Relaxed planting laws spells ‘death’ of AOC system

A new EU law that came into force on 1 January relaxing the rules on planting vines in Europe spells “the death of the AOC system” according to one producer.

Producers in Champagne have voiced concerns about the new EU planting laws

Speaking to The Telegraph, Champagne producer and mayor of the Champagne village of Vertus Pascal Perrot said: “This rule spells the death of the AOC system, which we have had since 1927.

“There will no longer be any criteria for planting. Terroir, the quality of the earth, exposure to the sun – they will count for nothing. Anyone will be able to make pseudo-Champagne, either here or anywhere else.”

The new law allows table wines to be made and sold anywhere in France without the need to indicate its geographical area of origin, only the grape varieties used.

Vine-planting is now assumed to be legal across Europe unless a good reason can be found to stop it, however new vine plantings in France will be restricted to 8,000 hectares a year.

Growers in Champagne fear that the relaxing of planting rules will lead to cheap imitations with little respect for terroir passing themselves off as Champagne.

However many winemakers in France have welcomed the new laws, which will lead to the emergence of new wine brands that can be sold all over the world.

One such producer, Marie-Christine, is keen to revive winemaking in the village of Acy near Champagne. “The people of Champagne have never wanted to give us the right to grow vines. They think they’re superior and consider us incapable of producing wine,” she told Le Parisien.

Acy enjoyed a strong winemaking tradition during the 1920s and ‘30s before France’s wine map was formally delineated.