EU AND U.S. PASS WINE AGREEMENT

Yesterday the EU approved an agreement on U.S. wine imports into the European wine market although Germany, Austria, Portugal and Lithuania opposed the decision. For starters Germany wants a “purity law” to protect Euro wines. The German Farm Minister Horst Seehofer has complaints against the U.S. practice of adding water to dilute alcohol content and aging wine with woodchips. Horst stated that “adding wood chips to wine in Europe is just unimaginable in our wine culture.” However, some EU officials consider these practices to be a sign of things to come and both the EU and U.S. will mutually recognize one another’s winemaking. Italy has asked the EU to allow the use of wood chips which will likely be granted since onerous certification procedures could further slow export sales.