AUSTRALIAN WINES.

Press, Volume LXIII, Issue 19150, 5 November 1927, Page 19

AUSTRALIAN WINES.

I USE OF WORD "PORT." (BT CABLE—PKKSS ASSOCIATION —COEYBIQHT.) (AUSTRALIAN .AND N.Z. CABLE ASSOCIATION.) LONDON, November 3. Although two recent police court prosecutions for the improper, use of the word "Port" on labels of bottles have beeD entirely unconnected with Australia, having reference to-Span-ish, and British-made wines respectively, Australian importers hav e reason to think that possibly they may be a prelude to similar prosecutions in respect of Australian wines by importers of Portuguese wine, who are greatly concerned at the growing inroads on their trade by the large and increasing consumption of Australian sweet wines.

Therefore, Burgoynes, S. Smith and Sons, and the Emu Company have .vritten jointly to the wine trade newspapers announcing their intention to resist any covert reprisals on the part of Portuguese interests. They claim the right to apply the words, "Port type," "Port style," or "Port character'' to the label of any Australian sweet wines possessing the characteristics of Port. The prohibition of the use of tTie only words adequate to describe one of the most important Empire commodities would be an unwarrantable handicap .to a growing industry. Any attack by Portuguese interests- to prevent the association .of words "Port ■ type" with Empire wines would arouse very serious opposition. The writers, in conjunction ..with; other Empire, wine growers, were prepared collectively to oppose any such.restraint oh the use of the King's English. .