Oh no, we've PO'ed the French (again)!

When California wine became popular and started competing with the French wines those folks noticed we had wines called Chablis, Burgundy, and Champagne. For many decades Americans called basic white wines Chablis, reds Burgundy, and sparkling wines Champagne. The French were not happy to have their high-priced Burgundies confused with Gallo Hearty Burgundy.

We now have an agreement to not use French wine districts in the names of our products. Some wineries on this side of the pond were grandfathered in. For instance, "everybody" called it Korbel Champagne so they're allowed to continue. By law they have to include in the name the region it came from as in Korbel Brut California Champagne.

Well, when the menus for the Inaugural Dinner were printed up one of the wines listed was "Korbel Natural Special Inaugural Cuvée Champagne, California." Note that is says "Champagne, California" not "California Champagne." OMG that's backwards! And some French lobbyists (why are there French lobbyists in DC?) had a fit.

Don't drink that! It's not French!

The labels on the wine are printed correctly, just whoever did the menu didn't know the law verbatim.  The spokeswoman for Korbel basically told them to get a life.

Article in the Santa Rosa Press Democrat