European Appellations

Duane Roy, Glandore Winemaker

Wondering around the vineyards of Europe, is, from a winemaker’s and wine lover’s view, one of the greatest experiences one can embark on. From the rolling hills of Barolo, the insanely steep slate filled vineyard of the Mosel, to what looks like endless vineyards of the sparkling Champagne region.

Behind those great wines and beautiful views, lurks the unseen appellations system which can be difficult to understand straight from the pages of a book or looking at printed maps.

So, what is the appellation system, and do we have it here?

Yes and no!!  In Australia, if you display Hunter valley on the label, your vineyard has to be in the Hunter Valley catchment, which means vineyards in Merriwa, Pokolbin and Dungog can all sell wine from the Hunter Valley.  It’s a big area, like most GI (Geographical Indication) regions in Australia. But other than being made up of at least 85% from this region, there really aren’t any other rules defining the location of the wine.

There are no rules on what varieties we can and can’t plant in different wine areas around Australia, unlike the European appellation system.  The appellation system even goes so far as to have rules about time in oak, time in bottle, and yields, with the goal of creating a consistent quality across the appellation.

So, which is better?

Both the tightly controlled appellation classification system, and our more relaxed approach, have merits.  As a winemaker and wine lover, there is something incredibly special about standing in a vineyard with a glass in your hand after absorbing all the information from maps and books.  I personally get a sense of authenticity when walking through these vineyards, elevating the drinking pleasure of these wines to a new level.

On the other hand, with the change in climate, we may just have an upper hand in our ability to bend to the changes without getting bogged down in red tape or define the next generations drinking style without having to wait a generation for laws to be changed. And what a shame not to have such a wonderful representation of so many grape varieties from the numerous amazing wine regions here in Australia.

So many great wines, so little time.