When wine doesn’t taste so sweet
A Geographical Indication (GI) identifies goods as originating from a specific country or region where particular qualities or characteristics are attributable to the geographical origin of the goods, for example CHAMPAGNE.
Consumers may benefit from GIs because they reduce confusion as to the goods’ origin and reputation, and guarantee that they are authentic and display certain characteristics exclusive to these regions.
Producers benefit from GIs because they protect the reputation of their goods by preventing other traders using the name on goods that do not display the same characteristics. Recently a number of producers launched action to protect their valuable regional names for products known worldwide. For example, CHAMPAGNE, PARMA and PARMIGIANO REGGIANO are now protected GIs.
Producers have recently launched action to protect their valuable regional names for products known worldwide.
Until 2010, in the European Union (EU) ‘Prosecco’ was the name of both a grape and a region in Italy. In 2010, the EU stepped in to protect the reputation of the fine wines produced in the Prosecco region by regulating use of the term ‘Prosecco’. At that time, the prosecco grape was officially renamed ‘Glera’.
Any wine with the term ‘Prosecco’ on the label sold in the EU now has to come from the Prosecco region of Italy and meet certain criteria. Australia failed to appeal these restrictions in 2010, and since then Australian winemakers exporting their wines to the EU have also had to comply with this regulation.
However, the EU restrictions did not extend to wine sold within Australia, and Australian winemakers have continued labelling their wine sold domestically with the term on the basis that ‘Prosecco’ was the name of a grape variety. The EC’s application intended to align Australia with the EU regulations; protect the reputation of Prosecco; reduce consumer confusion; and avoid serious damage to Italian producers of Prosecco.
The Winemakers’ Federation of Australia (WFA) objected to the protection of Prosecco as a GI on the basis that the term had already been, and continues to be, used as the name of a variety of grapes in Australia.
The Deputy Registrar of Trade Marks has now upheld the objection by the WFA. So for now, Prosecco’s recognition as a grape variety in Australia takes precedence over the reputation of the fine wine produced in the Prosecco region of Italy.
