EU Wine Law Flashcards
(30 cards)
What is the government organization in France that oversees the AOC system?
Institut National de l’Origine et de la Qualite
(INAO)
What does AOC stand for?
Appellation d’Origine Controlee
What was the AOC system created, and in what year?
To combat rampant wine fraud and restore trust in France’s wine Industry.
It was created in 1935
The need for the AOC system in France was ignited due to rampant wine fraud in the late 1800’s.
Why did wine fraud happen in the first place?
Chronic wine shortages were everywhere in France following the outbreak and lasting effect of phylloxera, which started in the late 1800’s.
There were wine shortages also due to vine disease sustained several years in a row.
What does the AOC system do?
It defines, protects and regulates the authenticity and quality of certain wines and wine regions within France.
Give an example of how the AOC regulates wines from a specific region.
It regulates what grapes are allowed to be planted in specific wine regions.
Are most French wines identified by their AOC or the grape they’re made from?
AOC
What does AOP stand for?
Appellation d’Origine Protegee
When was the AOP system created and by whom?
2009
Created by the EU as a wine-quality designation with the intent of raising quality standards across all countries within the EU
AOC is the same as AOP
AOP is the revised designation with higher standards and was changed in 2009
What were the 2 quality categories created in the AOP system?
- wines with geographic indication
- wines without geographic indication
What is the quality level in France that is equivalent to an AOP wine without geographic indication?
Vin de France
1/5 of all French wines are VdF
Which has fewer restrictions: IGP or AOC wines?
IGP has fewer restrictions.
AOC is the most restrictive
What is the least restrictive designation in France?
Vin de France is the least restrictive designation.
The 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.
What are wines with the Vin de France designation allowed to do (or not do)?
*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
Are oak chips allowed to be used in wines with the Vin de France appellation?
Yes
Hybrid grape varietals:
Are they allowed in IGP wines?
Are they allowed in AOC wines
IGP–Yes
AOC–No
What are two quality levels in France that allow wines with geographic indication?
- IGP/Vin de Pays (30% of all French wine)
- AOC/AOP (50% of all French wine)
What are some of the tightest restrictions AOC laws impose on winemakers who want to use the AOC on their labels?
*Vineyard practices
regulated
–what grapes are planted
–crop yields
–irrigation, if its permitted
–type of vine trellising
–alcohol minimums and maximums
*Winemaking techniques regulated
–whether residual sugar is allowed and how much
–aging and bottling requirements
–100% of the grapes must be from the stated AOC/AOP
When a wine is labeled with an AOC/AOP, what percentage of grapes must come from stated area?
100%
In Italy, what is the quality levels that corresponds to wines without a geographic indication?
Vino
In Italy, what is the quality levels that corresponds to wines with a geographic indication?
*IGP/IGT
*DOP (includes DOC/DOCG)
In Germany, what is the quality level that corresponds to wines without a geographic indication?
Wein
In Germany, what is the quality level that corresponds to wines with a geographic indication?
- Landwein (PGI)
- Qualitatswein (PDO)
- Pradikatswein (PDO)
In Austria, what is the quality levels that corresponds to wines without a geographic indication?
Wein
