Vin de France

Vin de France (VdF) is a designation for table wine from France that has been in use since 2010, when it started to replace the former vin de table category.

VdF wines may indicate grape variety (for example Chardonnay or Merlot) and vintage on the label, but are not labelled by region or appellation; they are labelled only as coming from France.  This means that the wines are typically sold under brand names or as branded varietal wines.

There are some VdF wines of exceptional interest and quality.  These are ‘downgraded’ to Vin de France either because they’re produced outside officially delimited AOC and VDP zones, or because they are made with unsanctioned grape varieties or blends.

The most obvious example of this is Chateau Palmer’s “Historical XIXth Century Blend”, which combines Cabernet Sauvignon and Merlot from Margaux with Syrah from the northern Rhone Valley.

When the category was introduced, some commentators expected many French producers to start using the VdF category instead of categories with geographical indications, in particular the IGP (formerly vin de pays) category.  Some saw the VdF category as more adapted to the needs of large wine companies rather than small producers.