Belgian customs destroys shipment of 'California champagne' - pictures January 16, 2008
Tim Teichgraeber
Last week, Belgian customs authorities seized and destroyed 3,200 bottles of Californian Andre sparkling wine.
Andre, produced by Gallo, is one of several American sparkling wine brands that are still labeled 'California Champagne'. The shipment also contained other bottles labeled 'sparkling wine', which were not destroyed.
EU law states that the name Champagne refers only to wines produced in the French appellation of Champagne. Other wines labeled as 'Champagne' can be seized as counterfeit.
The seizure and destruction of the bottles was applauded by the regional wine trade body for Champagne, the CIVC.
'Since the passage and implementation of more rigorous legislation, customs agents and border patrols throughout Europe have seized and destroyed thousands of bottles in the last four years illegally bearing the Champagne name, including product from the United States, Argentina, Russia, Armenia, Brazil and Ethiopia,' said CIVC President Bruno Paillard.
Susan Hensley, vice president of public relations for E. & J. Gallo, said the US company 'respects and adheres to EU regulations and does not sell product labeled California Champagne in the EU'.
Hensley added that the wine was owned by an unnamed party and was eventually bound for cruise ships when it passed through customs at the Belgian port of Anvers.
In recent years, the CIVC and similar organizations representing the regions of Sherry, Port and others have lobbied hard - with the support of American wine regions like Napa Valley and Sonoma - to extend wine place name protection in America and around the world.
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The Belgian Customs Authority has shown that they aren't to be messed with. As far as serving the public good, destroying 'California Champagne' must rank right up there with seizing PickYourFavorite-istan heroin via containers from Turkey (a known problem at the Antwerp port).
Given that the bubbly was not destined for retail sale in the EU, rather a non-EU domiciled cruise ship, I think a even a junior attorney could have the Belgian Customs Authority wrting a check to the 'unamed party' in no time.
C Wells, Atlanta, GA, USA
If Andre's sparkling wine is really good, there is no need of borrowing Champagne name to sell their wine.
Silvia C. Franco, São Paulo, Brazil
When is protectionism enough! What's next? If the EU decides to pursue protection from copy cat “French Toast” or “French Fries”, we could be seeing the trashing of sliced bread and sliced potatoes soon. When are they going to learn that it's up to the consumer to decide “Stupid”! Contrary to conventional wisdom, the majority of consumers can read.
Raymond L. Haak, Haak Vineyards & Winery, Santa Fe, TX, USA
Easy there Tex,
you can't compare the use of the term Champagne to French Toast. A better comparison would be that France started to fly Texas' Lone Star Flag, and called it there own. This is a good thing, especially when a garbage product slaps the name of a region that has worked hard to create a reputation of the best sparkling wines in the world. All this hurts is Gallo's reputation, and is that a bad thing? I wish the we had the strict wine laws of the EU and France in the US. It would help our over all quality.
Josh A. Luhn
Coming from someone inside the trade, I find Mr. Haak's comments more than slightly disingenuous The vast majority of consumers know next to nothing about wine. If they dislike a $3 bottle of "champagne" they are unlikely to try a $30 bottle of the real thing. This would still be an issue even if Andre wines bore any resemblance to the product who's name they have stolen. It is time (long overdue) for American corporate winemakers to stop using names like Burgundy, Chablis, and Rhine to describe wines which have no connection to the location or style of wine they are selling. I'm not certain that we will ever be rid of all the rogues and charlatans in the wine trade, but I for one, am up for the attempt.
Charlie Kay, Denver, CO USA
I seriously doubt that Mr. Luhn or Mr. Kay purchased a $30 bottle of champagne the first time they ever tasted Champagne unless they are both very wealthy. The enjoyment of “Fine “wine is an acquired experienced. If a nouveau (pardon the use of the French word) wine consumer looks at a retail shelf of wines labeled champagne and priced from $3 to $300, tell me again how he/she is going to know which is superior? The answer? Ask a knowledgeable person's opinion. Read books about Champagne. Educate yourself by reading all you can about Champagne wines (sparkling wines, CAVA, etc.). Then, begin sampling and scoring the Champagnes and keep a log. In the end, educate yourself and do not require a government agency to do your job. During this process if you begin to notice that you enjoy sparkling wines made from France, then you are there!
Raymond L. Haak, Santa Fe, Texas, USA
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