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Vin de Table (VDT) is the quality category for the most basic wines of France – those which do not meet the criteria stipulated by Appellation d'Origine Controlee (AOC) or Vin de Pays (VDP) appellation laws. The quantity of Vin de Table produced in France has fallen dramatically over the past few decades, having previously represented a considerable proportion of the country's vinous output
The most salient difference between Vins de Table and wine from the higher categories is that they are not required to be from any specific vintage (they are, in fact, prohibited from carrying a vintage statement), or even a specific region. The main production condition is that they must be made entirely from grapes grown within the borders of the European Union. Those produced from exclusively French grapes are labeled as Vin de Table Francais, while those blended from the produce of more than one EU country must carry the statement 'melange de vins de differents pays de la Communaute europenne'.
A typical Vin de Table is produced from high-yielding vines in the south of France (Languedoc-Roussillon produces far more VDT than any other region), most likely from traditional grapes such as Carignan or Merlot – the two most widely planted varieties in France. With few production constraints, high potential yields and little incentive to produce high-quality wine, VDT producers mostly generate wines which are as light in body as they are in flavor; the Vin de Table statement is certainly not a promise of cellaring potential. A large percentage of Vin de Table is 'bag-in-box' or 'box' wine; the economies of scale brought about by this cheaper packaging make it an attractive option for both producers and consumers.
There are, of course, exceptions to this general rule. These occur when a high-quality wine is made from grapes grown outside officially delimited AOC and VDP zones, or using an unsanctioned grape variety or production method. There are known examples of high-quality cuvees made with great care from 100-year-old vines which, for one reason or another, do not have the right to claim even VDP titles, and which are then bottled as Vin de Table.
With the strong uptake of the VDP category, and the extensive arrachage (uprooting) of lower-quality varieties and vineyards, progressively less Vin de Table is produced each year. In the face of ever-growing competition from emerging European wine regions and styles, as well as the global success of New World wines, French wine producers have been forced to raise their game above the VDT benchmark.
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