French wines are classified into four grades: AOC, VDQS, VDP and VDT.
1. AOC
It means "origin control naming" in French. The variety of grapes in the region of origin, the number of grapes planted, the brewing process and the alcohol content are all certified by experts. It can only be made from grapes grown in the country of origin and must not be mixed with grape juice from other regions.
AOC production accounts for about 35% of the total production of French wine. The bottle label is Appellation+ Appellation+ Controlee, for example, Appellation Bordeaux Controlee.
2. VDQS
The level that normal regional table wine must pass to make the transition to AOC. If the wine performs well during the VDQS period, it will be upgraded to AOC.
Production accounts for only 2% of the total production of French wine. The tag is Appellation+ Appellation+ Vin Delimite de Qualite Superieure.
3. VDP
The best of the table wines are upgraded to regional table wines. Regional wine labels can indicate the region of origin. It can be blended with grape juice that indicates the region of production, but only the grapes in that region. Production accounts for about 15% of the total production of French wine.
The label is Vin de Pays + the appellation name, e.g. Vin de Pays d'Oc. Most of the regional table wine in France comes from the southern Mediterranean coast.
4. VDT
The lowest grade of wine used for daily consumption. It can be made by blending grape juice from different regions. If grape juice is limited to various regions of France, it can be called French daily table wine. Juice from outside the European Union is not allowed, which accounts for about 38 percent of France's total wine production. Bottles are labeled Vin de Table, such as Vin de Table Francais.