6000

Approximate number of domaines in Burgundy. Not equivalent to the term château in Bordeaux, a Burgundian domaine is a collection of vineyard parcels, often extremely small, owned by the same family or entity. Usually these parcels are scattered among different appellations throughout the region. A Burgundian domaine may make tiny quantities of a dozen or more wines.

How many AOCs (Appellations d’Origine Contrôlée) are there in France?

A. 1,000

B. 85

C. 450

D. 260

France’s Appellation d’Origine Contrôlée (AOC) laws date from the 1930s, and define and delimit French wine regions. Currently there are 450 AOCs in France, accounting for 53.4% of the wines made in the country. The rules of any designated AOC stipulate how producers who want to use that AOC’s name on their labels must make their product. The rules define, among many other factors, the permitted geographical location of vineyards and varieties of grapes, as well as minimum aging times and alcohol levels. Wines that do not follow AOC regulations (or are outside the delimited areas) are labeled as IGP (Indication Géographique Protégée) wines or Vins de France.

Cathy Corison is always one of the first winemakers to harvest in the Napa Valley. When we asked her about perfect ripeness, here’s what she said:

“Waiting to pick so long that the bright red and blue flavors are gone, along with most of the natural acidity, is not my idea of ripeness. Once those have departed, you can’t get them back. I often hear it said that ‘the flavors aren’t there yet’ when, for my style of wine, they’ve come and gone.”

—Cathy Corison, Winemaker/Owner Corison Vineyards, Napa Valley

6000

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