In 1935, the Institut National des Appellations d’Origine (INAO) was created to delimit and enforce France’s wine appellation system.
The Appellation d’Origine Contrôlée system, using early, self-imposed guidelines in Châteauneuf-du-Pape as a model, stipulated limits on yields, vineyard density, training and pruning techniques, grape varieties, methods of production, minimum alcohol levels, minimum must weights, and the geographical boundaries of each appellation. AOC wines must pass a tasting panel. The Appellation d’Origine Contrôlée (AOC) became a model for many other European appellation systems, as France’s controlled appellations assured authenticity and, to a degree, style. The INAO awarded the first AOCs in 1936; by 2017, 363 AOC appellations were granted for wine and brandy, while nearly 100 more were awarded to agricultural products (such as cheese and other foods). Over 75% of France’s wines and eaux-de-vie were released as AOC—hardly the intention of the system’s original proponents, who wished to protect and enshrine France’s most valuable wines. Like most appellation systems, France’s AOC had become a bloated category and one not necessarily indicative of quality.In 2007, the INAO, which oversees the protected appellations of wines, spirits, cheeses, and other foodstuffs, became the L’Institut National de l’Origine et de la Qualité—although it retained its former acronym. The INAO brought its appellation system in line with new EU standards in 2009 and established the category of Appellation d’Origine Protégée (AOP). French AOPs fall within the EU’s Protected Designation of Origin (PDO) category, and the existing AOC and the new AOP designations
These are all very good questions, and I've had a difficult time verifying anything here definitively. I've seen a number of tech sheets from the last ten years that mention that the wine has 4-8 g/l residual sugar (making it Bordeaux), however, there are quite a few references that mention that it's Bordeaux Supérieur, with some using the language that it's from the Bordeaux Supérieur region. There's a reference to the 2012 vintage that shows up in a number of places that mentions that it has 8-9% RS (this is 80-90 g/l). If anyone has any insight here, I'd also be interested to know the answer. It does seem that the style changed in 2005, and perhaps the 8-9% reference was actually from that time period, and not actually appropriate for the 2012 vintage? I think that you're probably correct, Keith, and that Bordeaux Supérieur was used prior to the style change.
Hi Keith, that's correct. They were my neighbors when I worked at VCC, and they made a big point of mentioning that their name was Petrus, no accent.
Minor spelling error. In the text: 'The misleading St-Émilion Grand Cru AOP is an appellation, rather than a classificaiton.' - 'classificaiton' should read 'classification'
The section on the St-Émilion Classification includes the following text: 'Unlike the Médoc Classification, the St-Émilion Classification intended revisions every decade and based such changes in stature on a peer-reviewed tasting of the wines.' Although the Classification of 1855 is often colloquially referred to as the Médoc Classification, I personally don't find that nomenclature helpful, nor, strictly typing, accurate, as the 1855 Classification was not, to my understanding, intended to merely classify the estates of the Médoc nor is that what the resulting classification was composed of, as Château Haut-Brion falls outside the Médoc. I think it best to avoid such misleading terminology, as frequently as it might be encountered elsewhere. My two centimes.
In the list of the communes of Pessac-Léognan AOP, 'Villenave-d'Ornons' should read 'Villenave-d'Ornon'.