What's in a name ?

[GordonCooks]

As winemaking homogenizes, viticultural areas struggle with brand identity, and countries such as Canada choose to eliminate European names for their wines.

Do you feel that there should be a universal standard for wine in terms of region or grape (i.e. Australian Shiraz/Syrah, French Bordeaux/Meritage)? Or that a wine from Napa, Chile, Australia, Washington can be universally branded Cabernet Sauvignon

[Jancis Robinson]

I'm for as many clues on the label as possible. We saw a decade or two back some attempt to distinguish between Fume Blanc and Sauvignon Blanc as two distinct styles made from the same grape - only problem was that there was some confusion as to what each term meant exactly. But in S Africa for example you see producers variously labelling their wines Syrah and Shiraz in a genuine effort to warn consumers whether the wine inside is likely to taste more like a French or Australian one which I think is helpful.

I'd like as much TRUE geographical specificity as possible - I just love those single vineyard wines! But I'm very against, say, Ontario 'Burgundy'. Quite right that this is well on the way out.

Hope this is sufficient A. Yr Q ends rather abruptly.