Wine Categories

The European Community built on the French AOC structure and set up a concept of quality wine produced in a delimited region (VQPRD, which initials stand for vin de qualite produit dans une region determinee). The Community’s rules lay down that only wines made in a named zone can be so labeled, and oblige member countries to control yield, grape varieties and the precise area within each denomination. Moreover, a second category includes the Table Wines.
The VQPRD wines are the O.P.A.P. (Ονομασία Προελεύσεως Ανωτέρας Ποιότητας - Appellation of Origin of Superior Quality) and the O.P.E. (Ονομασία Προελεύσεως Ελεγχόμενη -Controlled Appellation of Origin). The former can be distinguished by a red tape (supplied by the state) placed on the bottle’s mouth and the latter from a blue tape. The regulations for the Appellations are the following:

• Delineation of the wine production and vine cultivation area
• Grape variety
• Wine production methods
• Cultivation techniques
• The yield from a given area of vines (1/10 of a hectare)
• Wine’s alcohol content
  
  

With Table Wines (Epitrapezios Oenos - Vin de Table) winemakers are able to experiment with the vinification and cultivation methods and to adjust to the market’s changing taste because the production regulations are not as strict. Included in the category are the Topikos Oenos (Vin de Pays) and the Onomasia kata Paradosi (Traditional Appellation). The former wines bear the name of the region, county, or town, from which they come from and the word "Topikos" (local). The regulations for these wines are the following:

• Delineation of the vine cultivation area
• Grape varieties
• The yield from a given area of vines (1/10 of a hectare)
• Wine’s alcohol content
  

Under the Traditional Appellation category we find the Greek Retsina and the Verdea produced in the Ionian Islands. The limitation of resin added to the wine is 1,000 gms per hectoliter.

The Label

Wine labels give us information about the wine and dress the bottle. They are detailed because the buyer needs to know quite a lot about a wine before judging it. The laws and regulations governing the wine industry (quality control, health standards, and authenticity) are translated on the label and protect the consumer.

A. O.P.A.P. - O.P.E.
The Label on such wines must indicate the following:

• The name of the region from where it comes from
• The indication O.P.A.P. or O.P.E.
• The name and location of the bottler
• The alcoholic title
• The bottle’s volume