The DOCs Amarone della Valpolicella and Recioto della Valpolicella in Veneto in Italy have been promoted to DOCG status, according to Decanter.com. DOCG is the highest classification in the Italian wine laws. The DOCG label
The French sometimes put too much stock in the magic of words and in the value of appellations, as this story, just one of several about AOC and name wrangling, shows: In 2003 a new
The Portuguese wine region Terras do Sado is located just south of Lisbon. It Has recently been renamed Península de Setúbal in an effort to make it better known. The new name will be uses
There have been five “côtes”-appellations in Bordeaux: Premières Côtes de Blaye, Côtes de Francs, Côtes de Castillon, Premières Côtes de Bordeaux and Côte de Bourg. INAO has just approved officially the merger of four of
There’s a new category of port wine: rosé. The Port Wine Institute (IDVP) has approved rosé port as a denomination. Already last year Croft launched a rosé port: Croft Pink. Formally, it has been considered
Graves is located a short drive south of the city of Bordeaux. The majority of the production is red but they also make excellent white wines. The total area planted with vines is just under
On may 28 INAO approved two new appellations: Saint Pourçain, and Bugey with Roussette de Bugey. Saint Pourçain is made from gamay or pinot noir grapes and covers some 600 ha. Bugey extends over 500
On May 29 La Clape was approved as an AOC/AOP. the wines used to be sold as “Coteaux du Languedoc – La Clape” but now they will be, simply, “AOC La Clape”. The district is
One part of the new EU wine reform is that from the first of August it will be possible to put the grape variety (e.g. riesling) on the label for wines “without geographic denomination”. Typically,
The regional regulators in Piedmont have approved a new DOC, adding to the 44 already present. To qualify for the new DOC Alba the wine has to contain at least 70 % nebbiolo and 15
The appellation Côtes des Ventoux changes name and becomes AOC Ventoux, a wine region in the western part of Provence. There are some 150 winemakers making primarily red wine (75%), almost a quarter rosé and
The new appellation Appellation Côtes de Bordeaux has been approved by the INAO. It will be used from the 2008 harvest. The AC exists in two variants: “simple” CdB and CdB with the additional mention
The French government has presented a plan to reform, renew and revive the wine sector. Wines should be categorised in three new (rebranded?) categories: – VdF – Vignobles de France, that will replace Vin de
Most wine lovers would probably not hesitate, with a longing in their eyes, to say that Bordeaux Premier Cru refers to the top five chateaux in the 1855 classification: Chx Margaux, Mouton, Haut-Brion, Latour and
In Australia they call it Geographical Indication, and the rulebook is no doubt thinner than in France. A new GI has just been created: New England Australia, some 200 miles north of Hunter Valley in
We recently wrote about the plans in Champagne to extend the limits of the appellation to allow for more production. Obviously a contentious issue. Tom Stevenson, a world leading expert on Champagne, asks the question
The Austrian agricultural minister approve in December the DAC designation for Kremstal for wines made from Grüner Veltliner or Riesling. Kremstal thus becomes the first district along the Danube to get the DAC qualification (Districtus
“Vins d’Or de Bordeaux” (Golden Wines from Bordeaux) is a theme under which Bordeaux wants to publicise the sweet wines from the region, and perhaps in particular some of the lesser known appellations. Sweet whites
The new appellation Coteaux du Languedoc, with the suffix Pézenas (which is a town in the region) is a red wine and should be made from Grenache, Mourvedre, Syrah, Carignan and Cinsaut. Try follow this
The Champagne region has approved 40 new communes as (potential) producers of champagne. Today, the Champagne region (the appellation) covers some 32500 ha and virtually all of it is already planted with wine. A project
Perhaps a slight exaggeration – Denmark has had approved four regional denominations for its wines. According to European regulations a “new” wine district must first prove its capability of producing quality wines before getting the
The Austrian Donauland has had to sub-districts: Wagram (2450 ha) and Klosterneuburg (350 ha). The whole region will now change name from Donauland to Wagram. Klosterneuburg will still remain as a sub-region – a grosslage.
Appellations and brand names? Does it serve any useful purpose to have appellations and classifications (by the way, do you know the difference between the two?)? Not an easy question to answer. Yes, it can
The initiative has now been approved by the INAO: Languedoc (to the north) and Roussillon (to the south) will join together in a common appellation under the name AOC Languedoc. We’ll be back with more
The collaboration between the different wine regions in southern France is being reinforced. This is no doubt due to the increasing international competition and a desire to pool resources. And it may also be a
Fitou is at the very southern edge of Languedoc, just before it changes to Roussillon. It is a region that has since long tried to keep a high quality profile. This region, basking in sun,
Costières de Nîmes is at the southern end of the Rhône valley on the border to Languedoc. The modified rules for white CdN wine declares: Permitted grape varieties are Clairette, Grenache Blanc, Bourboulenc, Ugni Blanc,
Another decision by the INAO on May 28: Wine with the AOC Corbières-Boutenac can be produced in the Aude ‘departement’ (Languedoc) in Boutenac and other communes around it. Permitted grape varieties are Carignan (30-50%), Grenache
INAO has defined (somewhat) new rules for Bandol. In short: – Manual harvest is compulsory – Enriching or concentration of the must is not permitted (reverse osmosis, cryo-extraction…) – minimum 18 months in barrel for
The DOCs Amarone della Valpolicella and Recioto della Valpolicella in Veneto in Italy have been promoted to DOCG status, according to Decanter.com. DOCG is the
The French sometimes put too much stock in the magic of words and in the value of appellations, as this story, just one of several
The Portuguese wine region Terras do Sado is located just south of Lisbon. It Has recently been renamed Península de Setúbal in an effort to
There have been five “côtes”-appellations in Bordeaux: Premières Côtes de Blaye, Côtes de Francs, Côtes de Castillon, Premières Côtes de Bordeaux and Côte de Bourg.
There’s a new category of port wine: rosé. The Port Wine Institute (IDVP) has approved rosé port as a denomination. Already last year Croft launched
Graves is located a short drive south of the city of Bordeaux. The majority of the production is red but they also make excellent white
On may 28 INAO approved two new appellations: Saint Pourçain, and Bugey with Roussette de Bugey. Saint Pourçain is made from gamay or pinot noir
On May 29 La Clape was approved as an AOC/AOP. the wines used to be sold as “Coteaux du Languedoc – La Clape” but now
One part of the new EU wine reform is that from the first of August it will be possible to put the grape variety (e.g.
The regional regulators in Piedmont have approved a new DOC, adding to the 44 already present. To qualify for the new DOC Alba the wine
The appellation Côtes des Ventoux changes name and becomes AOC Ventoux, a wine region in the western part of Provence. There are some 150 winemakers
The new appellation Appellation Côtes de Bordeaux has been approved by the INAO. It will be used from the 2008 harvest. The AC exists in
The French government has presented a plan to reform, renew and revive the wine sector. Wines should be categorised in three new (rebranded?) categories: –
Most wine lovers would probably not hesitate, with a longing in their eyes, to say that Bordeaux Premier Cru refers to the top five chateaux
In Australia they call it Geographical Indication, and the rulebook is no doubt thinner than in France. A new GI has just been created: New
We recently wrote about the plans in Champagne to extend the limits of the appellation to allow for more production. Obviously a contentious issue. Tom
The Austrian agricultural minister approve in December the DAC designation for Kremstal for wines made from Grüner Veltliner or Riesling. Kremstal thus becomes the first
“Vins d’Or de Bordeaux” (Golden Wines from Bordeaux) is a theme under which Bordeaux wants to publicise the sweet wines from the region, and perhaps
The new appellation Coteaux du Languedoc, with the suffix Pézenas (which is a town in the region) is a red wine and should be made
The Champagne region has approved 40 new communes as (potential) producers of champagne. Today, the Champagne region (the appellation) covers some 32500 ha and virtually
Perhaps a slight exaggeration – Denmark has had approved four regional denominations for its wines. According to European regulations a “new” wine district must first
The Austrian Donauland has had to sub-districts: Wagram (2450 ha) and Klosterneuburg (350 ha). The whole region will now change name from Donauland to Wagram.
Appellations and brand names? Does it serve any useful purpose to have appellations and classifications (by the way, do you know the difference between the
The initiative has now been approved by the INAO: Languedoc (to the north) and Roussillon (to the south) will join together in a common appellation
The collaboration between the different wine regions in southern France is being reinforced. This is no doubt due to the increasing international competition and a
Fitou is at the very southern edge of Languedoc, just before it changes to Roussillon. It is a region that has since long tried to
Costières de Nîmes is at the southern end of the Rhône valley on the border to Languedoc. The modified rules for white CdN wine declares:
Another decision by the INAO on May 28: Wine with the AOC Corbières-Boutenac can be produced in the Aude ‘departement’ (Languedoc) in Boutenac and other
INAO has defined (somewhat) new rules for Bandol. In short: – Manual harvest is compulsory – Enriching or concentration of the must is not permitted
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