Wine Classifications Deciphered
Unless you're an avid enthusiast or collector, there is a good chance that wine labels are confusing and hieroglyphic. How many acronyms can there be for one bottle of wine? Indicazione di Geografica whoozit? Even though each wine-producing country has specific classifications in place to ensure production abides by certain standards, the majority of these systems are modelled after each other; therefore, if you understand one, the rest suddenly become less complicated. With this handy guide, you'll be able to recognize the basics of classification and roam the liquor store aisles like the aficionado you always knew you were!
France- Appellation d'origine contrôlée (AOC)
 - This is translated as "controlled term of origin". A division of the Ministry of Agriculture in France, the Institut National des Appellations d'Origine (INAO), guarantees that AOC products adhere to a strict and consistent set of standards regarding growth and production, alcohol content, varieties of grapes allowed and so on. As a result, wines are of particularly high quality.
- Appellation d'origine vin délimité de qualité supérieure (AOVDQS or VDQS) - "Delimited Wine of Superior Quality" is the second highest category of French wine. These are also strictly controlled by INAO and subject to rules of growth and production. There are not a large number of VDQS wines as most of the wines quickly move up to AOC status; this ranking will actually be eliminated by 2011.
- Vin de pays - These wines carry a geographic description of origin (e.g. Languedoc Roussillon, Loire Valley, etc.), thereby earning their "country wine" moniker. Winemakers must use grape varieties specified by a professional committee and wines are analysed and tasted. Vins de pays are economical and becoming increasingly popular.
- Vin de table - Table wine is the lowest quality and makes up about 40-50% of French production. There are few regulations and winemakers are not permitted to mention the area of origin nor its vintage. Commonly, several varieties of grape (often including grapes grown outside of France) are blended together.
Italy- Denominazione di Origine Controllata e Garantita (DOCG) - DOC and DOCG wines were modelled after the French AOC classification. The DOCG label was created when several Italian food industries felt that that DOC label was given too liberally. Wines with this ranking are analysed and tasted by professional government personnel to ensure quality, and seals on approved bottles are officially numbered to indicate they are "controlled and guaranteed".
- Denominazione di Origine Controllata (DOC) - A DOC label requires that the wine is produced in a specifically mandated geographical zone and that it satisfies defined quality standards.
- Indicazione di Geografica Tipica (IGT) - In 1992 with the advent of the Super Tuscans (see the External Links for more information), the IGT label was introduced as a means for winemakers to obtain recognition for wines that were superior to table wine but not regulated enough, whether with respect to geography or grape variety, to qualify as DOC.
- Vino da Tavola (VdT) - Italian table wines are those without appellation; the only criterion is that they be made from Italian grapes.
Germany- Qualitätswein mit Prädikat (QmP) - This translates to "Quality Wine with Attributes" but as of 2007 has been renamed Prädikatswein: the top level of the German classification system. Wines must be produced from specified grape varieties in one of the 39 permitted sub regions of one of the 13 growing regions and chapitalisation (adding sugar to unfermented grape juice to increase the resulting alcohol content) is strictly forbidden. Graduating ripeness levels are as follows:
- Kabinett - Grapes are fully ripe when picked; wines tend to be light and low in alcohol.
- Spätlese - Grapes are picked after the normal harvest and are therefore intensely flavoured and concentrated.
- Auslese - Auslese wines are made of select bunches of extremely ripe grapes and tend to be quite sweet.
- Beerenauslese (BA) - Overripe grapes (often affected by noble rot) are individually selected; the resulting wines are rich and sweet.
- Eiswein - This is a very risky wine to produce as grapes have frozen on the vine. Flavours are highly concentrated and very sweet.
- Trockenbeernauslese (TBA) - Grapes have dried on the vine and almost resemble raisins. Wines are honey-like and caramelly.
- Qualitätswein bestimmter Anbaugebiete (QbA) - Wines produced must be from one specific region and only approved grape varieties and ripeness levels are permitted. However, since the resulting wines tend to be light in body, chapitalisation is quite common practice for winemakers.
- Landwein - Landwein is the German equivalent of vin de pays and grapes must come from one of 19 specific districts. The label must specify whether it is dry (trocken) or off-dry (halbtrocken).
- Deutscher Tafelwein - Unlike French or Italian table wines, Tafelwein has imposed regulations: production must occur in one of five regions, and this location must be indicated on the label. Wines are not analyzed or tasted but the alcohol content must be at least 8.5%.
Spain- Denominación de Origen Calificada (DOCa) - In order to be classified as DOCa, wine quality must have been high over an extended period of time. Furthermore, the growing region must be officially recognized and production must take place exclusively in that region. Thus far, only Rioja has been able to achieve this status.
- Denominación de Origens (DO) - Each Denomination of Origin (DO) is governed by a Consejo Regulador who enforced regulations and standards regarding grapes used, grape blends allowed, harvest yields and so forth. DO wines must come from regions that have been recognized over the past five years known for producing Vinos de Calidad con Indicación Geográfica (Quality Wines with a Geographical Indication).
- Vino de la Tierra (VT or VdlT) - Like France's vin de pays, these are wines that do not qualify for DO status but can still be of very high quality. VT classification regulates geographical origin and the minimum alcohol content.
- Vino de Mesa (VM or VdM) - Vinos de Mesa are table wines mostly made from unclassified grapes; however, similar to the Super Tuscans, some winemakers will intentionally declassify their wines to have the freedom to experiment with methods and blends.
Portugal- Denominação de Origem Controlada (DOC) - Following Portugal's entry into the European Union in 1986, this system was established to protect its wine regions. As in other countries, quality is carefully monitored via regulations regarding permitted grapes, maximum allowable harvest, minimum alcohol content, aging, etc.
Austria - Districtus Austraie Controllatus (DAC) - Under complaints that the existing wine classification system was overly confusing, a new system was introduced in the early 2000's. The DAC is awarded to wines that typify their region; notably, they maintain a minimum alcohol content and maintain precise flavour profiles. Currently, there are four DACs: Weinviertel, Mittelburgenland, Traisental and Kremstal.
- Prädikatswein - Prädikatswein covers the range of sweet wines from Spätlese to Eiswein. As with its German equivalent, chapitalisation is not permitted, nor is any other similar enrichment.
- Qualitätswein - Grapes for Qualitätswein must come from a single growing region, and minimal chapitalisation is often permitted to add body and increase alcohol levels.
- Kabinett - Kabinett is the only Qualitätswein in which chapitalisation is not allowed.
- Landwein - Landwein is a Tafelwein that comes from only one growing area: no inter-regional blending is allowed.
- Tafelwein - Austrian Tafelwein may be blended or originate from one region, and with the exception of Bergwein and Heuriger wines, vintage or grape variety may not be printed on the label.
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