The purpose of this article is to discuss the relationship between economic agents and market institutions. More specifically, the article examines how wine producers in France respond to the severe classifications applied in the French wine market. Starting from a case study comprising two French wineries, this article analyzes two distinct sets of strategies adopted to maximize their profits in a context of heavy institutional framing, attaching special importance to wine quality and brand as related to the specific region where they belong. The article concludes emphasizing the importance of considering the agent-based sociological perspective for a better understanding of the market dynamics.
Economic sociology; market; controlled origin classification; economic agents; social network