The Napa Declaration

Today, producers of Champagne, Port and Sherry joined winemakers from Napa Valley, Oregon, and Washington State to sign a declaration aimed at protecting the names of regions and their misuse in labeling wines. Just this morning, we covered "port" varietals that are actually made in Napa. This is just one example of the type of thing that the Napa Declaration seeks to prevent. The group declaration is a historic effort by the trade associations to educate consumers. The goal is to make the concept of "terroir" more understood on a global level. The declaration says in part that "The geographic place names of wine regions are the sole birthright of the grapes that are grown there, and when these names appear on wines that do not contain fruit from that region, they lose their integrity and their relevance, becoming merely words."  The declaration is just part of a plan that includes multiple initiatives with one common aim, to increase public awareness.