All wines are made from the natural fermented juice of
grapes. In France wines are classified as part of a pyramid
system designed as a guide to quality. This system of
controlled naming was devised to protect honest producers
and their customers by ensuring that the wine in every
bottle corresponds to what is claimed on the label. The
four broad classifications are as follows: (in decending
order);
Appellation Contrôlée (AC or A0C)
AC wine is subject to rigorous controls governing every
aspect of wine makng. These controls cover areas of production,
grape varieties, minimum alcohol content, maximum yield
and methods of cultivation. The words appellation contrôlée
on the label will therefore guarantee that the wine is
of the highest quality. Many areas have several small AC's
within them. For example in Bordeaux you can also find
AC Medoc or AC Margaux . In general the more specific the
name is on the label the better the wine is likely to be.
Vin Délimité de Qualité Supérieure
(VDQS)
In this very small classification the label will state
the region of France in which the wine is made. The wines
are of superior quality. This group has similar controls
to the Appellation Contrôlée wines but for
regions that are not specified as AC. Most VDQS wines have
now been promoted to appellation contrôlée
status.
Vin De Pays
Literally means country wine. This "vin de pays" classification
was introduced to promote regional wines. The label will
specify grape varieties, production methods and an area
of origin for each style of wine. Some of the wines in
this category are excellent quality and can sometimes be
superior to the higher classifications.
Vin De Table
This is table wine and is the most basic classification
and the cheapest wine available. There are no rules as
to how the vin de table should be produced so wine in this
category can be made from any combination of grapes grown
anywhere. These grapes are then blended together to create
wines of consistent quality. The vast majority of wine
made, sold and drunk throughout the world is table wine.
Reading the Label
The label on the bottle tells a lot about the wine inside
and understanding the label is essential to success in
choosing wines. Most French wines are named after places
and the labels will have some or all of the following information:
Amount of wine in the bottle
Alcoholic strength
Year the wine was made (vintage)
Classification
Name of vineyard
Brand name
Whether or not the wine was bottled on the estate.
How Wine is Made
Wine is the naturally fermented juice of grapes and wine
making is the natural process whereby the sugars are converted
by yeast enzymes into alcohol. After the grapes have been
picked and crushed the skins are removed from the juice
if making a white wine and left in for some time if making
red wine. The intensity of the red colour is directly related
to the length of time that the skins are left in contact
with the juice. When making rosé wine the skins
will only be left in for a short time. The skins also add
tannin which helps the wine to age.
The character of any wine is influenced by the soil, the
climate and the art of the winemaker and even subtle variations
of soil or climate can make wines produced in neighbouring
vineyards taste quite different. However nothing will dictate
the flavour of wine more than the variety, or varieties
of grape from which the wine was made.
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