By Ray Spaziani
Wine Talk
Ray Spaziani
In France, AOC is an identification label for agricultural products that are grown and processed in a specific area. It stands for appellation d’origine controlee. The French believe that grapes grown in a specific area contain unique and special characteristics. This comes from the nutrients and character of the soil. They call it the terroir.
Everyone who has tried wines from different parts of the world seems to agree with the French. That is why the French name their wines by location rather than grape varieties. Until 30 or so years ago they would not disclose what the grapes were in some of their most popular wines.
It is illegal to manufacture and sell a product that does not comply with the criteria of AOC under French law. This is true for wine grapes, dairy products and most other field-grown products. Product labeling in France is a big deal. Because of legislation concerning the ways that vineyards are identified, recognizing the AOCs is challenging – specially for those of us who are not familiar with the nuances associated with the system.
For example, if the wine is not from a Premier Cru vineyard, the vineyard name must be printed in letters half the size or less of those in the vineyard name. Although the labeling system is strictly enforced, to be called an AOC wine has to have a taster designate the wine. They are local people who may have a vested interest in how the wine is labeled. It may not be as accurate as it appears.
Loire Valley in central France has an area called Sancerre that is the most recognizable appellation for Sauvignon Blanc. The limestone hills deliver rich-textured Sauvignon Blanc with a smokey and flinty flavor and long acidity aftertaste. Sancerre was one of the original AOCs awarded in 1936 for Sauvignon Blanc. In 1959 the same area was designated for red wines, and today they make some wonderful Pinot Noir.
The AOC area has expanded fourfold over the years. The most recent expansion was in 1998. For years many Americans did not know that Sancerre was Sauvignon Blanc. When the Sauvignon Blanc from New Zealand took off in the US about 10 years ago, the French started advertising Sancerre as the greatest Sauvignon Blanc in the world, made in central France since Roman times.
It may very well be.
During this holiday season, pick up a bottle of Sancerre and look for AOC on the bottle. And keep in mind that white Bordeaux is Sauvignon Blanc too.
Ray Spaziani is the chapter director of the New Haven chapter of the American Wine Society. He is on the tasting panels of Winemaker Magazine and Amate del Vino and is a certified wine educator and award-winning home winemaker. Email Ray with your wine questions or activities at realestatepro1000@gmail.com.