The Appellation System

Several countries have enacted their own system of wine purity laws to help assure consumers of a quality wine experience. Depending on location, these (AC) laws can regulate some or all of the following factors:

Designated Area of production
Variety of grapes allowed in a wine
Whether or not irrigation is allowed in the vineyards
Number of vines per hectare (2-1/2 acres = 1 hectare)
Pruning techniques
Fertilization methods
Permissible yields per hectare
Allowable sugar levels at time of harvest
Minimum and maximum allowable alcohol levels
If adding sugar before fermentation begins is allowable (Chaptalization)
How long a certain wine must be aged before being offered to market
Min. percentage of one grape required to call a wine by that varietal name

Before release, all wines applying for AC status must be submitted to a special tasting panel in order to receive certification from the regulating authorities.

Governing Laws:

France AOC Appellation d’Orgine Côntrolée

Portugal DOC Denominacão de Origem Controlada

Spain DO Denominación de Origen

Italy DOC Denominazione di Origine Controllata

Morocco AOG Appellation d’ Origine Garantie

United States AVA American Viticultural Area

Canada VQA Vintner’s Quality Alliance

Opponents of the AC system claim that its strict regulations have held old-world countries like France back from effectively competing in today’s global marketplace. They claim, for example, that if a grower in a designated region needs to replant his vineyard, he may only use the approved grapes for that region. If any non-permitted grapes are planted, then the resulting wine will not be allowed to use that appellation’s approved name on its label.

Supporters of the system say that the AC restrictions are precisely what made their most celebrated wines possible; by eliminating any chance of sub-standard grapes ruining a wine region’s hard won reputation for quality.