French wine appellations are often treated as ancient institutions, but many are surprisingly modern, and new appellations are still being created today.
In this episode, legendary Northern Rhône winemaker Yves Cuilleron explains how Seyssuel, a once-famous vineyard region planted before Côte-Rôtie, disappeared completely during the twentieth century and is now being rebuilt from scratch.
From Roman history and abandoned terraces to French bureaucracy and appellation politics, this is the story of what it really takes to create a new French wine appellation.
Podcast Show Notes
- Why French appellations are far newer than most people think
- How Seyssuel disappeared completely before the appellation system existed
- The historical evidence that inspired its revival
- Why Yves Cuilleron and other winemakers replanted the vineyard in 1996
- The difference between IGP, AOP, and cru status
- What goes into an appellation cahier des charges
- Why creating an appellation can take decades
- How appellation status affects wine pricing and recognition
- The future of Seyssuel and its path toward becoming a cru
Key Takeaways
- French wine appellations were largely created during the 1930s and 1940s.
- Seyssuel was historically famous but had no vines when the appellation system was established.
- Three winemakers began replanting the region in 1996 using historically documented grape varieties.
- Creating an appellation requires extensive historical, geographic, legal, and technical documentation.
- Appellation status has significant economic consequences for producers.
- New French appellations can still be created today, but the process can take decades.
- The Northern Rhône itself nearly disappeared before being revived in the late twentieth century.