Comparative Analysis of Wine Production Regulations in parallel to the creation of the European Union and the Collapse of the Soviet Union in the Oldest Wine Producing Country – Georgia – and the Biggest Wine Producing Country – France

Abstrakt

When comparing French and Georgian wine production regulations from early 1950s to the beginning of 1990s it becomes obvious, that the Laws on Appellation d’origine controlée – AOC – and Vin délimité de qualité supérieure – VDQS, and other regulations, made France very unique in terms of quality wine production, than it could be hardly imagined in Europe not to say a word about Georgia.

As regards Georgia, things were completely different at that time, due to the fact that country was annexed by the Soviet Union, restricting any opportunities of equality and freedom, unlike the processes in Europe, when independent European countries like France freely established and joined the EEC and lately it’s successor the EU. Thus, it was impossible for Georgia to make its own decisions in any direction and the wine production regulations were not an exception for sure, as country’s legislation was heavily influenced by the Soviet Union. Thus, diversion from Soviet standard regarding Collectible Wines, and more or less similarities in definition of Georgian wine categories with the French counterparts, but still not having the very same French concept of controlled denominations, did not made Georgian wine production regulations as sufficient as French regulations at that time eventually.

As regards similarities between the wine production regulations of the EU and the Soviet Union it has to be emphasized that the Soviet Wine classification based on quality and ageing time is good example of existing similarities with French and European classifications. It can be said that this was an attempt of the Soviet Union to adapt European experience. Two vivid examples of this are creation of new wine category – Wines of controlled denominations of origin and permission on usage 15% of different grape varieties in production of Varietal wines.