Is That Champagne in Your Sorbet? Prove It
In a fight that pitted Champagne producers against a discount supermarket, the European Union Court of Justice ruled on Wednesday
that the retailer can sell its Champagner Sorbet — but only if it can prove that Champagne is a distinct part of its flavor.
But now that the European Union’s highest court has decided under what circumstances the term Champagne can be used, Aldi still has to prove to a German appeals court
that Champagne was a core aroma or flavor in the product.
To stipulate exactly what flavors make Champagne would be “very crude indeed because the variations are huge,
and I suppose that’s why it’s an interesting problem for the German court.”
And establishing that the wine in the sorbet is Champagne, rather than any other sparkling wine, will be tricky.
“I’m not sure you’d get any of the toasty or brioche notes from Champagne once you make it into a sorbet,” said Victoria Burt, the research
and development manager at the Wine and Spirit Education Trust in Britain
The European court took up the case so that it could clarify the conditions under which a food operator could use the protected term Champagne.
