Australia is reeling from the introduction of two wine names: apera and topaque. After years of negotiations, the Antipodeans and the European Union struck a deal to phase out the 'borrowing' of classic European names, such as sherry, port and tokay, by the end of this year. A good name is a precious commodity and the European wine industry has been toiling for decades to retrieve names from far-flung parts of the new world. Champagne should be from the Champagne region, they argue, burgundy from Burgundy and sauternes from Sauternes. Fair enough. But how does one lay claim to informal names that are based on tradition and bear no legal relationship to the official origin? Sherry is crafted in Jerez (Spain); port is from Porto (Portugal); and tokay from Tokaj (Hungary).
While it is tempting to label the new world producers as opportunistic exploiters of European branding, many of Europe's borrowed names were nostalgically employed by homesick migrants in the 19th century. These names have been used for generations in countries such the United States and Australia and are established brands in their own right. Australia has undisputedly carved out an international niche with its unique mahogany- hued 'tokay' from Rutherglen, a name not even in use in the EU to describe Hungary's classic orange tokaji. Still, the deal has been struck and Rutherglen's 'stickies' now have a new name: topaque. Australian sherry is hereafter to be known as apera, a shortened version of 'aperitif'.
In return, the EU will legally recognise Australia's leading 'GIs' (geographic indicators), such as Coonawarra, Margaret River and the Yarra Valley. Moreover, the country's high-alcohol reds - such as the blockbuster Barossa Valley shiraz - will make it through the EU customs gate. A much larger concession granted by the EU is to allow Australian wines made using cost-effective - if controversial - techniques to enter its markets. One such technique is the use of oak chips. When plopped into a tank of wine, they infuse a spicy flavour that is reminiscent of the much more expensive and refined tradition of barrel ageing. Their use to season wine is viewed as cheating by most European producers. Still, the effect has allowed Australia to supply good value, flavourful wines to thirsty consumers. And if consumers in Europe like these casual wines, argue the Australians, why shouldn't they be allowed to buy them? Faced with increasingly stiff international export competition in this market category, the EU capitulated, allowing use of oak chips in mass market wine regions.
Most of us have grown accustomed to referring to non-Champagne bubblies by their politically correct moniker, sparkling wine. Not surprisingly, the producers whose wines were named after less prestigious European wine regions (Beaujolais, Cava and Frascati, for example), were quick to shift their branding to the actual grape varieties some years ago.
Australia's wine industry and the government spent 10 months and about A$1 million (HK$6 million) on market research to come up with the names topaque and apera. We had better use them.
Debra Meiburg is a master of wine
