France

EU considers distinctive label for French rose wine producers

Article published on the 2009-03-18 Latest update 2009-03-18 18:49 TU

Under a proposal, rose wines could receive special certification.
(Photo: DR)

The European Commission said Wednesday it will consider the idea of distinctive labelling for French rose wine, to end a row with Paris over wine made by mixing red and white.

Under the current proposal, producers within the European Union would be allowed to make wine called "rose" simply by mixing red and white wines together.

This is already practised in Australia, South Africa, and elsewhere.

But French viniculturists, especially in the southern Provence region, are concerned it could lead to thousands of job losses. It would also threaten their business of making rose wine the traditional and more costly way, leaving crushed red grapes to soak with macerating white grapes.

French Agriculture Minister Michel Barnier is among those who think a distinction should be made. The EU is now considering options.

"We're discussing with France now whether it's possible to find a solution, it could be a labelling solution," EU Agriculture Commissioner Mariann Fischer-Boel said. "I'm sure we'll manage to find an acceptable way to solve this problem but for me the main task would be to have the same possibilities to wine producers within the EU as outside."

Fischer-Boel said one option could be for Provence producers to sell their wine with label saying "traditional rose wine".