France Sets Uniform Reserve Limits for AOP Wines, Capping Bordeaux Reds at 30 Hectoliters per Hectare

France has enacted a new decree, number 2025‑1221, dated December 15, 2025, that changes the rules for how much wine producers can set aside as complementary individual volumes for wines with protected designation of origin (AOP). The decree was published in the official government journal on December 16, 2025, and takes effect immediately.

The measure was requested by professional organizations representing AOP winegrowers. It updates and standardizes the list of base wines eligible for these additional volumes across sparkling, rosé, red, and white AOP wines. The main change is that the maximum complementary volume that can be set for a given harvest and the total maximum volume that a producer can store are now fixed at the same level for each appellation. This means that for every listed AOP wine, there is now a clear and uniform limit per hectare both for what can be produced in a single year and what can be held in reserve by each producer.

The decree affects a wide range of French wine regions and appellations. For example, red wines from Bordeaux, Beaujolais, and Burgundy are included, as are white wines from Muscadet, Chablis, and Sancerre. Rosé wines such as Côtes de Provence and sparkling wines like Crémant d’Alsace also fall under the new rules. The decree lists specific limits in hectoliters per hectare for each appellation. For instance, Bordeaux red wine producers may now set aside up to 30 hectoliters per hectare as complementary volume, while Muscadet white wine producers have a limit of 20 hectoliters per hectare.

The government says this move is intended to better align production quotas with market needs. By standardizing the rules across appellations, authorities hope to give producers more flexibility to respond to fluctuations in demand while maintaining quality standards associated with AOP status. The decree was prepared following input from defense and management organizations for each appellation and based on recommendations from the national committee on origin designations for wines and spirits.

The new regulation replaces previous tables attached to the 2015 decree that governed these volumes. Now, all affected producers must follow the updated annexes specifying which wines are eligible and what their respective limits are. The change applies to all AOP wine producers in France who wish to constitute or store complementary individual volumes.

The Ministry of Agriculture, along with the ministries responsible for small businesses, commerce, tourism, purchasing power, and public accounts, will oversee enforcement of the new rules. The government expects that this harmonization will help stabilize the sector by making it easier for producers to manage stocks during years of variable harvests or shifting market conditions.

This legislative update comes at a time when French wine producers face ongoing challenges from climate variability and changing global demand patterns. By providing clearer guidelines on reserve volumes, officials aim to support both economic resilience and the continued reputation of French AOP wines on international markets.