Australia pours cash into fight
AUSTRALIA has stepped up its fight to keep the name prosecco for locally-produced sparkling wine which Europe wants barred as part of a trade deal.
Today, the Morrison Government will pour $100,000 into the diplomatic row, funding a team of legal academics to help mount a new defence to keep the name.
Before 2010, prosecco was considered a grape variety, like chardonnay, meaning it could be used by winemakers around the world. But concern about foreign winemakers muscling in on sales prompted the Italian Government to change the name of the grape to “Glera” and register the grape growing region in North Eastern Italy as Prosecco.