NAPA VALLEY GAINS GEOGRAPHIC STATUS IN EUROPE

A big victory yesterday for Napa winemakers. The European Union has granted Napa Valley a Geographic Indication (GI) status that bars wine brands from using the word “Napa” on a label whose grapes did not, indeed, come from Napa. This marks the first time the EU has given GI status to a nonmember.

Currently, there are two EU wine brands that use the Napa name: Clos du Napa from the UK and Varon de Napa in Spain. Nine other winemakers outside the EU currently use the Napa name and will be barred from exporting to the EU as a result.

Napa Valley Vintners have been campaigning Brussels since the summer of 2005 and were first turned down in November of that year.