I love the idea of challenges, quests, and goals; let’s apply that to wine. My quest is to drink wine from three hundred AOC (Appellation d’Origine Contrôlée) wine appellations of France. There are more than three hundred and sixty AOC wine regions, by my estimate, so I’ll have some flexibility. I’ll use this post as the central hub for my quest. Before listing out the wines I’ve had, I’ll answer a few common questions.
Why Did You Start This Wine Quest?
As I write this post, I’m in full Francophile mode. I have a breakfast of croissant and French press coffee sitting next to me. The idea for the wine quest came to me in the dark days of the COVID pandemic. I wanted a way to explore the world – to travel by glass! – without leaving home. Through the lengthy lockdown, I’ve been studying French via Duolingo every day as well. I thought it would be fun to combine my interest in wine and French culture all in one place.
Why Are You Focusing On AOC Wines?
There are multiple ways to classify wine, and France has been classifying their wine production into quality levels since the 19th century. As I understand it, AOC is the pinnacle of French wine quality, so it made sense to focus my time and energy on the best wines France has to offer. Of course, there are downsides to this focus: expense and availability. I’m not sure how many French wines at this level are available in Ontario, Canada. Further, wine expense may become a challenge. During some informal research recently, it looked like many AOC wines at nearby stores cost over $100.
Still, these challenges are welcome. If the quest was too easy, then it could hardly be called a quest! If Frodo could have destroyed the Ring in a week, the story would have fallen flat.
Will There Be Wine Reviews?
Yes! I plan to write up a short review (like the chateau lamarzelle cormey review) of each wine review as I go through the quest. Given my level of wine expertise, don’t expect a Robert Parker-style review here. Instead, I’ll share my impressions. When possible, I also plan to share a few observations about the region and how it connects to the broader context of French wine regions.
When Will You Finish The Wine Quest?
Given the challenges of availability and expense, I expect it will take years to finish this quest. A visit or two to France will probably be involved before I get to the end. As this site grows, I may pick up the pace, especially when visiting a well-stocked wine bar and having a tasting flight. I expect that this wine quest (including reviews like this one: lequilbre wine review) may take up to five years to complete if everything goes smoothly . You’re welcome to join me!
AOC Wine Quest List
To build my list, I’ve used the list from the Terroir-France to build out my list. Over time, I’ll add details when I completed each item. In April 2021, I’ve started with a wine from Bordeaux and one from Burgundy. I expect to focus more on those regions because they are easier to find. However, the quest will not be limited to those wine regions.
Region: Alsace
ALSACE CHASSELAS OU GUTEDEL
ALSACE GEWURZTRAMINER
ALSACE GRAND CRU
ALSACE MUSCAT
ALSACE PINOT NOIR
ALSACE PINOT OU KLEVNER
ALSACE RIESLING
ALSACE SYLVANER
ALSACE TOKAY-PINOT GRIS
CREMANT D’ALSACE
Region: Beaujolais
BEAUJOLAIS
BEAUJOLAIS-VILLAGES
BEAUJOLAIS SUPERIEUR (new)
BROUILLY
CHENAS
CHIROUBLES
COTE DE BROUILLY
COTEAUX DU LYONNAIS (LYONNAIS)
FLEURIE
JULIENAS
MORGON
MOULIN A VENT
REGNIE
SAINT-AMOUR
Region: Bordeaux
BARSAC
BLAYE
BORDEAUX
BORDEAUX CLAIRET
BORDEAUX COTES DE FRANCS
BORDEAUX ROSE
BORDEAUX SEC
BORDEAUX SUPERIEUR
CADILLAC
CANON-FRONSAC
CERONS
CREMANT DE BORDEAUX
COTES DE BLAYE
COTES DE BOURG
COTES DE CASTILLON
ENTRE-DEUX-MERS
FRONSAC
GRAVES
GRAVES DE VAYRES
GRAVES SUPERIEURES
HAUT-MEDOC
LALANDE DE POMEROL
LISTRAC-MEDOC
LOUPIAC
MARGAUX
MEDOC
MONTAGNE SAINT-EMILION
MOULIS EN MEDOC
PAUILLAC
PESSAC LEOGNAN
POMEROL
PREMIERES COTES DE BORDEAUX
PREMIERES COTES DE BLAYE
PUISSEGUIN SAINT-EMILION
SAINT-EMILION
SAINT-EMILION GRAND CRU
SAINT-ESTEPHE
SAINT-GEORGES SAINT-EMILION
SAINT-JULIEN
SAINTE-CROIX-DU-MONT
SAINTE-FOIX-BORDEAUX
SAUTERNES
Region: Burgundy
ALOXE-CORTON
AUXEY-DURESSES
BATARD-MONTRACHET
BEAUNE
BIENVENUE BATARD-MONTRACHET
BLAGNY
BONNES-MARES
BOURGOGNE
BOURGOGNE ALIGOTE
BOURGOGNE ALIGOTE BOUZERON
BOURGOGNE CHITRY
BOURGOGNE CLARET
BOURGOGNE COTE CHALONNAISE
BOURGOGNE COTE SAINT-JACQUES
BOURGOGNE COTES D’AUXERRE
BOURGOGNE COTES DU COUCHOIS
BOURGOGNE COULANGES-LA-VINEUSE
BOURGOGNE EPINEUIL
BOURGOGNE GRAND ORDINAIRE
BOURGOGNE HAUTES-COTES DE NUITS
BOURGOGNE HAUTES-COTES DE BEAUNE – Tasted April 2021: Hautes Côtes de Beaune (Burgundy, France)
BOURGOGNE LA CHAPELLE NOTRE-DAME
BOURGOGNE LE CHAPITRE
BOURGOGNE MONTRECUL
BOURGOGNE MOUSSEUX
BOURGOGNE PASSETOUTGRAIN
BOURGOGNE VEZELAY
CHABLIS
CHABLIS GRAND CRU
CHABLIS PREMIER CRU
CHAMBERTIN
CHAMBERTIN-CLOS DE BEZE
CHAPELLE-CHAMBERTIN
CHARMES-CHAMBERTIN
CHAMBOLLE MUSIGNY
CHASSAGNE-MONTRACHET
CHEVALIER-MONTRACHET
CHOREY-LES-BEAUNE
CLOS DE LA ROCHE
CLOS DE TART
CLOS DE VOUGEOT
CLOS DES LAMBRAYS
CLOS SAINT-DENIS
CORTON
CORTON-CHARLEMAGNE
COTE DE BEAUNE BLANC
COTE DE BEAUNE
COTE DE BEAUNE VILLAGES
COTE DE NUITS-VILLAGES
CREMEANT DE BOURGOGNE
CRIOTS BATARD-MONTRACHET
ECHEZEAUX
FIXIN
GEVREY-CHAMBERTIN
GIVRY
GRANDS-ECHEZEAUX
GRIOTTE-CHAMBERTIN
IRANCY
LA TACHE
LADOIX
LA GRANDE RUE
LA ROMANEE
LATRICIERES-CHAMBERTIN
MACON
MACON SUPERIEUR
MACON-VILLAGES
MARANGES
MARSANNAY
MAZIS-CHAMBERTIN
MAZOYERES-CHAMBERTIN
MERCUREY
MEURSAULT
MONTAGNY
MONTHELIE
MONTRACHET
MOREY-SAINT-DENIS
NUIT-SAINT-GEORGES
PERNAND-VERGELESSES
PETIT CHABLIS
POMMARD
POUILLY-FUISSE
POUILLY-LOCHE
POUILLY-VINZELLES
PULIGNY-MONTRACHET
RICHEBOURG
ROMANEE-CONTI
ROMANEE-SAINT-VIVANT
RUCHOTTES-CHAMBERTIN
RULLY
SAINT-AUBIN
SAINT-BRIS
SAINT-ROMAIN
SAINT-VERAN
SANTENAY
SAVIGNY-LES-BEAUNE
VIRE-CLESSE
VOLNAY
VOSNE-ROMANEE
VOUGEOT
Region: Côtes du Rhône
BEAUMES DE VENISE
CHATEAU-GRILLET
CHATEAUNEUF-DU-PAPE
CLAIRETTE DE DIE
CONDRIEU
CORNAS
COTE ROTIE
COTEAUX DE PIERREVERT
COTEAUX DU TRICASTIN
COTES DU LUBERON
COTES DU RHONE
COTES DU RHONE-VILLAGES
COTES DU VENTOUX
COTES DU VIVARAIS AOVDQS
CROZES-HERMITAGE
GIGONDAS
HERMITAGE
LIRAC
MUSCAT DE BEAUMES-DE-VENISE
SAINT-JOSEPH
SAINT PERAY
TAVEL
VACQUEYRAS
VINSOBRES (new)
Region: Languedoc Roussillon
BANYULS
BANYULS GRAND CRU
BLANQUETTE DE LIMOUX
CABARDES AOVDQS
CLAIRETTE DE BELLEGARDE
CLAIRETTE DU LANGUEDOC
COLLIOURE
CORBIERES
COSTIERES DE NIMES
COTEAUX DU LANGUEDOC
COTES DE LA MALEPERE
COTES DU ROUSSILLON
COTES DU ROUSSILLON-VILLAGES
FAUGERES
FITOU
LIMOUX
MAURY
MINERVOIS
MUSCAT DE LUNEL
MUSCAT DE MIREVAL
MUSCAT DE RIVESALTES
MUSCAT DE SAINT-JEAN DE MINERVOIS
PICPOUL DE PINET
RIVESALTES
SAINT-CHINIAN
Region: Loire
ANJOU
ANJOU-COTEAUX DE LA LOIRE
ANJOU-GAMAY
ANJOU-VILLAGES
BONNEZEAUX
BOURGUEIL
CABERNET D’ANJOU
CHATEAUMEILLANT AOVDQS
CHEVERNY
CHAUME
CHINON
COTE ROANNAISE
COTEAUX D’ANCENIS
COTEAUX DE L’AUBANCE
COTEAUX DU GIENNOIS AOVDQS
COTEAUX DU LAYON
COTEAUX DU LOIR
COTEAUX DU VENDOMOIS AOVDQS
COTES D’AUVERGNE AOVDQS
COTES DU FOREZ AOVDQS
COUR-CHEVERNY
FIEFS VENDEENS AOVDQS
GROS PLANT AOVDQS
HAUT-POITOU AOVDQS
JASNIERES
MENETOU-SALON
MONTLOUIS
MUSCADET
MUSCADET COTES DE GRAND-LIEU
MUSCADET DE SEVRE-ET-MAINE
MUSCADET DES COTEAUX DE LA LOIRE
QUARTS DE CHAUME
POUILLY-FUME
POUILLY-SUR-LOIRE
QUINCY
REUILLY
ROSE DE LOIRE
ROSE D’ANJOU
SAINT-NICOLAS-DE-BOURGUEIL
SAINT-POURCAIN AOVDQS
SANCERRE
SAUMUR
SAUMUR SEC BLANC
SAUMUR-CHAMPIGNY
SAVENNIERES
SAVENNIERES COULEE-DE-SERRANT
SAVENNIERES ROCHES-AUX-MOINES
TOURAINE
TOURAINE AMBOISE
TOURAINE-AZAY-LE-RIDEAU
TOURAINE-MESLAND
VALENCAY AOVDQS
VOUVRAY
Region: Provence and Corsica
BANDOL
BELLET
CASSIS
COTEAUX D’AIX
COTEAUX VAROIS EN PROVENCE
COTES DE PROVENCE
PALETTE
Corse :
AJACCIO
MUSCAT DU CAP CORSE
PATRIMONIO
VIN DE CORSE
Region: South West
BEARN
BERGERAC
BERGERAC SEC
BUZET
CAHORS
COTES DE BERGERAC
COTES DE BERGERAC MOELLEUX
COTES DE DURAS
COTES DE SAINT-MONT AOVDQS
COTES DU MARMANDAIS
FRONTON (FORMER COTES DU FRONTONNAIS)
GAILLAC
HAUT-MONTRAVEL
IROULEGUY
JURANCON
JURANCON SEC
MADIRAN
MARCILLAC
MONBAZILLAC
MONTRAVEL
PACHERENC DU VIC-BILH
PECHARMANT
SAUSSIGNAC
TURSAN AOVDQS
Region: Others
ARBOIS (JURA)
ARBOIS PUPILLIN (JURA)
BUGEY AOVDQS
CHATEAU-CHALON (JURA)
CHAMPAGNE
COTEAUX CHAMPENOIS (CHAMPAGNE)
ROSE DES RICEYS (CHAMPAGNE)
COTES DE TOUL AOVDQS (EST)
MOSELLE AOVDQS (EST)
COTES DU JURA
CREMANT DU JURA
L’ETOILE (JURA)
PINEAU DES CHARENTES
ROUSSETTE DE SAVOIE
