On Jan 12, 12:50�pm, Emery Davis > wrote:
> On Sat, 12 Jan 2008 13:50:43 GMT
>
>
>
>
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> "James Silverton" > wrote:
> > �Emery �wrote �on Sat, 12 Jan 2008 11:22:56 +0100:
>
> > �ED> Belgian customs authorities destroyed over 3000 bottles of
> > �ED> "counterfeit champagne" from CA, labeled "California
> > �ED> Champagne." �"Of course there is no such thing," explained
> > �ED> the customs official I saw interviewed.
>
> > �ED> The wine from Gallo brand Andr� was destroyed at the cost
> > �ED> and with agreement of the (un-named in the reportage)
> > �ED> owner.
>
> > Andre is not a "Champagne Process" wine (fermented in the
> > bottle) but a �cheaper Charmat process (tank fermented) wine.
> > However, finding the pompous indignation of the French a bit
> > irritating, I think I am going to continue to use and drink
> > bottle-fermented "California Champagne", especially given the
> > extension of the Champagne district boundaries (did they or did
> > they not reach Algeria?)
>
> I don't get your point. �The French weren't indignant at all, nor pompous
> beyond the usual point. �They simply reported a story that happened
> in Belgium. �Why don't you lash out at the pompous Belgians?
>
> The Champagne appellation is being enlarged to include several similar
> terroirs that can historically show they grew grapes prior to the current
> classification. �There's a penury of fruit in Champagne, that pushes the
> prices up for everyone. �What's with the Algerian crack?
>
> What you drink is your own get out. �Belgian customs seized these goods
> because they are in violation of labelling laws. �I happen to agree with
> these laws, but that's immaterial. �By European law (not French, BTW)
> the stuff is counterfeit. �
>
> I posted the story simply because I thought it funny to call low-end juice
> like Andr� "counterfeit champagne." �I don't intend to start a flame fest,
> but your response seems unnecessarily provocative. �If you were being
> tongue in cheek please accept my apology, I didn't get it.
>
> -E
>
> --
> Emery Davis
> You can reply to
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> - Show quoted text -

On a related note, last week my in-laws were in town from California.
I served a Brocard Chablis with dinner one night. My M-i-L said in a
surprised voice " oh, they make Chablis in France, too?" She was
amazed to hear that Chablis wasn't always a cheap winem, and had no
clue that Chablis was a region with a long history of winemaking.
While serious wine folks will never be "fooled," and people who only
buy $6/magnums are never going to be in market for Chablis AC much
less Le Clos, the devaluation of the name does damage in the middle.
Same goes for Champagne.

Funnily, some of the producers who argued it was fine to use European
place names such as Chianti, Champagne, Burgundy, etc on their
products protested some Italian producers labeling their wines
"Zinfandel" once it was proved that Zinfandel and Primitivo were same
grape.