Comparative Economic Regulation of Viticultural Appellations: U.S. Practices and Italian Wine Law

Government regulation affects “the economics of what's‐in‐a‐name” in the U.S.A. and Italy, as well as in other nations. The paper briefly explores some of the economic implications of creating viticultural appellations or geographic districts. Among the issues examined are the exclusivity principle, the problem of the commons, the value of governmental approval, and consumer issues. Also, several U.S. anomalies are introduced and discussed. This paper compares the establishment of U.S. viticultural areas with the Italian approach, which was initially private and later developed within the framework of the Italian wine laws. The Italian approach more closely resembles a private arrangement supported by law instead of a cartel.