"Hmmm, maybe I should have stuck to the rules"

A long time ago in a galaxy far, far away someone came up with the bright idea of regulating wine production. A number of wine producing countries use these quality controls today, whether it be nationwide or regional, and by doing so, they attempt to guarantee a standard of quality, which ultimately helps the consumer to have a better idea of what they’re purchasing.

The European Union divides its wines into two quality categories: QWPSRs (Quality Wines Produced in a Specified Region), and Table Wines. For any named region of production, if the name appears on the label then the wine must be made within laws that specify the limits of the area, vinegrowing and winemaking techniques and grape varieties.

Some producers prefer fewer restrictions, so they may choose to make wines in the Table Wine category. Being outside of QWPSR, they have more freedom to experiment with vinegrowing and winemaking techniques such as irrigation and oak chips (as opposed to oak barrels). For export markets they allow grape varieties and vintages to be named, and give an indication of the area of production.

Nearly all non-EU wines in the international market are ‘Wine with Geographical Description’. Take Australia for example. The Label Integrity Scheme controls regional, varietal and vintage labeling. Although there are some prestigious exceptions, the majority of wines with state or multi-state regional designations are large-volume, inexpensive wines. You’ll often see wines from ‘South Eastern Australia’. This is not a state, like South Australia or New South Wales. It’s a regional designation that allows blending across most of the country’s wine producing regions.

The most stringent regulations are probably in France. French laws covering the use of AC (Appellation Controlee) names rarely permit the naming of grape varieties. As mentioned in last week’s Wine for Dummies, you may not have realised that all Chablis is made from the Chardonnay grape – and that’s by law! Head to the south west of France for those Vin de Pays (Table Wines) and expect to find much more open winemaking.

Provided winemakers can maintain a consistent level of quality, the regulations can help a region to build brand consistency, to an extent, within the various price brackets. Many wines from the likes of Chateauneuf du Pape, Sancerre and Beaujolais-Villages can fetch a high price, but people are willing to pay it because they’ve a good idea of what they’ll be getting.

Generally, regulation will add a premium – most of the time a premium that is matched by the quality inside the bottle. That said, regional or Table Wine will also have some real gems.