Office of Champagne, USA Protect Place Terroir Tradition Appellation
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Click here to download CIVC Communication Director Daniel Lorson's recent teleconference.

Flavor and Aroma Rise in Champagne Bubbles. New York Times. By Henry Fountain:

"The researchers suggest that Champagne bubbles act like an elevator, bringing aromatic compounds up out of the liquid and into the air above it. The effect continues over and over as bubbles continue to form."

 The Sparkling Wine War; Pitting Trademark Rights Against Geographic Indications. Business Law Today. By Carol Robertson:

"But European producers have long recognized the importance of "terroir"—that wine made from grapes grown in a particular location will have a unique taste. The word "terroir" has no English translation. It means place, certainly, but also it implies soil characteristics, climate, and altitude, for example."
What Is An Appellation

Appellation \Ap`pel*la"tion\, n.
  1. A name, title, or designation.
  2. A protected name under which a wine may be sold, indicating that the grapes used are of a specific kind from a specific district.
  3. The act of naming.

ETYMOLOGY: Middle English appelacion, from Old French appelation, from Latin appellti, appelltin-, from appelltus, past participle of appellre, to entreat; see appeal. Sense 2, from French appellation (d'origine contrôlée), (registered vintage) trade name, from appellation, trade name, from Old French appelation.

Appellations are integral to product protection throughout the world and are recognized under a number of international property protection treaties.

Generally described, the word appellation is used today as the name or title of a place or product. The word has French origins, where it has been used for centuries as a protected name under which wine can be labeled, indicating that the grapegrowers, harvesters and the wine producers followed strict rules and regulations to ensure the quality that is associated with a specific wine region.