When mentioning French wine, AOC is always inevitable, and people usually think that wines with AOC tags have better quality. So, is this really the case? What is the significance of AOC?
AOC is the abbreviation of the French “APPELLELATION D’ Origine Controlee “, which means” naming control of the origin “and is the highest level in the French wine grading system. In order to integrate with the EU, France began using AOP instead of AOC in 2012. The full name of AOP is “Appelice D’ Origine Protegee “, which means” naming protection of the place of origin “, but the AOC tag can still be used. At present, there are hundreds of wine producing areas protected by AOC/AOP labels. Each of each of this label has meticulous and strict production regulations, including the cultivation area, grape varieties, picking forms, and the lowest mature grape mature maturity A degree, maximum output, wine brewing method, and wine accuracy.
1. Cultivation area
Land is the most basic production factors of agricultural products, and after a long time of cultivation, human beings have mastered the land and its climate characteristics. At the same time, the grape cultivation area has a decisive impact on the style and quality of the wine. Therefore, wine with AOC tags must be all from the production area marked on the wine label. Generally speaking, the more detailed the AOC production area marked on the wine label, the stricter regulations of various limited regulations, the more typical wines, the more clear the style, the higher the relative quality of the wine. For example, the wines produced in the 1855 -class village and the wines in Bordeaux are AOC levels, but the quality of the two has a significant difference. It can be said that the cultivation area is the most direct and important content of AOC related regulations.
2. Grape variety
This is the regulation of wine raw materials. There are many grapes in the world that can be used for brewing, but there are only dozens of common varieties that have been washed through the past markets. These varieties are either with strong environmental adaptability, high yield, strong resistance, unique quality and exactly only in some specific areas to survive, or to maximize the cultivation benefits of a certain area. The French AOC regulations also specify the varieties of planting and brewing in various production areas. For example, under the control of AOC regulations, Burgundy’s brewing varieties are mainly Pinot Noir and Chardonnay. Supplemented by a small amount of Gamay and Aligote.
3. Maturity
As a kind of fruit, its sugar content represents the potential alcohol content in the wine, and it also represents the degree of mellowness of the wine. Taking the Super Bordeaux AOC (Bordeaux Superieur AOC) as an example, its wine grapes need to ensure that the potential alcohol content is not less than 10%when harvesting. At the same time, its alcoholic content is 0.5%higher than that of ordinary Bordeaux AOC. This also illustrates from another level that even if it is an AOC -level wine, there is a difference in quality.
4. Output
“Production” is an important factor in determining the price of wine, and its units are mostly measured by ascending/hectares. Under normal farming, the lower limit of the scale of this indicator can ensure the final richness or basic quality characteristics of the wine. At the same time, people can also form expected. Among the factors that determine the output, the planting density, shaping or trimming methods often have specific regulations. For example, the plant density of vineyards in ordinary Bordeaux AOC producing areas must reach at least 4,000/hectares, while Super Bordeaux AOC needs to reach 4,500/hectares. High -density cultivation can enhance the competition between grapes, forcing it Take root, so as to knot the fruit that has a stronger flavor.
5. Brewing method
As a drink, although the quality of the wine is mainly based on the gift of nature, with the continuous accumulation of experience and the continuous upgrade of winemaking equipment, its final wonderful presentation depends on the three -pointer of the winemaking process. Grape picking methods, squeezing methods, screening degree, brewing equipment, time, time and time of various brewing stages, such as each brewing stage, and other brewing stages often have very particular regulations.
Of course, the AOC information of a wine can only show its statutory production method. What is the quality of the wine that consumers last purchased? It has a lot to do. As for the price that consumers care about, in addition to the quality information specified by AOC, it is also closely related to the amount of circulation costs such as good or bad, transportation methods and tariffs, and the number of market culture and competitive supply.
