GENEVA, SWITZERLAND – The kind of legal protection available to AOC’s (Appelation d’Origine Contrôlée) is being expanded to products with Geographic indications (GI), following the signing in Geneva 22 May of the Geneva Act to the Lisbon Agreement. Expect a more complete worldwide register of foods and drinks tied to the notion of place known […]
AOC
Regional travel & wine: French Jura
GENEVA, SWITZERLAND – France’s Jura mountains are defined by deep, secret forests and rushing streams, so it is always a surprise to suddenly come upon snug villages edged by magnificent vineyards. Coming down into Arbois, there is such an abrupt change of scenery and state of mind that your arrival calls for a pause. A […]
Swiss join world network compiling “geographic indicators”
GENEVA, SWITZERLAND – If you’ve ever tried to get a handle on all the AOC’s, IGPs, DCs, and other geographic indicators for products, particularly for wine, and felt overwhelmed, you might feel reassured to know there is a global network that is compiling a complete online list by 2014. Switzerland last week joined the group. […]
Absinthe, Fée verte and La Bleue: they’re officially Swiss now
BERN, SWITZERLAND – One of the most famous drinks of 19th century Europe finally has its place at home in Switzerland, with a decision by the Federal Office for Agriculture (FOAG) Thursday 16 August to give IGP status to the names Absinthe, Fée verte and La Bleue. IGP (indications géographiques protégées), officially known as Protected […]
Will the real Emmentaler cheese please stand up?
Zurich, Switzerland (GenevaLunch) – Ten percent of the world’s Emmentaler Switzerland cheese is fake, and starting this month, the Swiss government is going after the pirated versions, with a new tool in hand. DNA tests developed by the federal research stations office, Agroscope, can identify cheeses that are not made with a live bacteria that […]