|
France has fiercely resisted the labeling of any wine
as champagne unless it is produced as per the appellation
controls in the Champagne region, north east of France
that produces the famous sparkling wine.
Marc-Andre Cornu, mayor of the village on the shores
of Lake Neuchâtel, said the Swiss winemakers lost
their case at the European Court of Justice on a technicality,
confirming a report in the Neue Zuercher Zeitung.
The vintners took their cause to the Luxembourg court
after a government deal in 1999 banned them from using
the name. The village authorities plan to continue their
fight to use the champagne label, reports International
Herald Tribune.
The Swiss winemakers insist on continuing the ancient
custom of naming their wine after their village, which
they say has been called Champagne — with variations
on the spelling — since the earliest documents
available in 885 A.D. Local wine producers point out
that wine, which does not have the traditional French
fizz, has been made in the village since the 10th century,
while France did not start producing its champagne until
the end of the 17th century
Albert Banderet, president of a group fighting to
retain the name believed international law allows for
exceptions to the rule in the case of identical names.
Source: http://www.iht.com
|
