Wine Law (General)

Question 1

What is the Griffe Law, and why was it passed?

Answer 1

A law passed in 1889 defining wine as the product of fermentation of fresh grapes and outlining acceptable winemaking practices (chaptalization, fining, etc.).

It was a reaction to the rampant and dangerous fraud in the wake of phylloxera.

Question 2

What were the first three delimited areas in France for wine?

Answer 2

Bordeaux
Banyuls
Champagne

Question 3

What were the first delimited areas in France for spirits?

Answer 3

Cognac
Armagnac

Question 4

When did the Syndicate of Chateauneuf du Pape create their appellation rules, and what did they govern?

Answer 4

1923-1926

Varieties (10)
Minimum alcohol
No Chaptalization
No Rose

Question 5

Who was the leader of the CDP appellation movement?

Answer 5

Baron le Roy of Chateau Fortia

Question 6

How long must a DOC be extant before it can apply for DOGC status?

Answer 6

5 years

Question 7

What is Naturwein?

Answer 7

“Natural wine,” or wine that is unchaptalized.

Question 8

What is Verbesserte?

Answer 8

“Improved” or chaptalized wine.

Question 9

When were the terms Naturwein and Verbesserte abolished?

Answer 9

1971

Question 10

When the VDP was founded in 1910, what was its original aim?

Answer 10

It was dedicated to the production of Naturwein.

Question 11

What is Qualitätswein garantierten Ursprungs (QgU)?

Answer 11

“quality wines of guaranteed origin” - a category of German wine law from 1994-2007

Question 12

When did the European Economic Community (EEC) become the European Union (EU)?

Answer 12

1993

Question 13

What did the first EEC Common Market Organization (CMO) for wine do?

Answer 13

Divided all wine into Quality Wines Produced in a Specific Region (QWPSR) and Table Wine.

Question 14

When was the EU CMO reformed?

Answer 14

2008

Question 15

What are the main CMO reforms (2008)?

Answer 15

Liberalization of planting rights (ban on planting rights lifted, though planting/replanting is limited)
Grubbing Up Scheme
End of Distillation Subsidies
National Envelopes (annual funding for each member nation)
Liberalization of Winemaking Practices (oak chips, MCR permitted)
Lower Limits on Chaptalization
New Labeling requirements (all wines are now either with or without Geographical Designation)

Question 16

What is the limit for chaptalization in Climate Zone A?

Answer 16

3% (Germany, Czech, UK)

Question 17

What is the limit for chaptalization in Climate Zone B?

Answer 17

2% (Alsace, Champagne, Loire, Austria)

Question 18

What is the limit for chaptalization in Climate Zone C?

Answer 18

1.5% Bordeaux, Burgundy

Question 19

RS for Sec/Trocken/Száraz

Answer 19

0-4 (or 0-9)

Question 20

RS for Demi-sec/Halbtrocken/Abboccato

Answer 20

4-12 (or 9-18)

Question 21

RS for Moelleux/Amabile

Answer 21

12/18-45

Question 22

RS for Doux/Dolce/Édes

Answer 22

> 45

Question 23

Must US wines exported to the EU meet the 85% varietal requirement?

Answer 23

NO, there is a bilateral agreement between the EU and USA.

Question 24

What are the legal requirements for PDO?

Answer 24

Quality and characteristics are essentially or exclusively due to a particular geographic environment with its inherent natural and human factors.
100% of grapes come from this area
Produced in the area
Vitis Vinifera only

Question 25

What are the legal requirements for IGP?

Answer 25

Possesses a specific quality, reputation, or other characteristic attributable to that geographical origin
85% of grapes come from this area
Produced in the area
Vitis Vinifera or Vitis Hybrids only

Question 26

What hybrids are banned from use in IGP wines?

Answer 26

Noah
Othello
Isabelle
Jacquez
Clinton
Herbemont

Question 27

May PDO and PGI wines label by varietal?

Answer 27

YES (was NO pre-2009)

Question 28

What are the compulsory particulars for PDO and PGI wines for the front label?

Answer 28

PDO/PGI (may be spelled out), + name of said PDO/PGI
Actual alcoholic strength (+/-.5%)
Country of Origin
Name of Bottler/Producer
Indication of Importer
Indication of sugar content for sparkling wines
Indication of allergens (egg whites, dairy for fining, etc.)

Question 29

What is a “tied-house”?

Answer 29

A situation wherein a producer of alcohol offers a retailer an inducement to sell his product (pre-prohibition, many saloons were owned by brewers, etc.)

Question 30

What information is mandatory on bottles of wine in the USA?

Answer 30

Class or type of wine
Brand name
Bottler’s name & address
ABV
Net contents
Surgeon General’s warning
Contains Sulfites (at more than 10ppm)

Question 31

What are the tolerances for abv listing?

Answer 31

1.5% for wines 14%
Ranges are acceptable:
3% under 14% (11-14%)
2% above 14%
Wines under 14% may label simply as “table wine” or “light wine”

Question 32

100% Organic

Answer 32

Contains only organically grown grapes and has no added sulfites

Question 33

Organic

Answer 33

Contains at least 95% organically grown grapes, and has no added sulfites. Added yeasts must be certified organic.

Question 34

Made with Organically Grown Grapes

Answer 34

Contains at least 70% organically grown grapes and may contain up to 100ppm of sulfites. Added yeasts need not be organic.

Question 35

Must European wines labeled Organic meet USDA standards to use the term on bottles for export?

Answer 35

YES