What name is legally protected so that only sparkling wine from a designated region of France may use it?

'Champagne' is legally protected so that only sparkling wine produced in the Champagne region of France, using specific grapes and traditional methods, may use that name. Under French and EU law, this protection means the name is tied to a place and a process, not just a style of wine.

Sparkling wines made in other places have to use different names: Italy's version is called Prosecco, and Spain's is called Cava, each made with their own regional grapes and techniques, which is exactly why they can't legally be labeled Champagne even though all three are sparkling wines.

Many other foods and drinks carry similar protected regional names, like Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese from Parma or feta cheese tied to Greece, reflecting a broader European legal tradition of linking certain product names tightly to their place of origin.