A number of French wine regions were recently ‘promoted’ to Appellation Contrôlée by a decree by the INAO: Saint-Mont, Tursan, Saint-Sardos, Côtes de Millau, Vins d’Estaing, Vins d’Entraygues et du Fel and Coteaux du Quercy. This is as a consequence of that the VDQS category (Vin Délimité de Qualité Supérieur) will cease to be (go to its forefathers, be no more,…) at the end of 2011. The existing VDQS districts are on their way to become AOCs.
Read more on Hervé Lalu’s blog Chroniques Vineuses.
Hervé is a French wine journalist and he also poses the question if the current inflation in French ACs, where many unknown and perhaps not always well-deserving districts become appellation contrôlées will lead to a general watering down of the whole appellation system.
Interesting question. Is there a real conflict between the AOC system’s reputation and the extension of it? What do you think? Had you ever heard of Côtes de Millau?
