No more Champagne for Australian winemakers
Australian wine producers will have to stop labelling wines as Champagne or Prosecco under new European rules which come into effect today.
Australian wine producers will have to stop labelling wines as Champagne or Prosecco under new European rules which come into effect today.
Rules forbidding Australia from using 11 European "geographical indications" (GIs) such as Champagne, Port and Sherry were signed two years ago and take effect today.
Under the terms of the agreement, wholesalers will have five years to sell stock labelled with an a European GI and retailers will be allowed to sell all their stock.
Australian producers will be prevented from using traditional expressions such as, "Amontillado", "Claret", and "Auslese" from 1 September 2011.
The Australian Wine & Brandy Corporation said the agreement posed "significant advantages to Australian producers and exporters" since all winemaking techniques used in Australia would now be accepted in Europe.
"There are much simpler requirements covering everything from labelling requirements and blending rules to alcohol levels and the display of Australian awards. In short, Australian wine producers will have to make fewer changes and concessions to sell their wine in the EC," a statement read.
The same protection will be afforded to Australia for 112 of its GIs, including Barossa and Coonawarra.
"The agreement provides important safeguards for EU wine interests. It ensures the protection of geographical indications and traditional expressions for EU wines in Australia and beyond", said Dacian Ciolo?, Commissioner for Agriculture and Rural Development.
In 2009 Australian exports to the EU were worth €643 million.
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