Red Tape & Red Wine: Yves Cuilleron Builds an AOC from France’s Forgotten Vines

In the third episode, legendary winemaker Yves Cuilleron joins Fishwives of Paris to reveal how a forgotten Rhône vineyard became France’s next AOC. Learn how French wine laws, terroir, and history shape the Northern Rhône wine we love – from Condrieu to Vins de Vienne.

Renowned for bridging tradition and innovation, Yves Cuilleron has spent his career redefining what Northern Rhône wine can be. His approach is rooted in respect for terroir, yet driven by experimentation, from replanting abandoned hillsides to refining modern winemaking techniques. Across his cuvées, there’s a clear signature: precision, balance, and a deep sense of place that has made him one of France’s most influential contemporary winemakers.

Episode 3: How Do You Build an AOC?
Featuring Guest Yves Cuilleron

Is there anything more French than wrapping our wine in a bundle of bureaucratic red tape? 

If you’ve ever laughed at memes about “sparkling boyfriends” or “sparkling anxiety,” you’ve already brushed up against France’s famously complicated wine labeling system: AOC (Appellation d’Origine Contrôlée) and its modern twin AOP (Appellation d’Origine Protégée).

These are France’s official quality seals, the rulebooks that dictate where a wine is made, how it’s produced, and even how tall the vines can grow. They’re also the reason the French order wine by region (“a Bordeaux” or “a Sancerre”) instead of by grape (“Pinot Noir” or “Chardonnay”) like we do in the U.S.

There are currently 363 French wines with AOC/AOP status, from Champagne to Saint-Émilion, and the Rhône Valley is about to welcome lucky number 364: AOC Vins de Vienne.

To walk us through how you actually build an appellation from scratch, we’re joined by legendary winemaker Yves Cuilleron, who has spent decades reviving forgotten vineyards in the Northern Rhône.

In this episode:

– Why these hillside vineyards are back-breaking to farm, and why the results are worth it
– How the region lost its historic name, Seyssuel (no, not because it looks like “sexual”)
– How Yves helped rescue Condrieu from extinction, cementing his status as one of Caroline’s wine heroes

Hosted by Lyon-based sommelier Caroline Fazeli & Paris-based food journalist Emily Monaco.

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Listen and Watch the Episode

🎧 This post only scratches the surface. For the full story, listen to Episode 3 of Fishwives of Paris on YouTube, Spotify, Apple Podcasts, Deezer, or Amazon Music.

👉 Fishwives of Paris is where French food myths go to die. New episodes drop every two weeks.