The appellation systems used in the world of wine are a way of legally defining a place’s unique terroir and the influence that has on the wine. The area where the grapes are grown can have a defining influence on the wine. At the most basic level we have Geographical Indications (GIs).
Geographical Indications
According to the World Intellectual Property Organization, GIs are defined as “a sign used on products that have a specific origin and possess qualities or a reputation that are due to that origin… In addition, the qualities, characteristics or reputation of the product should be essentially due to the place of origin. Since the qualities depend on the geographical place of production, there is a clear link between the product and its original place of production”.
This definition doesn’t mention wine at all. This is because GIs are not exclusive to the wine world; other examples include Roquefort cheese, Pinggu peaches or Melton Mowbray pork pies. An appropriate GI will be one of the main pieces of information displayed on a wine label, usually along with the producer and vintage. They can vary in size from an entire region to a single vineyard. This means that only wines from a GI can use that particular GI’s name. It’s why we can’t call English quality sparkling wine Champagne.
Appellation systems organise the GIs into a hierarchy. Broadly, the smaller the GIs (therefore it’s a greater expression of terroir), the greater the quality of the wine.
European Union
In the European Union, wines with a GI are divided into two categories: Protected Geographical Indication (PGI) and Protected Designation of Origin (PDO). Broadly speaking, PGIs are larger with fewer regulations and the wine is of lower quality, while PDOs are smaller with tighter regulations and produces wines of a higher quality. These terms also aren’t limited to wine - returning to a previous example, Melton Mowbray pork pies are a PGI. However, these terms rarely appear on the label. Instead countries usually use the equivalent traditional terms. In France, they will often use Appellation d’origine contrôlée (AC/AOC) instead of the modern PDO term Appellation d'origine protégée (AOP) and Indication géographique protégée (IGP) or the more traditional term Vin de Pay for PGI.
What the regulations consist of will vary massively dependent on the GI. It can include, but is not limited to, grape variety, harvesting methods, vineyard management methods, winemaking techniques, minimum or maximum alcohol content or maximum amounts of sulphates in the wine. As well as the regulations being unique to each GI, the hierarchal structure of the GIs can be unique to each region. For example, Burgundy has a different system compared to Alsace, Loire or Bordeaux. In fact, Bordeaux has multiple hierarchal structures within the wider Bordeaux AOC; Saint Emilion uses a different system to the left bank.
While PGI wines are often of lower quality than PDO wines, this is not always the case. We are seeing a move in places like France, Italy and Spain from more traditional wines to newer styles, often by using grapes that don’t sit within the PDO regulations or not conforming to PDO ageing requirements or winemaking practises. As a result, these wines are ‘only’ PGI wines, despite being of premium quality. The most famous of these are the so-called Super Tuscans of Italy. Back in the 1960s, a group on enterprising producers started growing international varieties like Merlot, Cabernet Sauvignon and Syrah over indigenous varieties, mainly Sangiovese (the main grape in the great wines of Tuscany – think Chianti and Brunello di Montalcino). Despite being only a PGI wine they fetch a premium price (often into triple figures) and are seen as one of the great fine wines of Italy, particularly on the international market. Traditionally, they have been bottled with Tuscany’s PGI label, (Toscana IGT) but recently new PDO appellations have been created for them, including Bolgheri DOC.
On this note, it is becoming more common for the regulations surrounding specific GIs to change. Most of this is being driven by climate change. Changes to regulations can enable winemakers to better cope with its impact and new grapes are being allowed as more traditional varieties become less economically viable and harder to grow.
Example: The wine in the left and centre photos is a Chenin Blanc from the Loire Valley and qualifies for the Anjou Blanc PDO. Note that it uses the rarer AOP terminology rather than AOC. The photo on the right is of a Sangiovese from Tuscany. It doesn't come from any of the PDO regions, but instead from near the cost were we find many of the aforementioned Super Tuscans. As a result, it comes under the Toscana IGT. As it is warmer by the cost than where many of the PDOs are found inland (due to being at a higher altitude), this wine is softer and more rounded with riper red fruit flavours than Chianti, for example, will typically be.
Outside the EU
Nearly all wines in the international market from outside the EU fall under a GI. Each country has developed its own way of dividing its vineyards up, often using terms like regions, zones or districts. Often, these hierarchies are more straight forward than the those in place in the more traditional wine making nations of the EU (I’m looking at you France!).
Labelling
So why do you need to know this?
As I alluded to earlier, the GI takes pride of place on the label. Unfortunately, in parts of the Old World you won’t be given much more information than this other than producer, vintage (if applicable), alcohol content and any health and safety information. If you have a Chablis AOC, you’ll be expected to know that it is a white wine from 100% Chardonnay or an Appellation Morgon Contrôlée is a red wine from one of the village crus (Morgon) of Beaujolais and it’s made from 100% Gamay. You will be expected to infer things like serving temperatures or food pairings as well.
This is changing, particularly among the high volume, ‘everyday’ wine. As more producers adopt more accessible labelling methods, its only going to make our lives easier.
This is not really a problem the New World has had. Wine labels from places like Australia, the US, Chile or South Africa will nearly always display grape varieties, a short tasting note and serving suggestions as well as the GI, producer and so on. I don’t think its an overstatement to say that a key part of the New World’s success with wine has been down to the accessibility of their wines because of the information they get on their labels.
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