Abbreviation for Appellation d'Origine Contrôlée d'Excellence. Idea published by the INAO 2004 for a quality designation for regions with outstanding wine quality. However, it was dropped by the EU wine market regulation which came into effect in 2009. See under Appellation d'Origine Protégée (AOP).
As honorary chairman of the Domäne Wachau, it is the easiest and quickest way for me to access the wein.plus encyclopaedia when I have questions. The certainty of receiving well-founded and up-to-date information here makes it an indispensable guide.
Hans-Georg Schwarz
Ehrenobmann der Domäne Wachau (Wachau)