French Wine Label Information

France is the largest producer of fine wine in the world. Each French region is different from the next, not only in its 'terroir' but in the history and style of the wines it produces. Often, this uniqueness is reflected on French wine labels as every region has its own particular set of appellations, classifications and labeling rules – all controlled by regional and national wines laws, as well as those enforced by the European Union. Please take a look at the individual wine label information for Bordeaux, Burgundy, Alsace and Champagne.

To understand a French wine label, it is important to have a basic understanding of the classification systems and terminology currently used in France's wine industry.

French wine classification

• AOC (Appellation d'Origine Controlee): An AOC classification acts as a consumer guarantee that a wine is of a particular quality and, generally, of a particular style. It also states that the wine has been made in a designated area, in accordance with local wine production laws and regulations. All AOC appellation titles are derived from the place in which the wines are made, although the degree of geographical specificity varies greatly. The regional AOC Bourgogne, for example, covers more than 300 villages over the length and breadth of Burgundy, while AOC Vosne-Romanee covers just one. To complete the spectrum, AOC Romanee-Conti Grand Cru covers only four acres (1.6 ha) within Vosne-Romanee, and is one of the smallest appellations in France. All Grand Cru and Premier Cru wines fall under AOC-level appellations, and imply a further step up in terms of quality.
• Grand Cru is the highest-possible classification for a French wine. It is used in two distinct ways, relating either to the winery itself (as in the 1855 Classification of Medoc and Graves) or the land from which the wine comes (as in Burgundy's Cote d'Or district). The latter system has been more widely adopted across France, not just in Burgundy but in Champagne, Alsace, Languedoc-Roussillon and the Loire Valley.
• Premier Cru is also used in two ways: to denote the highest tier within an existing Grand Cru classification (such as the Premier Grand Cru Classes of Medoc and Saint-Emilion) and to denote land of superior quality, but which falls short of Grand Cru status.
• AOP (Appellation d'Origine Protegée): the Europe-wide equivalent of the French national-level AOC.
• VDQS (Vin Delimite de Qualite Superieure): This level is seen as a stepping stone for appellations seeking promotion to AOC/AOP status. VDQS titles represent less than 1% of France's total wine production and change often, so it is rare to see VDQS on a wine label. The category has been removed from France's wine quality hierarchy, as of the 2011 vintage.
• VDP (Vin de Pays) means 'Wine of the Land' or 'Country Wine'. This classification is below VDQS but above 'Vin de Table', and was introduced in the 1970s. It covers about one quarter of French wine, the majority of which is intended for the domestic market. There are more than 100 VDP titles (such as VDP des Comtes Rhodaniens), each denoting the geographical area in which the wines are made. These areas are divided into three types: the five very broad 'VDPs Regionaux', the 52 slightly more precise 'VDPs de Departement', and the 100 or so location-specific 'VDPs de Zone'. VDP labels are permitted to indicate both the grape varieties used in the wine and the vintage. (Not to be confused with the Verband Deutscher Pradikatsweinguter classification in Germany.)
• IGP (Indication Geographique Protegee): the Europe-wide equivalent of the French national-level VDP.
• VDT (Vin de Table): 'Table Wine' – the lowest category of French wine. The least regulated of all the quality levels, VDT wines can be made anywhere in France. VDT wine labels have no official statement about region, vintage or grape varieties. Very little wine is now sold under the VDT title since the development of the VDP category. (Not to be confused with the Vino de Tierra classification in Spain.)

French Wine Label Terms

Blanc	White
Brut	Dry
Cave	Wine cellar
Chateau	An estate. Literally, 'castle', but mostly refers to large country houses
Cooperative	A co-operative or, more likely, a syndicate of wine growers
Cote/Coteaux	Slope of a hill/hillsides
Cremant	A style of sparkling wine other than Champagne
Cru	Literally, 'growth'. Denotes status of a vineyard.
Cru Classe	Classified vineyard
Demi-sec	Medium-dry
Domaine	Estate
Doux	Sweet
Grand cru	Literally, 'great growth'. Highest-quality wines.
Methode Traditionnelle	Traditional method of sparkling winemaking, same as used for Champagne
Millesime	The vintage of a wine
Mise en Bouteille au Chateau/Domaine/a la propriete	Estate-bottled. Sometimes MC in short for Bordeaux wines.
Negociant	A merchant who buys grapes, juice or wine from growers and sells the wines under his own label
Premier Cru	First growth
Proprietaire	Estate or vineyard owner
Recoltant	A grape grower. Sometimes also means a person who harvests the grapes.
Recolte	Harvest or vintage
Rouge	Red
Selection de Grains Nobles	A sweet style of wine made in Alsace from grapes affected by noble rot (botrytis)
Superieur	A wine with higher alcohol content
Vendange	Harvest
Vendange Tardive	Late harvest. A style of wine originally from Alsace but now used in various French wine regions.
Vieilles Vignes	Old vines
Vigneron/Viticulteur	Vine grower/grape grower
Vignoble	Vineyard
Vin	Wine

You can also take a look at the wine label information for the European Union, Germany, Italy, USA and Australia, or our general information regarding wine labels.