AUTHENTIC SPIRITS FROM EUROPE

Learning about EU quality labels

Europe is proud of the skill and savoir-faire of its producers and has chosen to highlight this through its visible designation system of quality labels. These labels ensure that products with European names are really made in Europe, in their specific Geographic Indication, following the recipes and processes refined over centuries. Calvados is an example of some of these labels in action.

There are many different European quality labels depending on the product - here are a few examples you may see on Calvados bottles in-store.

PDO

Protected Designation of Origin

Created in 1992 by the European Union, PDO labels replaced previously existing country-specific labels with a homogenized system. PDO labels aim to highlight the quality of a product made using an established technique, within a defined geographic area, and furthermore, to prevent other companies that do not follow these guidelines from using the same name on their products. For example, PDO Calvados is exclusively produced in Normandy, from Norman apple trees, following a set production method – other apple brandies from elsewhere cannot claim this title. PDO can also be signified by the acronym "AOC", often used on French labels.

Organic

EU Certified Organic

Created in 2002 by the European Union, this label had the similar goal of replacing country-specific organic certifications with one universal standard, ensuring that all countries would comply with the same guidelines.