Literally "
country wine," this is the third
tier of the
French wine-classification system. In general, vins de pays are wines made
outside of
France's more traditional
winemaking areas (such as
Bordeaux or
Burgundy). They are often labeled according to
varietal type (e.g.
Cabernet Sauvignon) and show their general area of
origin. Vins de pays can include grapes from a wide area (e.g.,
Vin de Pays de l'Oc, perhaps the most important
VDP area), a
départment (e.g.,
Vin de Pays du Var), or even an individual
village. Because this designation only promises grapes from a
broad area and
blended in no
particular style, it can be a
challenge to find good wines in this
class. Most important--in selecting any wine, really--is the producer's reputation. Since these wines are often less expensive than
AOC wines, though, you can try a bunch without really
busting your
budget.
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