In France, as
in other wine-producing EU countries, from the time grapes are
picked until they are purchased, they are subject to stringent
documentation, all French wine production being
controlled by two organisations: The
Institut National des Appellations d'Origine (IANO)
which controls the hierarchy of French quality wines, and
the Service de Repression des
Fraudes, which is responsible for seeing that the laws
on wine are carried out.
The following terms
describe the quality of the
wine:
QWPSR: Quality Wine Produced
in a Specific Region:
- Appellation Contrôlée
- Vin Délimité de Qualité Supérieure
Table wines:
Quality Wine AC
or AOC: Appellation d'Origine Contrôlée
This is the
highest grade of French wine. The qualifications vary from
region to region but these things will always feature:
- Areas of production
- Grape varieties allowed
- Viticultural practices (planting
distances, pruning methods etc.)
- Maximum permitted yield per hectare
- Vinification methods (wine
production) including ageing
- The minimum alcoholic degree in the wine that must be
achieved without must-enrichment
Supérieur
Some regions have the right
to the additional qualification superiéur, e.g. Mâcon
Supérieur, Bordeaux Supérieur. This means that the wines have
a slightly higher alcohol level than the basic appellation.
VDQS: Vins Délimités de Qualité
Supérieure
This quality is between table wine and
AC wine and this category is diminishing as many wines are
graduating to a higher level (e.g. Minervois and Corbières)
but some wines remain at this level (e.g. Bugey). The
laws are almost the same as for AC but are less stringent on
yields or grape varieties.
Table
Wines
- Vin de Pays There are 141 types of
vin de pays all over France and represent about 20% of total
production. This grade was brought in to give added value to
certain Vins de Table and also to help reduce the quantity
of poorer quality bulk wine produced in areas such as the
Midi. Area of production can be regional (e.g. Vin de Pays
d'Oc which covers four départments or Vin de Pays de'Aude
which is one départment). It can even be zonal within a
départment. Grape varieties are usually much broader
than for a local AC or VDQS.
- Vins de Table Accounts for 30% of French wine
production, and can be produced anywhere in the country
without restrictions on grape variety.
Some French labelling terms
Blanc : white
Brut : dry (usually sparkling wine)
Cave : cellar (often underground) or wine-making
establishment
Cave Co-operative : wine-maker's
co-operative
Cépage : grape variety
Chai : warehouse
for storing wine, usually in barrels, above ground
Châteaux estate : It may or may not have a manor house
Clos : walled vineyard (walls might have been lost in
time)
Côte : hillside
Coteaux : hillsides
Cru :
growth, usually high quality vineyard or district
Cru
Classé : classified vineyard, usually in Bordeaux
Cuve :
vat or tank
Cuvée : blend (has a special meaning in
champagne)
Demi-sec : medium dry
Départment : French
political region, a bit like an English county
Domaine :
estate
Doux : sweet
Eau-de-vie : spirit
Grand vin
de ... : great wine of, but just a marketing term
Manipulant : grape grower who also makes wines from those
grapes, especially champagne
Mis en bouteille : bottled
Mis en bouteille au château : château bottled
Raisin :
grape
Rouge : red
Sec : dry
Supérieur : indicated
extra 0.5% or 1% volume
Vignoble : vineyard
Vin :
wine
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