French Vin de Pays

Vin de pays is a French term meaning "country wine". Vins de pays are a step in the French wine classification which is above the table wine (Vin de table) classification, but below the VDQS and Appellation d'origine contrôlée (AOC) classifications. Legislation on the Vin de pays terminology was created in 1973 and passed in 1979, allowing producers to distinguish wines that were made using grape varieties or procedures other than those required by the AOC rules, without having to use the simple and commercially non-viable table wine classification. See Vin de Pays area wine map