PROSECCO, PLEASE
PeoplehavebeenclinkingglassesofAustralianproseccoforaround 20 years,withwinemakers
exportingaround$60-millionworthofourlocalbubbly.ButItalianswantproseccotoberecognised
asa geographicalindicationratherthana grapevariety,similartoChampagne– andtheEuropean
Unionagrees,too.ThiswouldpreventwineproducersoutsideItalyfromlabellingtheirversion
ofthesparklingwhitewineas“prosecco”.Australianwinemakersarearguingagainstthismove,
andresearchersatVictoria’sMonashUniversityhavereceiveda $100,000granttoexplorethe
legalityofprotectingthegeographicalindicationsofwinesintrade agreements. Meanwhile, we’ll
be raising glasses of both Australian and Italian prosecco alike.PHOTOGRAPHY GETTY IMAGES (PROSECCO).