The Appellation Hierarchy in France
The Appellation d'Origine Contrôlée (AOC) is a law introduced in France in 1935 to protect the quality and origin of wine.
This legislation divides French vineyards into four categories:
- Regional appellations (AOC/AOP)
- local wine (village wines)
- Premier Cru
- Grand Cru
Each of these categories defines which grape varieties can be grown, what yields can be expected and what winemaking practices are permitted.
local wine
A village wine (also known as a "village" wine) comes from a specific commune (or locality) and meets the Appellation d'Origine Contrôlée (AOC) requirements for that commune. Village wines are usually the base wines of a region and are a good introduction to the wines of a region. For example, a well-known village wine in our portfolio is Mâcon-Villages.
Premier Cru
A Premier Cru is a wine that comes from specific, high-quality vineyards within an appellation. These vineyards must meet specific requirements, such as a minimum cultivation area, a certain soil type and a higher density of vines per hectare. Premier Cru wines are of higher quality than local wines and are usually more expensive. Well-known Premier Cru wines include Chablis Premier Cru Mont de Milieu les Gougueys 2018 or Nuits Saint Georges Premier Cru 2014.
Grand Cru
A Grand Cru is the highest status that a vineyard can achieve in France. A vineyard classified as a Grand Cru must meet particularly strict requirements, such as a limited area under cultivation, a specific orientation of the vineyards, a special soil and a higher density of vines per hectare. The wines that come from these Grand Cru vineyards are of the highest quality and often very expensive. Discover, for example, Charmes Chambertin Grand Cru 2018 in our online shop.
Appellations in German Winegrowing
Although France and Germany have different wine-growing laws, there are some parallels between the two countries. For example, Germany also has a system for controlling the quality of wine based on a similar principle to the appellations in France.
The German system for quality control of wine comprises four categories:
- German wines
- German country wines
- Quality wines from specific growing regions (QbA)
- Prädikat wines (see also "VDP")
Similar to the French appellations, each of these categories is associated with certain requirements, such as the cultivation of certain grape varieties, a limited harvest and a specific winemaking technique.
In addition, there is a Prädikat system in Germany that classifies wines based on the natural sugar content of the grapes.
Conclusion
The appellation hierarchy in France is an important aspect of French wine production. The four categories - Regional Appellations, Ortswein, Premier Cru and Grand Cru - provide a way to protect and ensure the quality and origin of wine. Although the German system for controlling the quality of wine is based on a similar principle, there are some differences between the two systems.
As a wine lover, it is always interesting to learn more about the different appellations and wine production techniques. Next time you open a bottle of French wine, you will now know a little more about the appellation hierarchy and the meaning of local wine, premier cru and grand cru. Cheers!
