The use of the description AOC Minervois (Appellation d'origine contrôlée) is covered by a decree dated 15 February, 1985 with some later amendments.

In order to use the appellation "AOC Minervois", the wines must be made only from specified grape varieties and the use of these varieties is subject to some limitations on percentage content within the wine's makeup.

There are also some limits specified for maximum production yield per hectare of 50 hectolitres, a minimum planting density of 3000 plants per hectare for all new plantings or replantings and some constraints on the methods and styles of pruning.

• Red wines are limited to the following varieties :

  grenache noir			)	minimum 60%
  syrah noire	)	minimum 10% of quantity	)
  mourvèdre noir	)		)
  lladoner-pelut noir			)
  carignan noir		maximum 40%
  cinsault noir
  picpoul noir
  terret noir
  aspiran noir

• For Rosé wines, the same varieties are permitted as for red wines and in addition, a a maximum of 10% of the volume may consist of the grape varieties specified for white wines.

• White wines are limited to the following varieties :

  Primary varieties	grenache blanc
  	bourboulenc blanc
  	maccabeu blanc
  	marsanne blanche
  	rousanne blanche
  	vermentino blanc
  Secondary varieties maximum 20%	picpoul blanc
  	clairette blanche
  	terret blanc
  	muscat blanc à petit grains - (maximum 10%)

AOC Minervois wines must have a minimum alcohol content of 11.5% volume for red and rosé wines and 11% volume for white wines and be produced from grapes harvested when well ripe.
Well ripened grapes must have a minimum sugar content of 192g/l for red varieties and 178 g/l for white varieties.