Wines of France Flashcards
What can you tell me about the stats of the wines of France?
- France is the largest wine producer (Italy is #2).
- Second largest number of vineyard area (Spain #1). But the rain in Spain falls mainly way from the vineyards, so they are not as productive.
What else can you tell me about the history of wine and its origins?
Cultivation started in the 6th Century BC with the colonization of the Greeks. After that time, the Roman empire controlled wine production by lands under their control.
What can you tell me about terroir?
Terroir links the style of the wines to the specific locations where the grapes are grown and the wine is made, and the Appellation d’Origine Controlee (AOC/AOP) system
What can you tell me about appellation rules?
Appellation rules closely define which grape varieties and winemaking practices are approved for classification in each of France’s several hundred geographically defined appellations, which can cover entire regions, individual villages or even specific vineyards.
What can you tell me about wine laws in France?
In 1953 numerous laws were passed to control the quality of French wine. They established the Appellation d’Origine Controlee (AOC) system, which is goverened by a powerful oversight board (Institute National des Appellations d’Origine, INAO). Consequently, France has one of the oldest systems for protected designation of origin of wine in the world, and strict laws concerning winemaking and production.
What’s the background about the appellation of wines?
In the 1930’s, producers of higher-quality wines voiced concerns with the overabundance of lower-quality wines and other industry issues. like fraud and mislabeling.
The organization and AOC system were formed in response with hope of providing a “guarantee” of quality and consistency and the solidification of what practices (in the vineyard and throughout the wine-making process) constitute wines from each region.
What can you tell me about the old system regarding the appellation of wines? (1935)
- Created INAO (Institut National des Appellations d’Origine)
- Created the AOC system (Appellation d’Origine Controlee)
- Created French laws and 4 main wine categories (Vin de Table, Vine de Pays, Vin Delimite de Qualite Superieure, Appellations d’Origine Controlee)
How many regions does the INAO consist of?
The INAO consists of 12 regional committees (e.g., Alsace and eastern France; Champagne; Southwest; Loire Balley; Burgundy; etc)
What is AOC?
“Controlled Designation of Origin”; it defined strict, specific, appellation characteristics to help guide the consumer, promote minimum levels of quality and energize growers into producing better wines. Today it extends to many products including wine, cheese, butter , lavander, and lentils.
What’s the connection between AOC and land (aka terroir)?
The AOC concept is based on the idea of “terroir.” Terroir means land in FRance, and the term represents the idea that the land is the KEY FACTOR in the agricultural products and that the products should reflect the unique geography and climate of the land (a sense of “place”)
Tell me more about the Vin de Table
-‘Vin de France’ in the new EU system.
-Most basic quality tier for French wines.
-Accounts for 11.7% of the wine. -On label, listed from FRance along with producer
-By law does not list grape varietal, vintage, regions, appellation or production techniques
-Large percentage is “box wine” for cheaper economies of scale
What’s does the controversial categorization of wines refers to? (think about terroir)
Wines are ‘downgraded’ to Vin de FRance either because they’re produced outside officially delimited AOC/AOP and VDP/IGP zones, or because they are made with unsactionaed grape variates or blends.
Ex. Chateau Palmer’s “Historical XIXth Century Blend”, combines Cabernet SAuvignon and Merlot from MArgaux with Syrah from the northern Rhone Valley (Hermitage)
Baden Thunevin’s ‘Vin Interdit’. A wine which otherwise would have been classified as Saint-Emilion Grand Cru was relegated to Vin de Table because the vines were covered with plastic sheeting during a period of heavy rain (an act forbidden under Saint-Emilion appellation law).
What can you tell me about Alsace and its controversial categorization?
Alsace.
1. Production of great wines Alsace is not recognized because of their labeling techniques
2. Printing the name of the grape on the label instead of the region forces its classification to be downgraded.
3. Alsace land has gone back and fourth under control of France and German
4. Zind’, a Chardonnay-dominant wine from respected Alsace producer Zind-Humbrecht. The use of Chardonnay in still wines is not permitted under the Alsace AOC laws, and the region has no VDP/IGP titles, leaving Vin de France as the only category available for this high-quality wine.
What can you tell me about the Vin de Pays classification (which no longer exists) ?
-Vin de Pays classification was replaced for Indication Geographique Protogee in 2012
-It has 3 levels of Geographical specificity
a. Regionaux - Regional - 6 divisions
(1) Vin de Pays d’Or (Languedoc-Roussillon)
(2) Vin de Pays de Jardin (Loire)
(3) Vin de Pays de Comte Tolosan (South West France)
(4) Vin de Pays Portes de Mediterranee (Southeast, Provence, Corsica)
(5) Vin de Pays Comtes Rhodaniens (Rhone)/Vine de Pays de l’Atalantique (Bordeaux and Charentes)
(6) Vin de Pays des Cotes de Gascogne (Armagnac)/Vin de Pays Charentais (Cognac)
b. DEpartementaux-Departamental - about 50
c. Zonal-Local-specific titles about 93
What can you tell me about the Vin de Pays categorization?
*Indication Geographique Protegee (IGP) in the new EU system.
*The middle tier of French wine introduced in 1986 by INAO.
*Accounted for ~34% of the wine
*Label includes - designation were produced from a specific, major, wine-growing region, they also state the producers name and France.
What can you tell me about the Vin Delimite de Quality Superieure?
Accounted for .9% of French wine.
This category is often joked as being the “waiting room for the well-known (and higher esteemed) AOC designation
What can you tell me about the Appellation d’Origine Controlee (AOC/AOP)?
-Accounts for about 53.4% of wines in FRance.
-There are about 450 different AOCs/AOPs within France.
-The highest designation is of course the one with the most restrictions and requirements.
What are the restrictions of the Appellation d’Origine Controlee (AOC/AOP)
- Specific geological area where the fruit is grown and the wine is made
- Type of allowable grape variety planted in the vinewyard
- Specific production methods
- Minimum levels of alcohol
- Maximum levels of yields, vine age
- Minimum vineyard planting densitites
- Rules for harvesting and vinification techniques
- Restrictions on where the cellars must be located
What are the three tiers of wine classification today?
1) Vin the France (Replaced Vin de Table). Allows wine labels to include the type of grape variety and the specific vintage for the wine.
2) Indication Geographique Protegee (Replaced Vin de Pays). IGP wines offer growers and producers a myriad of choices as there are no restrictions on grape varieties. Estates are also allowed to blend grapes or wine from multiple appellations.
3) Appellation d’Origine Protegee (AOP) which replaced (AOC). This is a special classification (regional “Cru” or vineyard classification). Commune/Village (e.g., Saint Julien, Pouilly-Fuisee); Sub-Regional (e.g., Medoc, Macon-Villages); Regional (e.g., Bordeaux, Burgundy)
Organic and Biodynamic wines are now also certified. Minimum of a 3-yr period, the wine maker must use only organic farming techniques. .
What else can you tell me about the percentages/distribution of France’s wine classification?
45% is AOC
33% is IGP
13% is Vine de France
(this was 2013 stats)
Remember that for the AOP there are Special Classification, Commune/Village classifications (e.g., Saint Julien, Pouilly-Fuisse), Sub-Regional (e.g., Medoc, Macon-Villages), and Regional (e.g., Bordeux, Burgundy)? Well, now, let’s talk about some of the special regional French classification.
What can you tell me about some of this classification for Burgundy?
[my own question, are these all from AOP]
In Burgundy, you have four regional French classifications:
1) Grand Cru (2% vineyards are top tier; label has vineyard and classification status listed)
2) Premier Cru (12% vineyards in 2nd tier; label has village then vineyard listed)
3) Village Wines (3rd tier classification; usually is blended from multiple villages or vineyards)
4) Regional Wines (lowest level classification)
Remember that for the AOP there are Special Classification, Commune/Village classifications (e.g., Saint Julien, Pouilly-Fuisse), Sub-Regional (e.g., Medoc, Macon-Villages), and Regional (e.g., Bordeux, Burgundy)? Well, now, let’s talk about some of the special regional French classification.
What can you tell me about some of this classification for CHABLIS?
Chablis, Although in Burgundy, it has its own classification - Grand Cru, Premier Cru, Village Chablis and Petit Chablis
Remember that for the AOP there are Special Classification, Commune/Village classifications (e.g., Saint Julien, Pouilly-Fuisse), Sub-Regional (e.g., Medoc, Macon-Villages), and Regional (e.g., Bordeux, Burgundy)? Well, now, let’s talk about some of the special regional French classification.
What can you tell me about some of this classification of LANGUEDOC?
The five best know sub-appellations in the Languedoc include Languedoc AOC (formerly known as the Coteaux du Languedoc), Corbieres AOC, Faugeres AOC, Minervois AOC, and SAint-Chinian AOcs. These are now know as Languedoc Cru. There are new sub-sub-appellations in the works, and Roussillon is now part of the larger Languedoc AOC.
Remember that for the AOP there are Special Classification, Commune/Village classifications (e.g., Saint Julien, Pouilly-Fuisse), Sub-Regional (e.g., Medoc, Macon-Villages), and Regional (e.g., Bordeux, Burgundy)? Well, now, let’s talk about some of the special regional French classification.
What can you tell me about some of this classification for Beujolais?
Although in Burgundy, Beaujolais has its own classification:
1) Beaujolais Cru
2) Beaujolais Villages
and
3) Beaujolais AOC/AOP
What can you tell me about other French classifications?
Champagne classifies by level of quality of the grapes, terroir and soil. Grand Cru champagne, followed by Premier Cru Champagne.
St. Emilion - Grande Cru Classe A (4), Grand Cru Classe B(14), Grand Cru Classe (63), Grand Cru (>200)
Alsace - has only two levels of classification, Grand Cru and Alsace AOC/AOP
What are some criticisms of the AOC?
Many argue that while the AOC keeps traditional wine-making methods alive, its rules also stifle any form of “creativity” for the winemakers.
Restrictions to specific grapes and pruning methods make it difficult to produce in France.
