A WINE BY ANY OTHER NAME

Dominion, Volume 12, Issue 306, 22 September 1919, Page 4

A WINE BY ANY OTHER NAME

FRENCH I'ROTEST TO AUSTRALIA. The' world popularly supposes that the names of all popular wines sire univ.:isal and free to,all manufacturers ot "the cup that cheers" in coiuiuj. Tlmt is said not to be the case. General I'au, when in Australia, noted that the Australian wines were .named alter French wines, such as Chfunpujjuc liuiKiimlv, Bordeaux, etc., and it is understood that: France has officially protested a-ainst the use of such names by Australian wine-makers, as not being morally a fair thing. to tile producers of the wines in the districts from winch the wines take their names. One nroposition to get over the difficulty in Australia is to coin new names for wines by taking the first syllabic onlv- from the original names and adding the affix "alia." It-is pointed out that such a 'proposal would not only afford a good ' alias, but would advertise Australia. Thus champagne would be ' chanipalia; burgundy, burgalia; clarct, claralia; linr- • deaux, bordalia, muscadine, „ muscalia, and so oil. , . On 'this subject the last number of "Trade and Commerce Notes" says:— ■ "A Bill to confine the nomenclature of certain goods—particularly wines— cliampngne, burgundy, and bordeaux— to the geographical regions originally responsible for them is under discussion in the French Chamber. It is maintained that tho excellence of wines originating from certain Frcncn districts lias. encouraged other countries to adopt well-known l'lencn names for their wines. As the names, in the first instance, served as marks of origin, it is felt that much false description of wines has entered into the wine trade. Tho Dill, if earned, will prevent the sale of wines in franco which offend - nsninst its provisions, although it will not affect the such sales of foreign wines in foreign markets. In order to provide agrtinst the latter it would bo necessary for France fo enter into a series of international agreements."