French Wine Law (R) Flashcards
What does AOC stand for?
Appellation d’Origine Controlee
When was the AOC system created?
1935
Who created the AOC system?
INAO (Institut national de l’origine et de qualite) (aka National Institute of Origin and Quality)
How do the French label their wines?
In reference to where the grape was grown.
Why was the AOC system created?
- 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
Define “typicity”.
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.
What rules were adopted as the basis for the broader AOC system?
- 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
What does the AOC system regulate?
Places where the best French wines can be made and how they can be produced in the interest of quality.
What is the AOP and when was it created?
- 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)
What are the AOC / AOP quality levels?
- Vin de France 2. Indication Geographique Protegee (IGP) 3. AOP / AOC (Appellation d’Origine Protegee / Appellation d’Origine Controlee)
True or False: Vin de France is a quality level that produces wines without geographic indication.
True
True or False: IGP / Vin de Pays is a quality level that produces wines without geographic indication.
False
True or False: AOP / AOC is a quality level that produces wines with a geographic indication.
True
Which levels of quality produce wines with geographic indication?
- IGP / Vin de Pays 2. AOP / AOC
Which levels of quality produce wines without geographic indication?
- Vin de France
How much of French wine is Vin de France?
20%
How much of French wine is IGP / Vin de Pays?
30%
How much of French wine is AOP / AOC?
50%
What are the rules of Vin de France?
- Least restrictive designation 2. High yields permitted 3. No specific place of origin allowed 4. Variety/vintage allowed on label 5. Oak chips allowed
What are the rules of Indication Geographique Protegee (IGP) / Vin de Pays?
- 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
What are the rules of Appellation d’Origine Protegee (AOP) / Appellation d’Origine Controlee (AOC)?
- 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
IGP contains __ delimited regions.
74
What quality level did Vin de France replace?
Vin de Table (in 2010)
What quality level did IGP replace?
Vin de Pays (in 2012)
