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French winegrowers are fighting against the ban to no longer indicate the grape variety Vermentino on their wine labels as of the 2022 harvest. This decision is not new. The EU Directive 2019/33, adopted in October 2018, stipulates that only winemakers in Italy, Australia, the USA and Croatia are allowed to write the grape variety name Vermentino on the label. In this way, the EU protects the two designations of origin Vermentino di Sardegna DOC and Vermentino di Gallura DOCG. It is mainly winegrowers from the Languedoc who cultivate the grape variety Vermentino, which also occurs in France under the synonym "Rolle". However, Vermentino is hardly ever sold as a pure white wine in France; it is mostly used in cuvées or for rosé production. Nevertheless, many winegrowers see themselves at a disadvantage.
Jean-Claude Mas from the wine company Domaines Paul Mas from the Languedoc told the wine magazine The drinks business: "France produces similar quantities of Vermentino as Italy, and we have always called it Vermentino. We have been promoting it for a long time and the consumer knows it as such." Jean-Claude Mas refused to use the French synonym Rolle, he said. He expressed shock at the fact that the French representatives had not managed to block Italy's application at the time. He now wants to challenge the decision.
In contrast to Jean-Claude Mas, the other big wine producer of the Languedoc, Gérard Bertrand, was calm about the ban. He uses Vermentino in a blend, and if he has to change the name, it is no big deal. "When consumers buy the brand, they do so because of the name of the château and not because of the grape variety," Bertrand said.
(ru / Source: drinksbusiness; Photo: 123rf.com)