Regions
16 regions terms explained by our experts.
Appellation
An appellation is a legally defined and protected geographical region for wine production. Appellations guarantee that a wine comes from a specific place and was made according to local regulations governing grape varieties, yields, winemaking methods, and quality standards.
RegionsAOC / AOP
AOC (Appellation d'Origine Contrôlée) and its EU equivalent AOP (Appellation d'Origine Protégée) is the French system of legally protected geographical designations for wine. It is the world's oldest and most imitated appellation system, establishing rules for origin, grape varieties, yields, and winemaking practices.
RegionsDOC / DOCG
DOC (Denominazione di Origine Controllata) and DOCG (Denominazione di Origine Controllata e Garantita) are Italy's quality wine classification levels. DOCG is the highest tier, requiring stricter production rules, lower yields, and mandatory government tasting panels before release.
RegionsAVA
AVA (American Viticultural Area) is the United States' system for defining grape-growing regions based on distinguishing geographic features like climate, soil, elevation, and physical boundaries. Unlike European appellations, AVAs do not regulate grape varieties, yields, or winemaking methods.
RegionsCru
Cru is a French term meaning 'growth' or 'vineyard' that designates a recognised quality level in wine classification. It denotes a specific vineyard or estate whose terroir produces wines of exceptional quality, particularly in Bordeaux, Burgundy, Champagne, and Beaujolais.
RegionsGrand Cru
Grand Cru ('great growth') is the highest quality classification for vineyards in French wine, designating plots that consistently produce the finest wines. In Burgundy, only 33 vineyards out of thousands hold Grand Cru status, representing less than 2% of total production.
RegionsPremier Cru
Premier Cru ('first growth') is the second-highest vineyard classification in Burgundy, designating excellent vineyard sites that sit just below Grand Cru. In Bordeaux, confusingly, Premier Cru is the highest classification, referring to the top five estates of the 1855 Classification.
RegionsClimat
A climat is a precisely delineated vineyard parcel in Burgundy, defined by its unique combination of soil, microclimate, slope, and exposure. The climats of Burgundy were inscribed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 2015, recognising their historical and cultural significance.
RegionsNégociant
A négociant is a wine merchant who purchases grapes, juice, or finished wine from multiple growers and produces wine under their own label. Négociants play a vital role in regions like Burgundy, the Rhône Valley, and Bordeaux, where vineyard ownership is fragmented among many small producers.
RegionsIGP (Indication Géographique Protégée)
IGP (Indication Géographique Protégée) is the EU quality tier sitting below AOP/AOC, offering winemakers greater flexibility in grape varieties, yields, and winemaking techniques while still guaranteeing regional origin. In France, IGP replaced the former Vin de Pays designation in 2009 and now covers more than 75 production zones.
RegionsVin de France
Vin de France is the most basic official wine category in France, replacing the former Vin de Table designation in 2009. It permits blending grapes from any region in the country and places almost no restrictions on grape varieties, yields, or winemaking techniques.
RegionsCru Classé
Cru Classé (classified growth) refers to a wine estate that has been officially ranked within one of France's hierarchical classification systems. The most famous is the 1855 Bordeaux Classification, but several other French regions maintain their own cru systems, each reflecting historical prestige and perceived quality.
RegionsCru Bourgeois
Cru Bourgeois is a quality classification for châteaux in the Médoc region of Bordeaux that were not included in the 1855 Classification. Revived in 2020 with a transparent, three-tier hierarchy, it now encompasses 249 estates and represents some of Bordeaux's best value wines.
RegionsChâteau
In Bordeaux wine terminology, a château is a wine estate that encompasses vineyards, winemaking facilities, and typically a residence. The term implies a self-contained production unit where grapes are grown and vinified on the property, though the building need not be a literal castle.
RegionsLieu-Dit
A lieu-dit is a named vineyard site or parcel of land identified by a traditional topographical or historical name. Common throughout French wine regions, lieux-dits preserve centuries of local geographic knowledge and increasingly appear on labels as markers of terroir specificity.
RegionsMonopole
A monopole is a vineyard wholly owned by a single producer, a rarity in regions like Burgundy where centuries of inheritance law have fragmented most vineyards among dozens of proprietors. Monopole status guarantees a singular expression of terroir uncompromised by stylistic differences between multiple owners.