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Flashcards in EU Wine Law Deck (29)
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1
Q

What is the government organization in France that oversees the AOC system?

A

Institut National de l’Origine et de la Qualité

2
Q

What does AOC stand for?

A

Appellation d’Origine Contrôlée

Quick tip: when figuring out what the appellation is on a French wine, look for those AOC words. The appellation will be between “Appellation” and “Contrôlée.”

3
Q

Why was the AOC system created, and in what year?

A

To combat rampant wine fraud and restore trust in France’s wine industry.

It was created in 1935.

4
Q

The need for the AOC system in France was ignited due to rampant wine fraud in the late 1800s.

Why did wine fraud happen in the first place?

A

Chronic wine shortages were everywhere in France following the outbreak and lasting effects of phylloxera, which had started in the late 1800s.

There were wine shortages also due to vine disease sustained several years in a row.

5
Q

What does the AOC system do?

A

It defines, protects, and regulates the authenticity and quality of certain wines and wine regions within France.

6
Q

Give an example of how the AOC regulates wines from a specific region.

A

It regulates what grapes are allowed to be planted in specific wine regions.

7
Q

Are most French wines identified by their AOC or the grape they’re made from?

A

AOC

For example, chardonnay is grown pretty much all over France but it perfoms differently in different AOCs. In cool climate Chablis, chardonnay is lean, focused, flinty, and shows bright lemon notes while in Mâconnais, a warmer climate, chardonnay is richer and rounder with riper stone and apple fruits. This is why people talk about France’s wines by appellation, not by grape; they talk about the style of the place.

8
Q

What does AOP stand for?

A

Appellation d’Origine Protégée

9
Q

When was the AOP system created and by whom?

A

2009

Created by the EU as a wine-quality designation with the intent of raising quality standards across all countries within the EU.

NOTE: AOC is same thing as AOP, but the latter is the revised designation (with higher standards) and was changed in 2009.

10
Q

What were the 2 quality categories created in the AOP system?

A
  1. wines WITH geographic indication
  2. wines WITHOUT geographic indication
11
Q

What is the quality level in France that is equivalent to an AOP wine WITHOUT geographic indication?

A

Vin de France

1/5 of all French wines are VdF

12
Q

Which has fewer restrictions: IGP or AOC wines?

A
  • IGP = fewer restrictions than AOC
  • AOC = the most restrictive
13
Q

What is the least restrictive designation in France?

A

Vin de France is the least restrictive designation, which means a winemaker has a lot of latitude to do what they want – they can put grapes in blends that aren’t allowed under AOC laws, use grapes outside of a delimited AOC area, maybe not age a wine as long as the AOC laws require, etc.

14
Q

What are wines with the Vin de France designation allowed to do (or not do)?

A
  • high yields are ok
  • don’t need to put a specific place on the label stating where the wine is from
  • grape and vintage are allowed on the label
15
Q

Are oak chips allowed to be used in wines with the Vin de France appellation?

A

Yes, oak chips are allowed in Vin de France wines

16
Q

Hybrid grape varietals:

Are they allowed in IGP wines?

Are they allowed in AOC wines?

A

Hybrids are allowed for IGP, but not for AOC

17
Q

What are the two quality levels in France that allow wines WITH geographic indication?

A
  1. IGP/Vin de Pays
    • 30% of all French wine
  2. AOC/AOP
    • 50% of all French wine
18
Q

What are some of the tightest restrictions AOC laws impose on winemakers who want to use the AOC on their labels?

A
  • Vineyard practices regulated
    • what grapes are planted
    • crop yields
    • irrigation, if it’s even permitted
    • type of vine trellising
    • alcohol minimums and maximums
  • Winemaking techniques regulated
    • whether residual sugar is allowed and how much
    • aging + bottling requirements
    • 100% of the grapes used must be from the stated AOC/AOP
19
Q

When a wine is labeled with an AOC/AOP, what percentage of grapes must come from stated area?

A

100%

20
Q

In Italy, what is the quality level that corresponds to wines WITHOUT a geographic indication?

A

Vino

21
Q

In Italy, what is the quality level that corresponds to wines WITH a geographic indication?

A
  • IGP/IGT
  • DOP
    • includes DOC + DOCG
22
Q

In Germany, what is the quality level that corresponds to wines WITHOUT a geographic indication?

A

Wein

23
Q

In Germany, what is the quality level that corresponds to wines WITH a geographic indication?

A
  1. Landwein (PGI)
  2. Qualitätswein (PDO)
  3. Prädikatswein (PDO)

Learn more about these quality levels in the Germany deck.

24
Q

In Austria, what is the quality level that corresponds to wines WITHOUT a geographic indication?

A

Wein

25
Q

In Austria, what is the quality level that corresponds to wines WITH a geographic indication?

A
  1. Landwein (PGI)
  2. Qualitätswein (PDO)
    • w/in this is the Districtus Austriae Controllatus (DAC), which is for dry wines only
  3. Prädikatswein (PDO)

Learn more about these quality levels in the Austria deck.

26
Q

In Spain, what is the quality level that corresponds to wines WITHOUT a geographic indication?

A

Vino

27
Q

In Spain, what is the quality level that corresponds to wines WITH a geographic indication?

A
  1. IGP/Vino de la Tierra
  2. DOP
    • VCIG (Vinos de Calidad con Indicación Geogáfica)
    • DO (Denominación de Origen)
    • DOCa (Denominación de Origen Calificada
    • Vino de Pagos

To learn more about Spain’s DOPs, see the Spain deck.

28
Q

In Portugal, what is the quality level that corresponds to wines WITHOUT a geographic indication?

A

Vinho (pronounced veen-yo)

29
Q

In Portugal, what is the quality level that corresponds to wines WITH a geographic indication?

A
  1. IGP
  2. DOP

To learn more about DOPs, see the Portugal deck.