An interim compromise solution has been found for a popular Italian wine which began the year without a name.
The compromise was reached during a meeting between producers of the white wine previously known as Tocai, officials from the Friuli-Venezia Giulia region where it is made and the agriculture ministry in Rome, along with representatives from sector organizations and unions.
For the time being it was agreed that wine produced for export will be called 'Friulano', while wine for domestic consumption can be called either 'Tocai Friulano' or just Friulano, the choice up to the producer.
The name is that of the grape the wine is made from: either Tocai Friulano or just Friulano.
The compromise in effect adopted a suggestion made by a regional administrative court which last year struck down a ministerial decree imposing the name Friulano.
The court acted in response to a suit field by a group of producers which insisted on keeping the name Tocai on the grounds that the change would confuse buyers.
The saga of Tocai's name began in 1995 when the European Court of Justice in Luxembourg court ruled that it was too similar to the one of a traditional Hungarian wine, Tokaj.
The court concluded that based on international treaties, including one in 1993 through which Hungary began to negotiate its entry into the European Union, Italy could not use Tocai because the name 'Tokaj' was an implicit reference to a specific geographical area, located 125 miles east of Budapest.
The EU court ruling was in line with another which stated that the name champagne or anything similar can only be used for the sparkling wine produced in the Champagne region of France.
Italy has used the same arguments in its battle to have the exclusive right to the names of wines like Chianti and Brunello.
The name change was to have gone into effect last March 31 but was delayed until the end of 2007 because of court appeals.
There is also a new case before the court in Luxembourg brought by a group of hardcore producers which wants to use the name Tocai for exports as well.
They are basing their case on World Trade Organization's Agreement on Trade Related Aspects of Intellectual Property Rights (TRIPS).
Among other things, TRIPS includes requirements that nations' laws must respect for geographical indications, including appellations of origin.
TRIPS gives countries the right to recognize at home the name of a domestic wine which is the same as geographic denominations in other countries.
Tocai and Tokaj are completely different. Tokaj is a honey-colored sweet or semi-sweet dessert wine, while the Friulano wine is white and tart.
