The new rules came into effect at the beginning of September, as part of the agreement between Australia and the European Union. It also includes a ban in Australia on the use of ten more terms, including champagne, port and sherry.
Meanwhile, Australia will now enjoy geographical protection for 112 specific regions like Barossa, for example.
A statement from the Australian Wine & Brandy Corporation said: “There are significant advantages to Australian producers and exporters in this agreement because all Australian winemaking techniques will now be accepted. There are much simpler requirements covering everything from labelling requirements and blending rules to alcohol levels and the display of Australian awards. In short, Australian wine producers will have to make fewer changes and concessions to sell their wine in the EC.”
Wholesalers will have five years to sell wrongly labelled stock.
Talking specifically about prosecco, Giancarlo Vettorello, director of the Conegliano Valdobbiadene Prosecco Superiore Consorzio said: “This is the first and a very positive step in our mission to ensure that ultimately no one outside of the region of prosecco in northern Italy can bottle a wine and call it prosecco, and that prosecco then becomes known exclusively for what it is, an Italian sparkling wine; of which the best quality wines are from the Conegliano Valdobbiadene area.”
