China, Italy Wins Prosecco “War” Against Australia

The most famous and widespread Italian “bubbles” scored an important victory in China over Australian producers.

The dispute pits, one against the other, the association of Italian producers, united in the Consortium for the Protection of Prosecco DOC (Controlled Designation of Origin), and Australian Wine and Grape Inc., the association representing a consortium of Australian wine producers.

The dispute was based on the fact that, for Australians, “Prosecco” identifies the grape variety, not the geographical indication (AGI, appellation of origin). In 2009, the name of the wine was changed from Prosecco to Glera (a technical grape variety), resulting in the DOC being called “Prosecco” with a specification that stipulates the use of a maximum of 15% non-Glera grapes and only grapes originating from the provinces of Belluno, Gorizia, Padua, Pordenone, Treviso, Trieste, Udine, Venice, and Vicenza.

Now in China, Italian producers will be able to use the registered trademark “Pu Luo Sai Ke,” which is the Chinese translation of Prosecco. The Italian Consortium for the Protection, based in Treviso, Veneto, has taken steps to timely register the trademark under the Agreement on Cooperation and Protection of Geographical Indications between the European Union and the Government of the People’s Republic of China. Thus, the Beijing Supreme Court rejected the appeal filed by Australia, which was interested in exporting wine of the famous name to China. “Prosecco” or “Pu Luo Sai Ke” only identifies wine produced in Italy.