AOC

A French protected-origin term historically meaning Appellation d’Origine Contrôlée.

<h2>What it means in wine</h2> <p>AOC/AOP systems connect protected names to defined places and production specifications. In consumer writing, AOC often remains familiar, while AOP is the EU-aligned protected designation category.</p> <h2>Why it matters</h2> <p>Use official French/EU sources for exact legal wording.</p>