THE WINE APPELLATION AS TERRITORY IN FRANCE AND CALIFORNIA

Conventional explanations of the distribution of winemaking regions emphasize the influence of edaphic and atmospheric environments of the vine. This paper argues that legislation that reflects the political power of the prestigious winemaking areas has had a major impact, especially in France. The appellation legislation of France, and the assumptions underlying it, are established. It is conceptualized as a form of territorialization devised to regulate and capture advantages to some of the participants in the industry. I analyze the influence of the French principles and assumptions in devising the European Community and California legislation. In particular, I consider the manner in which the underlying environmental determinism is used both to explain the distribution of prestigious wines and as criteria to establish wine regions. The distribution of vine varieties in France and California illustrates the tight control evident in France compared with the laissez-faire policies in California. Some evidence of converging patterns in the two territories is apparent.