Home > Food and Drink > Wine > Glossary > Glossary (A) > Appellation D'origine Contrôlée (France)

sign up for free membership
Register
today for full
access to InterSites ...


Appellation D'origine Contrôlée (France)

Often abbreviated to AC or AOC, this is the highest legal classification for French wine, above Vin Délimité de Qualité Supérieure, Vin de Pays and Vin de Table. In order to qualify for the AC, wines must be produced from grapes grown within a geographically defined area, and conform to regulations concerning grape varieties, yields, alcohol content and so on. Although AC means these features are guaranteed, it is not unfortunately a guarantee of quality.