Prosecco producers in Australia are elated as negotiations with the European Union (EU) have collapsed during European Union (EU) trade deal talks in Osaka. These talks aimed to limit the exclusive use of the term “Prosecco” in Australia.
Though these trade discussions had been at an impasse since July, Australian Trade Minister Don Farrell had been optimistic about a better offer from the EU. However, the EU remained unwavering in their terms, and it may be years before new negotiations take place.
Katherine Brown, a fourth-generation member of the Brown family and a winemaker at Brown Brothers, has been a prominent figure in the #SaveAussieProsecco campaign, which includes various Australian Prosecco producers.
With an industry valued at over $205 million, Katherine emphasizes that this victory extends beyond the Prosecco variety, benefiting the entire Australian wine industry.
“The effort to preserve the Prosecco name has brought together producers from all over Australia, demonstrating the collaborative spirit of our wine industry.”
“It holds great significance for producers, and by persisting in our mission to safeguard the use of the Prosecco name in Australia, future generations of winemakers will have the freedom to work with various grape varieties and continue to innovate.”
“Today is a day worth celebrating; our voices have been heard. They say you don’t need a reason to open a bottle of Prosecco, but today is certainly a day to celebrate with a glass of Prosecco, naturally.”
In 2009, Italy controversially renamed the Prosecco grape variety to Glera within the EU and registered Prosecco as a Geographical Indication (GI) in the EU. Since then, the EU has been engaged in a decade-long battle to establish Prosecco as a GI in global markets, including Australia.
The proposed agreement would have limited the use of the term “Prosecco” in Australia to wines produced in specific regions of Italy, effectively preventing Australian producers from using the name to market their sparkling wines made from the same grape variety.
