Tag: appellations

A goat cheese, chèvre, with a list of ingredients on the packaging

The importance of origin | New Brief out, #180

The importance of origin New appellations are added to the wine world continuously. And not only in France and Italy. The New World has also realized the advantages of designations of origin. It is no

Vineyards in Condrieu, Rhone

The truth about the size of the French wine regions

Sometimes it is said that statistics is an effective way to hide the truth. But often it is very interesting and sometimes surprising. New statistics – very detailed – were recently published on the wine

The Corton hill in Burgundy with Corton-Charlemagne

On Burgundy’s appellations and grapes

“Some of the most unique wines in the world – reds and white – come from Burgundy. A well-made red Bourgogne (or Burgundy wine if you prefer), made from the elusive pinot noir grape variety,

Chardonnay

IGP Pays d’Oc celebrates 30 year anniversary

A success story in the Languedoc celebrates 30 years. Robert Skalli and Jacques Gravegeal created IGP Pays d’Oc in 1987. At the time it was called Vin de Pays d’Oc. It became the most successful

Pinot Noir in a grand cru vineyard in Corton

New appellations in Burgundy: Vézelay and Côte d’Or

Burgundy has a new village appellation. Bourgogne Vézelay has been upgraded to AOP Vézelay. The new village appellation has 70 hectares planted with chardonnay, the only grape permitted. Vézelay is located 50 kilometres south of

The sea, the mountains and the sun in Sicily

New Zealand has defined 18 protected wine regions

Every wine lover is familiar with some of the well-established wine regions in New Zealand, but they may not always have been so well-defined and protected from abuse. From July 27 new rules govern 18

A barrel cellar tunnel at Bodegas Roda in Rioja

Rioja, now with single vineyards on the label

Henceforth it is allowed for Rioja to indicate the name of the vineyard from which the grapes come from on the label. Many producers have impatiently been waiting for this. Consumers want, says the Rioja

Tokaj bottles waiting to mature. 1999, 5 puttonyos Aszu

New rules in Tokaj: puttonyos no more

An era is gone in the Hungarian wine region of Tokaj. Many of you probably remember Tokaj Aszú with its different number of puttonyos. It could be 3, 4, 5 or even 6. The more

The village of Saint Joseph in Morgon in Beaujolais, Burgundy

New ideas in Beaujolais: villages on the label

The Beaujolais producers are keen to prove that they do not only make Beaujolais Nouveau wines. One way to do this, they believe, is to give consumers a more accurate geographical indication on the labels.

Angelo Gaja, winemaker in Barbaresco in Piemonte

Prestige “Barbaresco” will be Barbaresco once more

Angelo Gaja’s children obviously do not agree with their father’s decision to sell the estate’s three single vineyard Barbaresco – Costa Russi, Sori Tildin and Sori San Lorenzo – as DOC Langhe instead of DOCG

Happy 80th anniversary to 75 French appellations

In 1936 the first appellations (AOC, appellation d’origine contrôlée) were awarded to 75 wine regions in France. The very first appellations were confirmed on 15 May 1936. It was Arbois, Cassis, Châteauneuf-du-Pape, Tavel and Monbazillac.

New wine hierarchy in Languedoc

The Languedoc growers have long been planning a structuring of the different appellations in a hierarchy. Earlier they planned to have a top appellation category called “grand cru”. However, they were rapped on the knuckles

A new IGP called Terre du Midi

A new IGP (Indication Géographique Protégée, the category that has replaced vin de pays) will soon be launched in the south of France. It will be an IGP that brings together the departments of Aude,

Bottles in the cellars of a cava producer in Catalonia, Spain

New classification for Cava in Catalonia

Cava, the Spanish sparkling wine, is made in many different price ranges and quality levels. The best cava is a high quality wine and soon some of these better cava will be able to put

Congratulations INAO, 80 years this year!

This year we congratulate the INAO which was founded in 1935, 80 years ago. Then it was called Institut national des appellations d’origine. Nowadays the name has changed to the Institut national de l’origine et

Another appellation for Bourgogne, Cote d’Or?

Will Burgundy obtain yet another appellation? The Burgundians already have about 100 appellations, more than any other wine region in France. But this does not deter them. The new appellation now being discussed (again, for

Maury vineyards

Maury Sec, a new appellation

New appellations are created now and then in France. In 2011, a new wine with its own appellation appeared, Maury Sec. Maury is a small village down in Roussillon, in southern France. The village has

Aix-en-Provence without “Coteaux”?

Côte and Coteaux, we see these words everywhere: Côtes du Rhône, Coteaux du Languedoc, Côte des Blancs, Côte de Beaune, etc. It is an old French tradition to call wine regions located along rivers or

New original DAC in Austria: Wiener Gemischter Satz

In Austria, they call their appellations DAC (Districtus Austriae Controllatus). The newest and ninth DAC has just been approved: Wiener Gemischter Satz. It is a strange appellation, or at least unusual appellation, perhaps even unique.

Chinese champagne is but a memory

China has recently recognized the appellation Champagne. This means that in future in China you will not see any Chinese bubbles, or imported ones for that matter, that is labelled as Champagne if they do

New wine hierarchy in Languedoc

The Languedoc growers have long been planning a structuring of the different appellations in a hierarchy. Earlier they planned to have a top appellation category

A new IGP called Terre du Midi

A new IGP (Indication Géographique Protégée, the category that has replaced vin de pays) will soon be launched in the south of France. It will

Maury vineyards

Maury Sec, a new appellation

New appellations are created now and then in France. In 2011, a new wine with its own appellation appeared, Maury Sec. Maury is a small

Chinese champagne is but a memory

China has recently recognized the appellation Champagne. This means that in future in China you will not see any Chinese bubbles, or imported ones for

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