The AOC system has its roots in a long history of crises and transformations in the French wine industry. The phylloxera crisis of the early 19th century devastated the vineyards and marked the beginning of a series of upheavals. Several unsuccessful attempts were made to define and protect the notion of origin in order to protect quality wines and combat fraud.

The creation of the Comité National des Appellations d'Origine, forerunner of the INAO, helped to meet the challenges facing the sector. Thanks to an original form of governance enabling professionals themselves to define the orientations that concern them, in liaison with the State, it will enable the stabilization and success of the AOC system.

In addition, the economic crisis of the 1930s, coupled with the closure of major international markets, amplified the difficulties faced by the French wine industry.

In this context, the laws of 1905, 1919 and 1927 laid the foundations for the protection of Appellations d'Origine. The 1935 decree-law, which created the Comité National des Appellations d'Origine (CNAO) and the new category of "Appellation d'Origine Contrôlée" (AOC), broke the deadlock. The creation of the CNAO is the result of a joint effort between local players (winegrowers' unions, fine wine producers, etc.) and national authorities (government, administration, etc.) to establish a new legal and institutional framework for the definition, governance and protection of Appellations d'Origine. The aim is to guarantee the conditions under which these wines are produced, beyond the simple indication of origin. It also means involving operators more strongly in decision-making, so that they can take their destiny into their own hands, in consultation with the State.