A Port That’s Not a Port Surfaces in Lodi

STOCKTON, Calif— A California winery has dodged Portugal’s legal claim to exclusive use of the term “Port” by omitting it on the label, while still alluding that the bottle’s contents can be considered—in the vintner’s opinion—Port. The bottles of the wine, sold under the name USB by Peltier Station in Lodi, state: “The United States Bureau for Trade signed an im____ant agreement with the European Union to protect ____ugal’s geographical indication of this type of wine.” The sweet dessert wine is based on Zinfandel grapes.

Much like sparkling wine produced outside the Champagne region of France cannot claim the name, the European Union enforces the claim of Portuguese winemakers to exclusive rights to the Port appellation of origin.