TheGolfersWife wrote on Mon, 02 Apr 2007 17:19:47 +1200:

??>> On Sat, 31 Mar 2007 15:36:38 +1200, TheGolfersWife <>
wrote:
??>>
??>>> of the other popular types from France and Denmark and
??>>> even England are made here in New Zealand (but we are not
??>>> allowed to give them their original names - only a
??>>> subtitle in brackets!)
??>>
??>> OK, I have to know the story behind this.... What is the
??>> reasoning behind it???
T> Well you might like to tell that to the French wine
T> authorities, and likewise the Italian cheese authorities.
T> The French will NOT allow the term Champagne to be used on
T> any bottles of bubbly pinot noir (which is what Champagne
T> is) because Champagne is a territory in France.

T> And yes you can see where its made by reading the label, but
T> the French are very precious about all this and feel they
T> actually hold the market in the top champagnes - and I think
T> they do have the best because their grapes are so old, and
T> not because they have the best method of making it.

It is interesting that, although French companies operating in
California do seem to make the better "California Champagnes",
they are constrained by French law and their own rules to mark
the bottles "sparkling wine". I don't think the grapes are
necessarily any better, the French winemakers are just plain
good at their craft!

James Silverton
Potomac, Maryland

E-mail, with obvious alterations:
not.jim.silverton.at.comcast.not