A 5 April 1949 decree that set out the viticole regions proscribed that while all the other appellations were permitted a wine composed “in large part” of grapes coming from the commune in question, the Dézaley appellation was the only exception made (art. 4), where a wine had to come entirely from Dézaley vines, a specific designated area. Further precisions covering the Lavaux wine region appellations’ boundaries were set out in a decree 8 November 1963. This authorized coupages of up to 49% or 30% for the production areas (Lutry, Villette, Epesses, St Saphorin, Chardonne and Vevey) while also introducing the notion of “appellation de cru” (for a domain, château, etc.), benefiting wines from grapes harvested exclusively from the area concerned. Dézaley and Calamin were covered by a special quality-focused article, “the area within the borders of the appellation de cru”, stipulating exactly the reach of their territory (art. 6).
The 19 June 1985 regulations covering Vaud wine AOCs also noted officially the unique character of the Dézaley and Calamin appellations. It first delineated the notion of viticulture areas (Lavaux was one) and production zones (for Lavaux: Lutry, Villette, Epesses, Saint Saphorin, Chardonne and Montreux and Vevey). The wines carrying the appellation of these production areas could be made from up to just 51% of the place in question. The viticulture zones of Dézaley and Calamin weren’t, however, considered production zones but rather had the right to be designated appellation de cru wines (art. 8). The other appellations de cru (art.17 ss) were: clos, château, abbey, domain, cadastral appellation and lieu-dit (place name locality). Only the wines with an appellation de cru had the right to list on them “cru” or “grand cru”. From the outset, the Dézaley and Calamin appellations were considered as AOCs.
For more than 60 years, Vaud regulations could be schematically summarized as follows:
- On the one hand, all the wines carry the mention of a viticulture region (Lavaux, etc.) or of a production area (Lutry, St Saphorin, etc.);
- On the other hand the wines (including Dézaley and Calamin) that bear an appellation de cru (or grand cru) (domain, château, etc.), are subject to stricter requirements (in particular, coupage, or mixing different area wines, is banned). The Dézaley and Calamin appellations carry, in addition, an AOC label.
Since 1 June 2009, this distinction could be found in the new regulations, but the Dézaley and Calamin appellations were considered ordinary production areas. This was the case until the recent modification of the 21 March 2013 Regulations on Vaud Wines, which gives AOC Grand Cru status to these two prestigious appellations.
