Foreign products such as Champagne , Roquefort cheese , tequila and port wine have one trait in common: they have a record of Geographical Indication in Brazil in the form of Designation of Origin .
“The Geographical Indication seal has the function of protecting the intellectual property of those who produce in that territory and preserving know-how, maintaining the traditions and recipes that arrived through migratory flows and predecessors”, explains in this article Francisco Mitidieri, federal tax auditor of the Ministry of Agriculture.
In Brazil, the National Institute of Intellectual Property (INPI) is responsible for registrations. Here, the Geographical Indication is divided into two main classifications: the Indication of Origin (IP) and the Denomination of Origin (DO).
Designation of Origin
While IP takes into account the name of a country, city or region that has become known as a production center for a certain product, DO, in addition to the country or region, focuses on distinct characteristics as a result of geographic, natural and human factors where the product is made from.
Around the world, records such as Denomination of Origin are a way of protect the unique and irreproducible character of a product informing the consumer clearly about its origin and processes.
Currently, they are 38 Designations of Origin registered with INPI 28 national and 10 foreign. The Industrial Property Magazine, linked to INPI, compiles records of Denominations of Origin.
The most recent international item to be registered in Brazilian territory is Scotch whiskey. “Scotch whiskey has protection in the European Union and many other countries. This protection is territorial, that is, just because a product has a Geographical Indication in Europe, does not mean that it has this indication in other parts of the world”, explains Lindesay Low, deputy director of legal affairs at the Scotch Whiskey Association.
Therefore, consortiums and groups of producers interested in protecting their products file registration requests with national and international authorities.
Discover the 10 international Denominations of Origin registered in Brazil:
Vinho Verde Region (Portugal)
The first Denomination of Origin for a foreign product registered with the INPI is that of the Vinhos Verdes Region, in August 1999. Verde wines are produced exclusively in the Demarcated Region of Vinhos Verdes in the northwest of Portugal, with grape varieties native to the region.
Nine subregions make up the Vinho Verde Region. The Monção and Melgaço subregion, for example, has Alvarinho as its main grape variety; The subregions of Lima, Cávado and Ave have Loureiro as their main grape variety, but Arinto and Trajadura are also used.
According to Viticulture Commission of the Vinho Verde Region (CVRVV) the region covers around 9% of the country’s wine area, with more than 13,100 winegrowers. In 2022, white Vinho Verde accounted for more than 66.8 million liters, with red and rosé following next. In the same year, green wines were exported to 120 countries.
Cognac (France)
Unlike cognac, which refers to any wine distillate, Cognac can only be produced in the wine region of the same name in France under strict rules. The DO registration for Cognac in Brazil was made in April 2000.
The grapes and distillation must be from the regions of Charente-Maritime and Charente, as well as in several communes in the departments of Dordogne and Deux-Sèvres, which total more than 86,100 hectares. Furthermore, Cognac must be aged for a minimum of two years, without interruptions, and in oak barrels.
In 2023, Cognac sales exceeded 3.3 billion euros, with more than 165 million bottles sold in around 150 markets, according to the Bureau National Interprofessionnel du Cognac (BNIC) . Approximately 97% of Cognac is consumed outside of France.
Franciacorta (Italy)
Franciacorta gives its name to an Italian sparkling wine and the geographical area where it is made, which covers a mountainous area between Brescia and the southern tip of Lake Iseo, in Lombardy. Production is limited to 19 municipalities in Lombardy, all in the province of Brescia. The DO registration for Franciacorta in Brazil was carried out in October 2003.
According to the Franciacorta Consortium which brings together more than 200 members, the grape varieties used are: Chardonnay, Pinot Bianco, Pinot Nero and Erbamat. Franciacorta must be obtained exclusively by secondary fermentation in the bottle and separation of the lees using the disgorgement method.
There are three categories of wines: Franciacorta, Franciacorta Satèn and Franciacorta Rosé. Today, there is even a tourist route, the Strada del Franciacorta, which promotes the area’s visitor potential.
Prosciutto di San Daniele (Italy)
Prosciutto di San Daniele has been recognized as a Denomination of Origin product since 1970 in Italy and since 1996 in the European Union. In Brazil, it was recognized in April 2009. Prosciutto (ham) has three ingredients: Italian pork legs, sea salt and the microclimate of San Daniele del Friuli, a commune of 35 km² and just over eight thousand inhabitants.
It is produced only by 31 companies that are part of the Prosciutto di San Daniele Consortium who use Italian pig legs sourced from 4,100 authorized farms in the 10 regions of Central-North Italy, including Lombardy, Emilia-Romagna, Umbria, Tuscany and Lazio.
According to the consortium, the pigs are fed cereals and whey and raised following animal welfare methods. They must have an average weight of 160 kilos and be at least nine months old for slaughter.
Port Wine (Portugal)
Appreciated for its sweetness, Port wine is a liqueur wine produced exclusively in Douro Demarcated Region in the northeast of Portugal, on the banks of the Douro river basin.
Surrounded by mountains and slopes that give particular characteristics to production, the region covers an area of 250,000 hectares and is divided into three sub-regions that include several parishes: Baixo Corgo, Cima Corgo and Douro Superior.
The DO for Port wine in Brazil was registered in April 2012. It is worth mentioning that the Douro region is fertile ground for wine tourism, with various farms, restaurants and exquisite hotels.
Wines from Napa Valley (United States)
Located almost 100 kilometers north of San Francisco, the Napa Valley wine region has about a sixth of the planted area of Bordeaux, France, but is famous worldwide.
California’s first American Wine Area (AVA), Napa Valley encompasses a few counties (such as Sonoma and Napa) and is home to diverse microclimates and soils favorable for growing a variety of grapes, such as Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Pinot Noir, Chardonnay, Sauvignon Blanc, Zinfandel and Cabernet Franc.
The region had the DO recognized in Brazil in September 2012. According to Napa Valley Vintners which protects and promotes the region, 95% of companies are family-owned.
Champagne (France)
A 100% French product, champagne must be made with grapes from the Champagne wine region, approximately 145 kilometers east of Paris. The region was delimited in 1927 and, for sparkling wine to be called champagne, it must also be made in the same region, which has 319 communes and covers 34,300 hectares.
According to the Champagne Committee which organizes, controls and promotes sparkling wine internationally, champagne is recognized and protected in more than 130 countries. In Brazil, DO recognition for champagne occurred in December 2012.
Champagne is a blend, that is, it has different grape varieties in its composition. The most common varieties are Chardonnay, Pinot Noir and Meunier. In 2015, the Champagne region was recognized as a World Heritage Site by UNESCO. In 2023, around 299 million bottles of champagne were shipped from France around the world, according to the Comité Champagne.
Roquefort (France)
One of the best-known French cheeses in the world, Roquefort is the first designation of origin for French cheese, registered in the European country in 1925. In Brazilian territory, DO recognition occurred in May 2013.
Roquefort is made exclusively with raw, whole sheep’s milk. The milk collection and cheese production area is limited to the heart of the Occitania region, in certain departments and communes. The maturation of the cheese must be carried out exclusively in the commune of Roquefort-sur-Soulzon, in cellars at the base of the Combalou mountain.
Tequila (Mexico)
The registration of tequila as a DO on national soil occurred in February 2019, which ensures that the name tequila is only given to distillates made from blue agave in certain states and cities in Mexico, such as in certain locations in the states of Jalisco, Guanajuato, Michoacán, Nayarit and Tamaulipas.
Thus, the name cannot be used by third parties and prevents tequila from becoming a common name in reference to distillates made in places outside the boundaries of Mexico and even with other raw materials. You can see certified tequila brands and companies on website of the Consejo Regulador del Tequila (CRT)which protects the interests of the tequila chain.
Scotch whiskey (UK)
Scotch whiskey is the most recent foreign product with DO in Brazil. The registration came in June this year and, according to the United Kingdom’s Ministry of Business and Commerce, trade in the product between Brazil and the United Kingdom could boost the economy by 25 million pounds, around R$180.3 million, over the next five years.
In 2023, Brazil was the eighth largest consumer of the product in the world in terms of volume. To be called Scotch whiskey, the drink must, by law, be distilled and aged in Scotland for a minimum of three years in oak barrels. Scotch whiskey must be made with only three natural ingredients: water, grain and yeast. The drink must contain a minimum alcohol content of 40%.
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The post Discover the 10 foreign products in Brazil with Denomination of Origin appeared first on CNN Brasil V&G.
Source: CNN Brasil
Johanna Foster is an expert opinion writer with over 7 years of experience. She has a reputation for delivering insightful and thought-provoking articles on a variety of subjects. Her work can be found on some of the top online news websites, and she is currently lending her voice to the world stock market.
