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Vodka Wars
Vodka, a tasteless and odourless spirit, derives its name from the word "voda", which means water in Russian and Polish. The Oxford English dictionary defines vodka as an alcoholic spirit of Russian origin made by distillation of rye, wheat, or potatoes. But, since 1989, European law has said that vodka can be made from any agricultural raw materials. In practice, what vodka is actually made from depends on where it is distilled. Different countries make vodka in varying ways. In Russia and Sweden it is made from wheat, whereas in Finland the main ingredient is barley. The Poles make their vodka from rye and potatoes. Nowadays, vodka is made anywhere from Jamaica to Ireland.
In principle a clear ‘white’ spirit can be distilled from anything that ferments. It is reported that coal was used in Communist Poland and a by-product of the wood-pulp industry was once used in Sweden. However, efforts to use chickens proved unsuccessful!
It all sounds so simple and innocuous, yet the ‘heavy weights’ are fighting over the definition of the centuries-old spirit.
In the ‘white corner’, Finland is aligned with Poland, Sweden and other traditional vodka producers around the Baltic Sea. They are adamant that only spirits made from traditional ingredients - wheat, barley rye and potatoes - should be allowed to carry the vodka label.
Their opponents in the ‘coloured corner’ are led by Britain, the Netherlands, France and Austria. Backed by the London-based multinational drinks producer Diageo, they take a more relaxed view of what can go into vodka, for example grapes, beets, molasses and citrus fruit.
The prize is control of the booming world vodka market worth €10 billion annually.
The Poles are accusing the EU of hypocrisy and double standards by making complex rules on the makeup of wines and spirits (whiskey, cognac, champagne) cherished by older, more established members, but saying anything goes for the drink held dear by the newer members from northern and eastern Europe.
Counter punching, Alan Butler, external affairs director for Diageo PLC, owners of Smirnoff, and makers Ciroc, a vodka made from grapes, warned that if the EU moves to restrict vodka ingredients, a trade war could ensue, causing upheaval in the vodka market worldwide.
"The risk is that we will be effectively expelling from the European market, American vodkas made from other raw materials, like maple syrup or corn”, he said. “I'm sure the United States would look at how it would protect its producers and retaliate in some way which would restrict the import of European vodkas to the U.S."
EU Agriculture Commissioner Mariann Fischer Boel has suggested a compromise where vodkas made in Poland or Finland be defined by their regional distinct ingredients, calling the product "Polish Vodka" or “Finnish Vodka” respectively.
Such political battles are not new on a continent that has waged equally emotional decades-long wars over what constituted Feta cheese or Parma ham and has also endured a drawn-out 20 year battle with the U.S. on the labelling of champagne.
In March 2007, The European Parliament will give its first opinion on the matter, after which the subject will return to the ministers. With vodka consumption estimated to rise by 12 percent between 2003 and 2008 one side is bound to be disappointed. Perhaps they should drown their sorrows with a glass of locally produced vodka – bottoms up!
Mike Bangle is the owner of Talking English language consultancy and can be contacted at mike.bangle(at)phnet.fi
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