Careful with your AVAs

[Joe Schmoe]

Keep going Tom. I'm right behind you!

A lot of people seem to forget that the reason why the successful AC's in France ARE so successful is because they are inherently supported by the Growers, not because they are enforced by law.

If the Champagne AC laws were relaxed, would you see any winemakers over there immediately ripping up their Chardonnay/Pinot vines or, come to think of it, changing their wine making practices at all? Of course not.
This would be exactly the same in Bordeaux. Even legally permitted practices such as skin contact (maceration pelliculaire) have taken 20 years to catch on, even though it was invented by a Bordelais! Just because the odd chap might experiment with Syrah of Chardonnay in Bordeaux, it would definitely NOT cause a stampeed if everyone was allowed to.

Don't think that France's appellations work becouse they are enforced by law. They just happen to be. Besides, if French laws were imposed in Italy, we wouldn't have new DOCs like Bolghieri. Now if Sassicaia and Masseto had never existed, that WOULD have been a travesty!

Joe W