Only France produces true champagne, says French agriculture minister

The Eiffel Tower is surrounded by a small-particle haze which hangs above the skyline in Paris
The Eiffel Tower is surrounded by a small-particle haze which hangs above the skyline in Paris, France, December 9, 2016 as the City of Light experienced the worst air pollution in a decade. REUTERS/Gonzalo Fuentes/File Photo

PARIS, July 6 (Reuters) - French Agriculture Minister Julien Denormandie on Tuesday said 'champagne' was a name that could on be used on sparkling wines from the eponymous region in France, although other countries at times tried to claim the denomination as theirs.

Denormandie was reacting after Russia on Friday enacted a law that requires foreign producers of sparkling wine to describe their product as such on the back of the bottle - though not on the front - while makers of Russian "shampanskoye" may continue to use that term alone. read more

"You can imagine the reaction of the French authorities," Denormandie told Sud Radio.

"The word Champagne comes from that beautiful region of France where champagne is produced," he continued.

Reporting by Geert de Clercq; Editing by Richard Lough

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