News, Stories, and Tips

Appellation laws are created to help ensure quality, production method, grape variety and qualities. If the label states a place name, then the grapes must come from that delimited area.

• France
  1. Appellation Contolee
  2. Vin de Pays
  3. Vin de table
• Italy
  1. D.O.C.G - Denominazione di Origine Controllata Garantita
  2. D.O.C
  3. IGT
  4. Vino da Tavola
• Germany
  1. QMP - Qualitatswein mit Pradikat
  2. QBA - Qualitatswein Bestimmter Anbaugebiete
  3. Deutscher Tafelwein 
• Spain
  
  1. Denominación de Origen
  2. Vino de la Tierra
  3. Vino de Mesa
• Burgundy
  1. Regional + District ACs 22 Regions and Districts 65% of production
  2. Commun ACs - 53, 23% total production (Volnay, Gevrey-Chambertin)
  3. Vinyards ACs - Two grades - On premier crus, the commun and vinyards name will both be stated.  Montrachet (Appellation Montrachet Controlee)

There are 561 vineyards with premier Cru status which accounts for 11% of production. There are 32 Grand Cru vineyards resulting in 1% of total production. In Chablis, the grand crus status is different. There is one grand Cru, but it is spread over seven continuous plots of land or climates.

 

Visit us next week for our sixth installment of "An Introduction to Wine" where we will take a look at the grape varieties of the world.