What is an Appellation?
An appellation signifies a specific geographic area where grapes are grown, with each area possessing unique soil, climate, and topography, collectively referred to as terroir.
In France an appellation is a legally defined and protected geographical indication primarily used to identify where the grapes for a wine were grown
In Australia, the term region refers to a specific geographic area where grapes are grown for wine production. The word appellation occasionally appears in literature, but the term GI (Geographic Indication) is more commonly used in the Australian wine industry. A GI defines a particular grape-growing region from which the grapes used in the production of a wine are sourced.
Examples of well-known Australian wine-growing regions include Barossa in South Australia and Margaret River in Western Australia. There are over 60 such regions across Australia, and they are typically referred to as wine regions.
These regions vary in size and are located across different states. On a wine label, the name of a state—such as Product of South Australia—might be used to indicate that the grapes came from South Australia, which has multiple wine regions. In broader terms, Product of Australia may be used to indicate that the grapes and the wine itself are sourced from anywhere within Australia.
On the other hand, the terms sub-appellation or sub-region are used to define more specific areas within a larger wine region. For example, Barossa Valley is a sub-region of the Barossa wine region. Only wines made from grapes grown in the Barossa Valley can use that name on the label.
Relating this to the concept of terroir, soil types and other climatic factors that define terroir can vary significantly within a larger region and less so within a smaller sub-region. For instance, in the Barossa Valley, areas like Greenock and Ebenezer (located in the north-western part of the valley) have distinct terroirs that influence the character of the wine produced there. Although the Barossa Valley does not officially have defined sub-regions, the specific characteristics of the area affect the wines.
In contrast, many European wine regions, like those in France, have long-established sub-regions with protected classifications. One well-known example is the Champagne region, where wines produced in specific areas may be labeled with terms like Grand Cru or Premier Cru. These terms refer to the quality of the vineyard site, not the wine itself.
The term Cru is French for “growth” and is used to classify vineyards based on the quality of wine they consistently produce. In Burgundy, for example, the most prestigious vineyards are classified as Grand Cru. The second-highest classification is Premier Cru, followed by Village and Regional appellations.
The appellation system in Europe guarantees the source of the grapes, the vineyard management practices, and sometimes even the winemaking techniques. This provides consumers with a guide to the wine’s style and quality. Other countries like Italy and Germany use similar systems to classify wine quality based on region and vineyard.