The Mateh Yehuda Regional Council and the Judea Wineries Association aim to have Judea recognized as a trademark winemaking region, Israel Hayom has learned.
The two applied to the Registrar of Trademarks at the Justice Ministry for the classification of Judea as a wine grape-growing region under global wine industry appellation-of-origin laws.
This would effectively apply intellectual property protection to the wines produced there.
The classification request was made for the Judea area as a whole, as well as for two sub-regions, the "Judean Mountains" and the "Judean Slopes."
Vineyard classification has a long history dating from to the 14th century. Many regional wine classifications exist around the world as part of tradition or appellation law.
The classification of wine can be done according to the place of origin, vinification methods and styles, or sweetness and vintage.
Famous wine regions worldwide include France's Champagne, Bordeaux and Burgundy regions, the Napa and Sonoma valleys in the United States, Italy's Tuscany and Chianti regions, Portugal's Douro Valley, where Port wine is produced exclusively, and Australia's Margaret River and Barossa Valley, to name a few.
The motion by the Mateh Yehuda Regional Council and the Judea Wineries Associations is the first in 50 years since the appeal to trademark "Jaffa" – used by Agrexco for marketing citrus fruits abroad – was granted.
"Jaffa" is Israel's only recognized appellation of origin under the Lisbon Convention, which protects the "geographical denomination of a country, region, or locality, which serves to designate a product originating therein, the quality or characteristics of which are due exclusively or essentially to the geographic environment, including natural and human factors."
The application noted that Israel's wine region map has not been updated in 40 years and is now irrelevant.
A European Union delegation visited Mateh Yehuda last week as a guest of the Agriculture Ministry and toured three wineries.
Acting council head Niv Wiesel told Israel Hayom that pursuing recognition under the appellation laws "comes from the understanding of all those involved in the Israeli wine industry that the Judea region has unique growing characteristics and quality."
