, or even single vineyard 3. Grape or grape varieties planted are strictly regulated 4. Viticultural practices are regulated: - What is planted and where - Yield per hectare - Type of vine training - Irrigation (if permitted at all) - Min/Max Alcohol levels 5. Vinification/Winemaking Technique - Aging requirements - Residual sugar allowance - 100% of grapes must come from stated AOC/AOP

Question 22

IGP contains __ delimited regions.

Answer 22

74

Question 23

What quality level did Vin de France replace?

Answer 23

Vin de Table (in 2010)

Question 24

What quality level did IGP replace?

Answer 24

Vin de Pays (in 2012)

Question 25

What quality level did AOP replace?

Answer 25

AOC (in 2012)

Question 26

What is the designation QWPSR?

Answer 26

• Quality Wines Produced in Specific Regions - Includes VDQS and AOC wines (but VDQS was abolished in 2011 and AOC is being replaced by AOP)

Question 27

What is the designation VDQS?

Answer 27

• Vin délimité de qualité supérieure (aka. Delimited Wine of Superior Quality) - Less strict than AOC, usually used for smaller areas or as a “waiting room” for potential AOCs. This category was abolished at the end of 2011.

Question 28

What will happen to VDQS wines since the designation was abolished in 2011?

Answer 28

They must either qualify for AOP or be downgraded to IGP.

Question 29

Define “delimit”.

Answer 29

To define the limits or boundaries of.