France's Kiwi not fair dinkum

Photo / Mark Mitchell

The vineyards of France have long regarded themselves as the toast of the wine world.

But, in a humiliating blow to Gallic pride, a winemaker has been accused of trying to pass off its bottles as New Zealand produce to cash in on the popularity of antipodean brands.

A tribunal in Australia has ruled Lacheteau, based in the Loire Valley, labelled its sauvignon blanc Kiwi Cuvee in a nod to quirkily named New Zealand and Australian white wines.

The wine has been sold in British and European supermarkets but, when the company attempted to register the brand in Australia, New Zealand winemakers objected.

The New Zealand Winegrowers Association opposed the registration and a hearing decided the name was likely to deceive and confuse consumers.

Kiwi wine writer Michael Cooper said Lacheteau's labelling was "flattering" but "potentially misleading".

"Most people would be surprised to see a label such as Kiwi Cuvee because it's so vague that - for most people - it would set alarm bells ringing."

France was known for protecting the right of its winemakers to use regional names and geographic indicators on bottles.

The country also defends its regional specialties through its appellation d'origine controllee, which protects more than 300 wines and 161 foods.

Cooper said the French were justified in protecting the names of their specialties.

"The problem with 'Kiwi' is it's not the name of a region - it's just associated with New Zealand."

The French wine industry has been hit by falling domestic consumption and stiff competition from the New World. Australian wine has overtaken French fare as Britain's favourite tipple.

Part of the success of wines from Australia and New Zealand is attributed to catchy marketing, which often uses animals and birds, known as critter labelling.

Bordeaux wine expert Jeffrey Davies said there was a "nasty irony" about a French producer muscling in on New Zealand's success, and it was a sign Kiwis have "beaten the French at their own game".

"This is an extension of the phenomenon of critter labels that the New World has marketed in the US and Europe," he said. "In order to capture market share in the New World, the French have been doing the same.

"I don't know whether this reflects a superior quality among New Zealand sauvignon blanc or their ability to better market their wines."

Mark Bowers, marketing manager for Marlborough sauvignon blanc producer Clifford Bay Estate, thought Lacheteau's trickery was "cheeky" but not something the Kiwi wine industry needs to worry about.

"I guess imitation is one of the most sincere forms of flattery," he said. "The French are obviously watching what we are doing very carefully."

Bowers said consumers would make the final decision on a product's quality, and NZ sauvignon blancs were hard to beat. "The fact that they are trying to take that name is, in some ways, recognition of what we do," he said.

Lacheteau's label stated it was a French product and claimed "Kiwi" was not a colloquialism.

But the New Zealand Winegrowers Association said the bottle clearly emulated antipodean products.

"Sauvignon blanc is the archetypal New Zealand wine variety and screw cap bottles such as [Lacheteau] uses, while being the preferred choice for New Zealand wines, are anathema to traditional French winemakers."

- HERALD ON SUNDAY, AGENCIES