What Is a Wine Appellation System?

A wine appellation system is a set of regulations that dictate how wine is classified, labelled and, in some cases, produced, and provides information to consumers concerning where the grapes used to produce the wine were grown.

What are the best known wine appellations and how do they differ from one another?

The best known wine appellation systems are the French AOC, the German QBA, the Italian DOCG and DOC and the American AVA:

French AOC wines are named after the regions in which they are produced
The German QBA designates region and grape ripeness
The two Italian appellations designate wines by place, grape, both place and grape or name
The American appellation only specifies geographic origin of the wine

Other wine appellation systems around the world indicate where grapes were grown.

French wines are named after the regions in which they are produced

A wine with a French AOC designation is named for the place where it is produced (e.g., Burgundy) instead of the name of the grape (e.g., Pinot Noir) from which the wine is made. This reflects the importance the French place on location and “terroir” (i.e., all of the aspects of winemaking not controlled by humans that determine the flavor and taste of wine). Some of the more well-known French AOC areas and the grapes grown in those areas are:

Area Name	Grape Variety
Beaujolais	Gamay
Bordeaux (red)	Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Cabernet Franc and others
Bordeaux (white)	Sauvignon Blanc, Semillon, Muscadelle
Burgundy (red)	Pinot Noir
Burgundy (white)	Chardonnay
Chablis	Chardonnay
Champagne	Chardonnay, Pinot Noir, Pinot Meunier
Chateauneuf-du-Pape	Up to 13 different grape varieties including Grenache, Mourvedre and Syrah
Cotes du Rhone	Grenache, Mourvedre, Carignan and others
Pouilly-Fuisse	Chardonnay
Sancerre	Sauvignon Blanc
Sauternes	Semillon, Sauvignon Blanc

The French AOC is arguably the most restrictive appellation system. In this system, wine must meet minimum alcohol levels, wine grapes must come from the stated location, grape types must be approved to be grown in the particular region, farming practices and crop yields are controlled, and wine must be taste-tested to ensure it is “typical.”

Some have asserted that the strict AOC laws disadvantage French producers, as they are unable to take advantage of certain modern farming practices and production techniques. Notwithstanding, growers and producers not adhering to the appellation laws face strict penalties.

The German wine appellation system designates region and grape ripeness

The German QBA identifies quality wine from one of thirteen designated regions (Ahr, Mittelrhein, Mosel-Saar-Ruwer, Rheingau, Nahe, Rheinhessen, Pfalz, Hessische Bergstrasse, Franken, Baden, Wurttemberg, Saale-Unstrut and Sachsen). In this system, wine must be produced from approved grape varieties that achieve a level of ripeness that “reflect the flavors of the grape and region.”

Riesling is the predominant white wine grape, and Spätburgunder (i.e., Pinot Noir) is the predominant red wine grape. Other common grapes include Silvaner, Müller Thurgau and Scheurebe.

Highest quality wines are given a German QMP designation. QMP wines are classified according to the ripeness of the grapes used to produce the wine. In ascending order of ripeness:

Kabinett – produced from ripe grapes; usually a light-bodied wine
Spätlese – produced from “late harvest” grapes; usually a full-bodied wine
Auslese – produced from “select” late harvest grapes
Beerenauslese – produced from dried grapes from a late harvest
Eiswein – produced from frozen grapes
Trokenbeerenauslese – produced from botrytis (a type of fungus)-affected grapes

The riper the grape, usually the sweeter the wine produced; however, German producers can and do make both dry and sweet versions of the wines in the various ripeness classifications. A dry wine will usually have the word “Trocken” on the label, and a medium dry wine will have the word “Halbtocken” on its label.

German sparkling wines are called “Sekt.”

Italy's appellation systems designate wines by place, grape, both place and grape or name

Italy has two appellation systems – the DOC and the DOCG.

In the DOC system, wines must be produced from approved grape varieties that are grown in approved, demarcated zones. Each designated DOC zone controls the permitted grape varieties, crop yields, certain farming and production methods (including aging methods and length of aging) and volume of wine produced. Wines are also taste-tested.

DOCG wines are higher quality wines than DOC wines. The DOCG regulations are similar to, but more stringent than, those of the DOC. In some cases, wines are elevated from DOC status to DOCG status.

There are over a thousand wine grape varieties grown in Italy. As such, relatively few of the total are used to produce wines that are imported into the United States. Included are well-known wines from the following areas:

Area Name	Grape Variety
Alba	Dolcetto
Apulia	Primitivo (a.k.a., Zinfandel)
Asti	Muscat, Barbera
Barbaresco	Nebbiolo
Barolo	Nebbiolo
Brunello di Montalcino	Sangiovese
Chianti	Sangiovese, Canaiolo and others
Soave	Garganega and others
Valpolicella	Corvina, Molinara and Rondinella
Amarone	Corvina, Molinara and Rondinella

There are four ways to name an Italian wine – by place produced (e.g., Chianti), by grape (e.g., Sangiovese), by place and grape (e.g., Barbera d’ Asti) and by a proprietary name (e.g., Sassicaia).

“Classico” on the wine label specifies that the wine was produced from grapes grown in a traditional (theoretically superior) vineyard area within a DOC or DOCG zone.

“Secco” on the label indicates a dry wine. “Dolce” on the label identifies a sweet wine.

“Spumante” is a sparkling wine.

“Super Tuscans” contain non-Italian grapes (usually the Cabernet Sauvignon grape) and are often aged in new, small oak barrels.

The American wine appellation system only specifies geographic origin of the wine

Unlike European appellation systems that dictate grape varieties grown, crop yields, production methods, etc., the American AVA merely specifies the geographic origin of the wine. Major appellations include the following:

State	AVA
California	Rutherford, Oakville, Stags Leap District, Carneros, Dry Creek Valley, Alexander Valley, Russian River Valley
Washington	Yakima Valley, Walla Walla, Red Mountain, Columbia Valley, Puget Sound
Oregon	Willamette Valley, Umpqua Valley, Columbia Valley, Rogue Valey, Walla Walla
New York	Lake Erie, Finger Lakes, Hudson River Region, Long Island

There are three ways to name an American wine – by grape variety, by a proprietary label or by a generic label that reflects the style of the wine (usually borrowed from the name of a place in Europe).

Other wine appellation systems around the world indicate where grapes were grown

Other appellation systems around the world and certain of their wine producing areas (usually indicated on the wine bottle label) are:

Country	Appellations
Argentina	Mendoza
Australia	Barrossa Valley, McLaren Vale, Clare Valley, Coonawara, Padthaway, Eden Valley, Hunter Valley, Yarra Valley, Margaret River
Canada	Niagara Peninsula, Okanagan Valley
Chile	Maipo, Casablanca
New Zealand	Marlborough
Portugal	Vinho Verde, Duoro
South Africa	Stellenbosch, Paarl, Constantia
Spain	Rias Baxias, Ribeiro, Ribeira del Duero, Rioja, Navarra, La Mancha

"The French AOC is arguably the most restrictive appellation system. In this system, wine must meet minimum alcohol levels, wine grapes must come from the stated location, grape types must be approved to be grown in the particular region, farming practices and crop yields are controlled, and wine must be taste-tested to ensure that it is 'typical.'”

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