EU raises a glass to old Greek beverages
Only ouzo, tsikoudia and tsipouro made to traditional Greek recipes can carry the name of the respective alcoholic drinks following a European Parliament vote yesterday. Production methods for less popular Greek beverages such as kumquat liqueur from Corfu, kitro from Naxos and mastiha from Chios have also been designated as being exclusively Greek. Similar drinks made from other ingredients can only use the name of the Greek drinks if their contents and origin are clearly indicated. The new rules replace guidelines from 1989 and were needed to ensure the quality of spirit drinks and protect their «geographic origin» indicator that helps them sell and guarantees their exclusivity. The main battle was over the regulations for vodka. The European Parliament decided that traditional vodka can only be made from grain or potatoes.
