Censored Wine Words Still on Hold

(Wines&Vines) - Wineries in the U.S. still don’t know whether words on their labels—including their names—will eventually be accepted on wines they might export to Europe. Since a 2006 trade agreement between the United States and the European Union expired in 2009, a list of terms has been under negotiation. Since then, almost nothing has been resolved.

From the original list of contested terms, only “classic” and “cream” have been approved for U.S. exports to the European Union, according to Gladys Horiuchi at the San Francisco, Calif.-based Wine Institute.

The remaining list includes common descriptors: Ruby, Tawny, Vintage, Solera and Noble. In addition to its common use as an English adjective, Noble is the registered name of a hybrid grape (aka North Carolina 20-119) developed in North Carolina in 1973.

“Sur lie,” the winemaking process of secondary fermentation on the lees—considered essential by some artisan winemakers—is still in question. So is “crusted” or “crusting,” a less popular (and to some unappetizing) term that refers to the sediment in Port wines.