French Wine Appellations Explained
When it comes to wine-producing countries, many of us would probably think of France and its prestigious wine appellations before thinking of anywhere else. With appellations such as Champagne, Côtes du Rhône and Châteauneuf-du-Pape being so iconic, it’s easy to see why France would immediately spring to mind. In this detailed guide to French appellations, we cover everything from what they are to what it means to be one and labelling terms to look out for.
French wine classifications
The first thing to know is that you get wines that have a geographical indications (GI) and wines that do not. In the context of France, an example of a wine with a GI would be Bordeaux, and an example of a wine without a GI would be one that simply states on the label that it’s a Wine of France / Vin de France.
The European Union then divides GI wines into two smaller categories:
- Protected Designation of Origin (PDO) wines – this refers to wines that are produced in small areas with strict regulations
- Protected Geographical Indication (PGI) wines – this refers to wines that are produced in areas with fewer regulations
PDO and PGI are not initialisms you’ll see on any wine labels, but it is useful to know that these overarching categories exist as they shape the labelling systems that various wine-producing countries use.
What is Appellation d’Origine Contrôlée?
France has its own version of the EU’s GI categories:
- Appellation d’Origine Contrôlée (AOC) – this is their version of PDO
- Vin de Pays (VdP) or Indication Géographique Protégée (IGP)– this is their version of PGI
In the late 19th / early 20th century, French wine production dramatically decreased due to phylloxera outbreaks. This in turn saw a rise in winemakers fraudulently selling their wines as coming from specific French regions, when in fact they were from other countries and made in a completely different way.
So, Appellation d’Origine Contrôlée is France’s system for protecting the quality of the wine produced in its regions. The Institut National des Appellations d’Origine (INAO) was established in 1935 with the first appellations being legally recognised in 1936. The rules and standards that are set by this system protect France’s reputation as a fine wine producer and stop winemakers falsely using the prestigious names of French wines.
This is good not only for the winemakers, but for wine drinkers. It helps you know what to expect from your wine and gives assurances on the quality, especially important when you’re spending a lot of money on a bottle! This is closely related to the idea of terroir, the notion that individual regions create unique wines.
Vin de Pays / IGP
It’s important to note that there are exceptional wines made outside of the AOC system. Vin de Pays, also known as IGP (Indication Géographique Protégée), is a classification which regulates winemaking in certain geographical regions in a similar way to an AOC, however there are much fewer rules and regulations. This gives more freedom for winemakers in terms of both production and grape varieties.
Some of France’s top wine producers release wine under the IGP classification to allow them to experiment a bit within their usual production. As you may have guessed this can lead to some incredible wines being made.
Vin de France wines
Vin de France wines have no specific region. They are wines made in France, usually from a variety of grapes from different regions. Within this classification winemakers have freedom from any sort of rules so they can get really creative with their wines. There are some great quality wines to be found within this classification and you don’t have to pay the price tag that comes with some of the big name AOCs.
Hierarchy within AOCs
Within an AOC there may be further specific regional classifications. This is the case when there are smaller areas within an appellation which are producing wines of exceptional quality. The labelling terms vary from one AOC to another (just to complicate matters further) however the hierarchy is loosely as follows:
- Sub-regional appellation – an appellation within a bigger AOC, for example Mâconnais which is officially within Burgundy
- Village – an even smaller area, like a commune or village such as Pouilly-Fuissé which is in the Mâconnais sub-region of Burgundy
- Premier Cru – superior grapes grown within a specific plot of land or an individual château
- Grand Cru – usually the highest level of quality classification (but not always!) with superior grapes grown within a specific plot of land or an individual château
How many French appellations are there?
There are over 300 appellations (AOCs) in France, and they vary in how restrictive they can be. For example, the Champagne AOC even stipulates specific viticultural and winemaking practices that producers must use, and only permits certain grape varieties and types of packaging in order for the wine to officially qualify as Champagne. Being the birthplace of sparkling wine, and therefore held to such a high standard the world over, it’s understandable why the Champagne region is one of the more tightly regulated wine-producing areas of France.
You will probably be familiar with the 12 wine regions in France, if not the map below will remind you.
Each region has a varying number of AOCs. Here’s a breakdown of how many AOCs operate within each region and some of the important ones to note.
Champagne: 1 AOC
The only wine region in France that has one single appellation (although it is divided into smaller wine-producing districts).
Alsace: 3 AOCs
The Alsace is broken up into the 3 regions of Alsace AOC, Alsace Grand Cru AOC and Crémant d’Alsace AOC.
Burgundy: 150 AOCs
Famous appellations in Burgundy include Chablis, Beaujolais, Pouilly-Fuissé and Volnay.
Jura & Savoie: 8 AOCs
Château-Chalon in Jura makes white wines exclusively from the local Savagnin grape. Vin de Savoie AOC covers wines made in the Savoy region.
Beaujolais: 12 AOCs
Includes the prestigious crus of Brouilly, Saint-Amour and Fleurie, who all focus on making light red wines using Gamay.
Rhône Valley: 30 AOCs
The most iconic appellations here include Hermitage in Northern Rhône, and Côtes du Rhône and Châteauneuf-du-Pape in Southern Rhône.
Provence: 9 AOCs
Provence is the only region to focus on rosé wine. Most fall under the Côtes de Provence AOC, accounting for around 75% of all wines made here.
Corsica: 9 AOCs
Vin de Corse AOC covers the whole island and accounts for around half of all AOC wines produced in Corsica.
Languedoc-Roussillon: 12 AOCs
Includes Minervois which focuses on red blends and Limoux which is renowned for its sparkling wines.
South West: 4 AOCs
Within this region you’ll find the appellation of Cahors which makes first-class Malbec (locally known as Côt) and Jurançon which focuses on making white and sweet wines using Gros Manseng and Petit Manseng.
Bordeaux: 53 AOCs
Globally recognised appellations here include Pomerol and Saint-Émilion in the Right Bank, and Margaux, Médoc and Sauternes in the Left Bank.
Loire: 51 AOCs
Prestigious Loire appellations you may be familiar with are Pouilly-Fumé, Sancerre and Vourvray.
Reading French wine labels
With so many different classifications and rules involved, reading a wine label on a French wine can feel rather confusing! IGP or Vin de France wines usually list the grape varieties used on the label so these are often straightforward.
Wines from AOCs will name the specific appellation the wine is from, so becoming familiar with the types of wines produced in each place will tell you what to expect. For example, upon opening a white wine labelled Sancerre you should expect a dry Sauvignon Blanc.
Each AOC has a special seal that legally only a wine from that appellation may use. There are also more specific labelling or bottling rules for certain appellations. One famous example is the coat of arms displayed on all bottles of wine from Châteauneuf-du-Pape which has ‘Châteauneuf-du-Pape’ written in a distinct gothic text with a papal tiara and the keys of St Peter underneath.
FAQ
What was the first wine appellation in France?
Châteauneuf-du-Pape on 15th May 1936. Local winemakers in the region were instrumental in campaigning for stricter rules for wine production throughout the 1920s and 1930s.
What is the smallest appellation in France?
La Romanée, located in the Vosne-Romanée region of Burgundy is just two acres of land! This grand cru makes Pinot Noir from a single vineyard.
What is the largest appellation in France?
Bordeaux is the largest appellation covering an area of over 250,000 acres. Historically, the wines of Bordeaux have been predominantly reds made with Merlot, Cabernet Sauvignon and Cabernet Franc, although more producers are starting to diversify their offering with lighter reds, whites and Clairet.
What’s the difference between Left and Right Bank Bordeaux?
The Bordeaux region is split by the River Gironde. The area to the left of the river is the Left Bank which is focused on red blends dominated by Cabernet Sauvignon. As you may have guessed the Right Bank refers to the vineyards right of the river which primarily uses Merlot and Cabernet Franc.
What’s the difference between Northern and Southern Rhône?
The Northern Rhône and Southern Rhône produce rather different styles of wine. In the smaller northern region the focus is heavily on Syrah although it does make exceptionally classy Viognier too. The south is ruled by Grenache which is often blended with Syrah and Mourvèdre.
