Quick overview of France's appellation laws

The increase in trade and export led to increases in wine fraud, whereby inferior wines were labeled as superior wines, or inferior wines were blended with the wines of well-known producers. A number of laws to fight cheating were passed in 1935. They established the Appellation d`Origine Contrôlée system, which is governed by a powerful oversight board (Institut National des Appellations d’Origine - INAO). Consequently, France has one of the oldest appellation systems for wine in the world, and strictest laws concerning winemaking and production. Many other European systems are modelled on it. With European Union wine laws being modelled on those of the French, this trend is likely to continue with further EU expansion.

French law divides wine into four categories, with two falling under the European Union`s Table Wine category and two falling under the EU`s Quality Wine Produced in a Specific Region (QWPSR) designation. The categories are:

Table wine:
* Vin de table - Carries with it only the producer and the designation that it`s from France.
* Vin de pays - Carries with it a specific region within France (ex. Vin de Pays d`Oc). Any French varietal can be grown in any region as long as the yield is restricted to 80hl/ha.

QWPSR:
* Appelation Contrôlée (AC) - A locale within a region (ex. Côte de Beaune)
* Appelation d`Origine Contrôlée (AOC) - Indicates a specific vineyard (ex. Château Margaux)

France`s best-known regional appellation system was developed in 1855, in preparation for the Great International Exposition in Paris. At the request of the Bordeaux Chamber of Commerce, the Union of Brokers Attached to the Bordeaux Market identified the Grands Crus (Great Growths) du Medoc and organized them into five categories. The rankings were based entirely on recent prices.

White wines in Bordeaux were also ranked. One (present-day Château d`Yquem) was uniquely ranked above all others in its own category, that of Premier Cru Superieur (Superior First Growth). There were 11 First Growths and 12 Second Growth white wines. These, too, were established entirely on the basis of prices in 1855.

Within two years after the classification system was published, wine sales by the classified producers increased over 250 percent. With the passage of time, many of the châteaux acquired additional vineyards far away, some sold part of their vineyards, some let their vineyards deteriorate, and many other changes occurred.

Wine critic Robert M. Parker, Jr. argues that the classification has long created an injustice to consumers because it has caused mediocre wines to be sold for too much and good wine to be sold for too little. He says that the archaic rankings ``should be regarded by both the wine connoiseur and the novice as informational items of historical significance only.``

Bourgogne`s classification system was created in 1861 for the Paris World`s Fair in 1862. It has 110 appellations in an area only one-fifth the size of Bordeaux. Complicating the system is the fact that many villages have hyphenated their names to include that of their best vineyard. This promotes sales but tends to confuse consumers.

Xavier Auzas