Dec 07: Prosecco DOC might have lost the legal case against Australia to produce Oz Prosecco sparkling wine which is being exported to India in small quantities with good potential for imports, but it has signed an Agreement with Indian authorities to ban the import into any Prosecco, other than the genuine Italian product, writes Subhash Arora who has learnt it from a reliable source
According to our reliable source, an agreement was signed in Italy, earlier this week in which India has agreed not to allow import of Prosecco from Australia. Confirming the news, our source does not wish to be identified because his Principals, well-established producers of Prosecco in the Conegliano-Valdobbiadene belt say they would wait till the Press Release is officially out, perhaps within a week.
If the information is correct, it would not make any significant different to the 600,000-case industry that has been aggressively fighting the misuse of the Prosecco label in many parts of the world, especially in Australia where many vintners of Italian descent started to produce Prosecco in the 1990s with the grape variety that was known as Prosecco till 2009, when it received a GI (Geographic Indication). The name of the grape used was defined more strictly as its original name-Glera and the area to produce was also defined under the tutelage of 2 different consortios- Prosecco doc and the Prosecco Superiore docg.
Australia continue to Prosecco and challenged the Italians’ right to exclusivity on the grounds that Prosecco grape was being grown in Australia since the 1990s where it used to be called Prosecco as even in Italy. An Australian court had decided in favour of the Australian producers as reported in delWine. In fact, King Valley has become world famous for its Prosecco.
The Italians did not give in and depended upon EU to fight for their cause during the ongoing FTA –Foreign Trade Agreement between EU and Australia. They had earlier conceded to EU in 2004-5 the use of the name Tokai Friulano for their white wine in Friuli that was in use for 150 years in favour of Tokaj of Hungary and know they have a strong case against Australia.
The Agreement between Italy and India is ostensibly to send a message to the Australians and any other mimicking the name Prosecco for the bubbly that they are not going to take it lying down. It might be a matter of time that the Australian government is obliged to accept the GI for Prosecco and categorize it differently, like the Italians now call their Tokai Friulano as Friulano.
Meanwhile, we shall bring the details of the Agreement between Italy and India when they announce it publically next week.
For a few of the several related Articles, visit:
Authentic Pink Prosecco may be a Reality Soon
View Point: Italy-Australia Prosecco Debate hits Press
Bubble Trouble for Prosecco still not over in Australia
Italian Producers may Challenge Oz rights to produce Prosecco
Prosecco Producers Apply for GI Status in India
Subhash Arora
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