The French "''appellations d'origine''" (designation of origin) for wine at first just indicated where the wine had been made, with no restrictions on the types of grape used or the way the wine was made. They reduced fraud but had little effect on quality. In 1906 Capus spoke at a congress of the
Société des Viticulteurs de France in which attendees tried to describe the distinctive qualities of the wines from their regions. Capus represented growers of the
Gironde, and when he spoke made the case for adding "
controllée" (controlled) to "''appellation d'origine''". In his view the existing system, which simply identified the place of origin of the wine, was unable to prevent fraud. To confirm a wine's origin the authorities would have to taste it and analyze the chemical composition, and for this to work there had to be standards defining the types of grape used, yield, purity and content of alcohol. The attendees almost unanimously rejected the proposal as an intolerable interference. Some years later,
Pierre Le Roy de Boiseaumarié insisted on tighter regulations in
Châteauneuf-du-Pape, and Capus then worked to ensure that quality controls for the appellations were introduced throughout France. Le Roy de Boiseaumarié wanted to establish the framework within which a great vineyard could develop, while Capus wanted to protect wine areas that had earned a reputation for quality. Both thought the label on a wine bottle should indicate the type of wine and the way it had been made, not just the region. When Capus introduced his first bill to define
appellation in this way in 1925 there was considerable debate. The makers of the best wines favored quality rules, but most winemakers did not. The law eventually passed in 1927 was a compromise. The legislation required that vinters follow "best practices" in growing grapes and making wine, with the civil courts ruling in case of disputes. However, "best practices" is a poorly defined concept and the courts often took the side of the large winemakers, so quality did not automatically improve. Some progress was made in 1930, when the industry faced a crisis of declining consumption coupled with increased production.
Édouard Barthe of the
Hérault department, leader of the wine lobby in parliament, formed an alliance with the deputies who represented regions where fine wines were grown to pass legislation that increased state control of the industry. On 30 July 1935 Capus obtained passage of the law that originated the ''Appellation d'origine contrôlée'' (AOC). Under this law the ''Comité National des appellations d'origine'' (CNAO) was given the sole authority to rule on matters related to the quality of wine. The members of the committee included delegates of ministries of agriculture, finance and justice and presidents of viticulture syndicates. They consulted with the top wine producers in each region to define the boundaries of appellations and the rules for a wine to qualify. The CNAO was funded by a fee paid by the producers. Many small wine producers were eager to escape the state regulations imposed on bulk winemakers, and sought to join. However the CNAO enforced high standards and the percentage of French wine designated as AOC actually declined in the first years after the CNAO was formed. After World War II the committee became the public-private ''
Institut National des Appellations d'Origine'' (INAO). The regulations became a model for other European countries. ==Selected publications==