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Aussie wine makers drink to new naming laws

Port, chablis, sherry and champagne will no longer be able to be called as such after new rules between Australian wine makers and the European union came into force.

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(Getty)

Port, chablis, sherry and champagne will no longer be called as such after new rules between Australian wine makers and the European union came into force.

Burgandy, marsala and claret are some of the other “traditional expressions” in Europe that can no longer be used by Australian wine exporters.

The new agreement governing the wine trade between Australia and the European Union replaces an earlier agreement signed in 1994.

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Geographic indicators, for example which influence what constitutes champagne, must also change.

But Mr. David Daly, Ambassador and Head of Delegation of the European Union to Australia and to New Zealand said this was a good economic trade-off for Australia.

“Australia takes some 40 per cent of its wine exports to Europe. Some 27 per cent of Europe's wines come from here so it's a big market,” he told SBS.

“These changes mean this market can be even further exploited by Australian wine makers.”

Steve Guy of Wine Australia said: "There are some tremendous benefits in this agreement for Australian wine makers, in terms of improved access to European markets.”

The changing of place names had undergone a 12-month phase out.

And in exchange, Europe must protect 15 Australian wine-making technique names and over 100 geographical indicator place names like the Hunter Valley


2 min read

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Source: SBS


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