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Respecting Place Names,

or May I interest you in a fine Oregon Pinot noir from China?

Special Products from Special Places

Harry Peterson-Nedry agrees to Napa declaration for Oregon. Also shown: Bosco Torremocha, vp, Consejo Regulador de las DD.OO Jerez-Xeres-Sherry and Jamie Peha, marketing director, Washington Wine Commission.
photo courtesy graperadio.com

Places are special for many reasons. Soils, climate, terrain, methods, history, and general culture often combine to provide an inimitable creation, one that is not the same anywhere else and has special cachet from the quality of experience it gives—in today's commercial parlance, a "brand." There is value in the name itself, since it conveys an identity of uniqueness, quality and a prior positive experience.

And that automatic translation of place by a word is what makes using that place name falsely, without authenticity or right to the name, unethical at best and thievery most likely. It is definitely a violation of the Golden Rule. "How would you like it if someone just called their ______ by your name"?

The heritage that imbues products with unmistakable identities just by uttering words like Champagne, Parma, Roquefort, Walla-Walla, Chablis, Port, Napa, Stilton, Kentucky or Oregon is not up for grabs, first-come, first-served. There is a standard of excellence in wines or hams or onions or cheeses or bourbon that is implied, that begins with place and extends to how things are done and what quality must be achieved. For others to pretend to make mineral-laced, lemony chardonnay with a knife-edged acidity from Thompson seedless grapes in the Central Valley of California, is to steal from the name "Chablis," devaluing it and misleading consumers. Ever wonder why great Chablis aren't bought by average American consumers?

The value of America's AVAs and other countries' Appellation Controllees depends on identifying and protecting special places.

Oregon's wine industry has recognized how to respect place names since the beginning, with its 1977 labeling legislation prohibiting the use of semi-generic place names like Champagne, Port, Chablis, and the like. Also, imposing strict minimum content requirements for grape varieties (90% must be that variety to carry the variety name) seemed principled at a time when California required only >50% (now it has a 75% minimum, as Federal standards have been raised).

It is for that reason that Oregon gladly participated July 26th in what is being called the Napa Declaration of Place, "supporting efforts to maintain and respect the integrity of place names." Representing Oregon, I pledged our ongoing belief in and protection of place names, as I had also done in testimony in D.C. with European Union and American negotiators in 2002 roundtable discussions.

As quoted in the press, "We heartily support worldwide recognition of accurate place identity as a basic tool for the consumer in purchasing wine and other products whose quality depends on where it is grown or made. Unless we want commonplace wines, we should honor unique places where great wines are made." Still believe it. Always have, always will.