Senator Afonso D'Amato
USA Senator Alfonse D’Amato is the principal protagonist behind the new Bill that is not proving too poular in Brussels

Controversy over the definition of what constitutes a wines identity: the name of the vine or the name of the vineyard area ?

 

In terms of the economic viewpoint and relations between countries in the developed world this may have some serious implications. Some agreements may be jeopardised due to the differences in opinion regarding what it is that detrmines the classification  of a wine.

In Europe the area or zone that the wine comes from has extreme importance. Indeed, the wine has as its brand name the intrinsic relation from the land that it hails from in most  cases. The Americans, on the other hand, behave differently: the wine should be classified according to its viticulture. So that even the name Madeira can be used as representation of the viticulture.
Some critics consider this means of classification a bit ironic - after all, to follow the idea that the Senator proposes, he should still not be able to call the Californian version of the wines Madeira either. That is because the viticultural identity may be Malvasia, Boal, or Sercial, and not Madeira as itself ! But the Senator prepared himself for this counter argument. The wines should also be classified according to the origin of the vine. Since the vines planted in California are originally from Madeira Island...
[ Continued ]

 
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