Quality Wine

Appellation d'Origine Controlee (AC or AOC)

This is the highest level that a French wine can attain. Though the requirements may vary widely from one region to another, they are the most tightly defined and the following point will always feature.

• Areas of Production - the boundaries of which are based on the composition of the soil.
• Grape varieties permitted - the principal being that in the words of an earlier decree, these should be 'hallowed by local, local and established custom'.
• Viticultural practices - planting distances, pruning methods and general handling of the vine.
• The maximum permitted yield per hectare.
• Vinification methods, including ageing.
• The minimum alcoholic degree in the wine which must be achieved without must-enrichment.
• Within each region there is a laid down hierarchy of appellations which, in general are geographical based. The more specific the geographic description, the higher the appellation, and the stricter the regualtions. In some areas an individual vineyard may be eligible for several ACs of different quality levels.
• Some regional and district appellations have the right to the additional qualification superieur e.g. Bordeaux Superieur, Macon Superieur. These wines simply have an extra half or full degree of alcohol compared with the equivalent basic appellation.