What does AOC mean?

“AOC” or Appellation d’origine contrôlée, is a designation of quality given to agricultural products by a public entity in the French government. This designation, in place since 1936, distinguishes an agricultural produce where all of the steps of production are done according to a recognized know-how or craftsmanship, and in a definite geographical area of France.  The notion of terroir, which gives geography its own part in the creation of the end product, is fundamental. This designation, created in order to defend the wine and eaux de vie markets, has been open to all agricultural products since 1990.