Something to wine about

[ABC]

What is the difference between a vin de pays and an appellation controle?

[Jason]

In the French wine industry the names are conferred by the Institute National des Appellations d''Origine (INAO). This body regulates the naming of wine allowing appellation controlle (AC) or grand cru status according to the strictly enforced rules of vine cultivation and wine production. If wines are not grown in accordance with these rules, they can have only Vin de Pays status. In a recent and much discussed case the INAO removed AC status from some very important St Emillion and Fronsac chateau-bottled wines because the growers had used plastic sheeting to protect the vines from rain and this was deemed illegal.