As we reported last September, an EU court gave wine producers within the EU until this April to adhere to a 2004 ruling by the European Commission and stop calling their wines “Tokaji,” or any similar name that might make consumers believe they are drinking something from Hungary’s Tokaj wine region. Well, come Monday it’s April! While the French have agreed to ditch “tocai pinot gris” and the Slovaks “tokaji,” according to vg.hu, the Italians still refuse to accept that they can’t call wine made in the Friuli Venezia Giulia region “tocai friuliano.” The European Court of Justice (ECJ) has already rejected a plea from Italy on the matter, but there are still five Italian-submitted claims waiting to be discussed in a different venue in Luxemburg. No idea how these cases will eventually be settled, but from what we know about how long it takes to get the EU to actually discipline its errant members, Hungary may want to think about using other weapons to force the olaszok to comply. Anyone fancy a nice Badacsony Barolo?
