Fischer Boel: no more Aussie champagne but reverse osmosis OK
December 18, 2008
By Maggie Rosen
Australia has agreed to stop using terms such as Champagne, Sherry, Port and Chablis as part of a new EU-Australia Wine Agreement. In exchange, the EU will allow imports of reduced alcohol Australian wine made via reverse osmosis.
On 1 December, EU agricultural commissioner Mariann Fischer Boel and Australian foreign affairs minister Hon Stephen Smith signed an accord that protects 'traditional European' terms that define geography and geography-linked styles.
This replaces the previous agreement signed in 1994.
'The big prize which the EU has won here is rock-solid legal protection on the Australian market for our treasured European wine names,' said Fischer Boel.
'So any shoppers seeing labels like these on bottles in an Australian supermarket will know for sure that they're getting the genuine article, not an imitation.'
Following a year-long grace period, Australian producers will cease labelling wine as Graves, Burgundy, Champagne or Sauternes, and using definitions like sur lie, clairet, cru artisan, clos and hors d'âge.
Exceptions exist where such expressions are part of a pre-existing trademarks or business name, or are used in translations. So words including ruby, tawny, vintage, crusted, cream and solera may be used if the products meet necessary criteria.
In exchange, the EU has agreed to simplify the certification procedure for Australian exporters.
The pact also allows imports of reduced alcohol wine made using processes involving reverse osmosis and spinning cones, previously verboten, and calls for simplified approval of winemaking techniques that may be developed in the future.
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As someone employed in the Australian wine industry as a buyer, it would appear that this is relatively old news. Nearly all Australian producers that you would actually be able to find at a wine outlet have long given up the 'Hunter Chablis' and 'Champagne' on labels. Though many customers have not forgotten and many still lurk in hot cupboards under the stairs. Though the Port and Sherry labelling turn around is surely a victory, who is the real 'winner'?
Anon, Australia
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