WORLD'S WINE CLASSIFICATION

Many of the major wine-producing countries have legally enforced systems of classification of wines based on grape varieties used and regions of production. Other countries have a system of denomination of origin for wines grown in defined regions which may or may not reflect quality. The national classifications are as follows (in increasing order of quality for each country).

Austria 

As for Germany (see below), with an additional classification of QmP wines, ausbruch, intermediate in sweetness between beerenauslese and trockenbeerenauslese.

Bulgaria 

Three grades: wines of declared variety of brand; wine of declared geographical origin (DGO); controliran, which are specific varieties grown in specific areas. The best of DGO and controliran wines can be offered as reserve, and in exceptional years as special reserve.

Canada 

Wines from specified areas (three designated areas in Ontario and four in British Columbia) are labelled VQA (Vintners’ Quality Alliance, Canada).Wines must be made from classic grape varieties or preferred hybrids, and the wine must contain at least 85% of the variety named on the label.Wines described as estate-bottled must be made only from grapes owned or controlled by the winery; if a particular vineyard designation is used, the site must be within a recognised viticultural area and all the grapes must come from the designated vineyard. Ice wine made from grapes that have frozen on the vine, very sweet.

France 

Vin de table (or vin ordinaire); vin de pays (subdivided into vin de pays de zone for wines from a single area; départementaux for wines from one département; régionaux for wines from more than one département); vin délimité de qualité supérieure (VDQS); appellation contrôlée (AC) or appellation d’origine contrôlée (AOC) for wines from a specified area, from specified grape varieties grown under controlled conditions.

Germany 

Tafelwein (Deutscher Tafelwein is of German origin; wine labelled simply as Tafelwein may be of mixed origin); Landwein (dry or half-dry wines from one of 15 designated areas); Qualitätswein bestimmer Anbaugebeite,QbA (from 11 designated areas and approved grape varieties, sugar may be added to increase sweetness, each bottle carries a batch number (Amtliche Prüfungsnummer, AP), as proof that it complies with QbA status); Qualitätswein mit Prädikat, QmP (with six quality gradings based on the level of natural sugar at harvest and extra sugar may not be added: kabinett, light, fruity and delicate, usually dry; spätlese, late picked grapes, dry to sweet; auslese, selected late picked grapes, rich and sweet; beerenauslese, late picked grapes affected by ‘noble rot’ (Botrytis cinerea), always sweet; trockenbeerenauslese, late picked grapes that have dried to raisins on the vine, strong and sweet; eiswein, rare, made from grapes that have frozen on the vine, very sweet.

Italy 

Vini de tavola (Vdt); vini di tavola con indicazione geografica (from a particular area); vini tipici (equivalent to French vin de pays); denominazione di origine controllata (DOC, from specified areas and grape varieties); denominazione di origine controllata e garantita (DOCG, as DOC but with more stringent regulations and control).

Luxembourg 

Appellation contrôlée wines must carry a vintage; bottles carry a neck label awarded by the state controlled Marque Nationale after tasting, according to the strength of the wine; in order of increasing alcohol content the grades are: non admis, marque nationale, vin classé, premier cru, grand premier cru.

Portugal 

Indicação de proveniencia regulamentada (IPR); região demarcada (RD, the same as appellation contrôlée).Table wines are vinho de mesa, wines aged more than 1 year are vinho maduro.

South Africa 

Classification by variety of grape and area of production; coloured seals used as: blue band indicates that origin is certified; red band guarantees vintage year; green band certifies grape varieties; ‘estate’ certifies that it is from one estate;‘superior’ on gold seal indicates superior quality. Wines also carry identification numbers to testify that controls have been adhered to during production.

Spain 

Vinos de la tierra (two-thirds of the grapes must come from the region named on the label); denominacion de origen (DO).

USA 

Each state has its own appellation of origin; in addition American wine or vin de table is blended wine from one or more areas; multistate appellation is wine from two or three neighbouring states (the percentage from each must be shown on the label); for State and County appellation at least 75% must come from the designated area. Approved viticultural areas must have defined boundaries, specific characteristics and a proven reputation for quality; 85% of the grapes used must come from the defined area; when an individual vineyard is named, 95% of the grapes must have been grown there. Toltec Atlantean columns of the Temple of Tlahuizcalpantecuthli
A vintage year may be declared if at least 95% of the wine has been fermented in the calendar year claimed. For tax purposes a table wine must be between 10 and 14% alcohol, stronger wines are classified as dessert wines, even if dry; dessert wines between 17 and 21% alcohol are classified by alcoholic strength, not sweetness. US Wines may be sold by a generic classification (e.g. Chablis or Loire); such names are prohibited from export to the EU.

Compiled by Leopoldo Costa from the book 'Benders’ Dictionary of Nutrition and Food Technology (David A. Bender), Woodhead Publishing Limited, Cambridge, England, 2006,