The best-selling sparkling wine in the United States, excluding champagne, is nevertheless a champagne. The brand André, owned by the giant E & J Gallo, is a California Champagne which also is clearly stated on the label.
Since a few years ago, it is forbidden for wine producers in the United States to call their sparkling wines “Champagne”. The ban was seen as a victory in France but it might not be worth that much. Exempted from the ban are producers who already used the word Champagne before 2006.
So André, with its currently more than 18% of the sparkling market in the United States, continues to grow.
Maybe Gallo could have André in mind the next time they fight tooth and nail to protect their name Gallo? It may be from pasta makers, cheese makers, pizza accessories manufacturer, or from others who also happens to be called Gallo.
Read about the latest “Gallo versus very small producer of something totally different than wine” on how Gallo forced GalloLea Pizza Kits to change name.
