A Stitch in Haste

I guess White Castle doesn't count:

America's wine producers have finally been rumbled, thanks to a lack of castles in the US.

From 2008 US vineyards will no longer be able to boast that a wine hails from a château unless they can prove its grapes are grown within sight of a castle.

Other European "traditional expressions", such as vintage, noble and classic, will also be banned unless they are true.

The new rules are part of an EU/US deal to police the transatlantic wine trade. Existing US wines can still be given European names, such as burgundy, champagne and claret, but new wines will have to be given a US name.

I can understand that it's sorta kinda obnoxious to call sparkling wine "champagne" unless it actually comes from the Champagne region of France, or labeling a food "natural" when it contains preservatives.

But not being able to call a wine "Château Le Kip" unless I can see a castle from my vineyard? What exactly does that accomplish except to create a false language differential?

What the Eurocrats really want is for American vintners not to use European words at all. Which suggests to me that the Eurocrats think Europeans are mind-bogglingly stupid. So stupid that they can't figure out where their wine comes from.

Interesting also that there is no mention of wines from Australia, New Zealand, Chile, etc.

I hope some eccentric vintner in Napa builds a castle just to stick it to Europe. I would like that very much.