One of the most important criteria for the quality and distinctiveness of a wine is the controlled geographical origin of the grapes from which it is made. The "controlled" means that the legal wine requirements are also regularly and strictly checked. The most important reason is to protect against wine adulteration. Even in ancient times, it was customary to name wines according to their origin.
The oldest European appellations of origin include the area defined for Chianti in 1716 and the borders defined for port wine in 1756. However, the great pioneer of a nationwide system was France, where a comprehensive appellation system (Appellation d'Origine Protégée) was adopted after the end of the First World War (1914-1918). This established a locally defined and controlled geographical origin and winemaking methods for all agricultural products. Under the sovereignty of the INAO (Institut National des Appellations d'Origine), the rules for viticulture were perfected after the Second World War (1939-1945).
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Egon Mark
Diplom-Sommelier, Weinakademiker und Weinberater, Volders (Österreich)