The Greeks and Romans are credited for planting and growing the early vineyards Then around the 5th century the church became the dominant keeper of the vine and the primary producer of the wines, used predominantly for the Holy Sacrament Through the centuries the vineyards of France continued to develop as did the foreign trade However, in the 1800s many of the French vineyards fell victim to disease (primarily phylloxera – a small insect that destroys the roots of vines) that crippled the country’s dominating wine production.
In the 1900s after France suffered economically under two world wars, contributing in part to a significant decrease in the quality and availability of prestigous French wines, the AOC (or Appellation d’Origine Controlee – meaning “regulated origin name”) was devised.
The AOC outlined the standards for today’s modern wine regulations and laws that serve both to define grape growing regions as well as protect the quality of wines.
The AOC served to redeem the country’s wine reputation and determine structured protocol for quality and consistency within the French wine market.
.