Agriculture Biologique is the French term for Organic Agriculture or organics. It was officially recognised in France in 1980 via ‘la loi d’orientation Agricole’ or the agricultural orientation law 1 of agriculture–meaning “not using synthetic chemicals”. This was not the first organic farming rule in France – even if the word ‘organic was not used–because private rules created by organic operators (farmers, winegrowers) already existed. The number of private certification brands decreased as a result. State controlled organic rules created a boom in national organic farming. From 1985 France has had its own national AB or Agriculture Biologique logo and production specifications for organic farming.

Three estates immediately off the mark in gaining official recognition as ‘AB’ were Nicolas Joly of Clos de la Coulée de Serrant in the Loire, and Jean-Pierre Frick and Eugène Meyer, both from Alsace.

See: Fédération Nationale Interprofessionnelle des Vins de l’Agriculture Biologique or FNAB.