Aussie farmer who made homebrew 'rhubarb champagne' from surplus vegetables is slapped with a legal warning from a French official demanding he stop using the name
- Farmer Guy Robertson shared a post about how to make rhubarb champagne
- He received a call from French official warning them to call it rhubarb sparkling
- Robertson said he thought it was funny his home-brew caused a stir in France
An Australian farmer using leftover rhubarbs to make 'champagne' has been told to stop using the name by a French official.
Guy Robertson, who runs the Mount Gnomon Farm in Penguin, north-west Tasmania, was stunned to receive a phone call from a French 'official' warning him to stop using the name 'champagne' and call his home-brew 'rhubarb sparkling' instead.
There are a number of French organisations that work to promote and protect the 'champagne' brand worldwide.
'I never thought that 10 litres of rhubarb cordial for our own consumption would be on the radar in France,' Mr Robertson wrote on Facebook.
Mount Gnomon Farm owner Guy Robertson (pictured) was warned by a French official warning him not to label his rhubarb home-brew as 'Champagne'
'(The official) was happy that it wasn't being sold on our website and that if we ever go commercial to call it rhubarb sparkling.
'With France having it's fair share of virus issues it's good to know they have their priorities sorted and that a small batch of home brew is enough of an issue to warrant an educational phone call to the other side of the planet.'
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Mr Robertson did say the French saw the funny side and was impressed with the garden.
'He was a really nice guy, he said: ''I know it's a really bad time around the world at the moment, but our legal team takes it very seriously'',' Mr Robertson told ABC Radio Hobart.
The farmer suggested people could use their leftover rhubarb to make champagne with, sharing tips on Facebook
The farmer said the man's job was to ensure people were only branding their products as champagne if it came from the Champagne region in France.
'They take their job very seriously,' Mr Robertson said.
'It made me laugh and laugh.'
In the wake of the outbreak of coronavirus outbreak, the farm lost 100 per cent of its revenue overnight.
Mount Gnomon Farm sells produce at farmers' markets, festivals and supplies restaurants.
But since these have been shut down due to COVID-19, Mr Robertson said he's started selling fresh produce like fruit, vegetables and meat online.
He is now delivering hundreds of food boxes all around the state with rhubarb a key feature.
Mr Robertson is now delivering hundreds of food boxes around Tasmania in the wake of coronavirus
