Wines and Spirits
(EU) This sparkling wine can only be produced in a specific region of northeastern France.
Champagne; semi-generic in the US (producers post-2006 are restricted to naming region)
(EU) This hard Italian cheese is named after a town near Milan and aged at least 12 months.
Parmigiano-Reggiano / Parmesan
This cured Italian ham from near Parma must be aged at least 12 months and bears a crown-shaped brand as proof of authenticity.
Prosciutto di Parma; "prosciutto" is generic in the US
These sweet onions from Georgia state are named after the town around which they must be grown. They are Georgia's state vegetable.
Vidalia onions
This Indian tea grown in the foothills of the Himalayas was the first Indian product to receive GI protection.
Darjeeling tea
(EU) This fortified wine is named after a city in southern Spain and must be aged in the "Sherry Triangle" area.
Sherry (Jerez); semi-generic in the US: "American sherry" cannot be exported to the EU
(EU) This soft French cheese from Normandy comes in a wooden box and shares its name with the village where it originated.
Camembert
(EU) This Italian cured ham is aged for at least 10 months and named after the city near Bologna where it must be produced.
Mortadella Bologna; bologna in the US is a different product
These potatoes must be grown in volcanic soil in a specific northwestern U.S. state to bear this protected name.
Idaho potatoes
This fermented tea from Yunnan Province, China, is compressed into disc shapes and improves with age like fine wine.
Pu'er tea
This Mexican spirit with protected status must be made from blue agave in specific regions, primarily around a town that shares its name.
Tequila
This distinctive blue cheese must be aged in the natural limestone caves of southern France to legally bear its name, and was one of the first foods to receive protected status in France.
Roquefort
(EU) This Spanish cured ham comes from black Iberian pigs that feast primarily on acorns during the montanera season.
Jamón Ibérico
(EU) These small, sweet oranges protected by EU law must be grown in certain regions of Spain, including Valencia.
Valencia oranges; not protected in the US
(EU) This Turkish dessert, known also as "Gaziantep Baklavasi" for the Gaziantep region, was the first Turkish product to receive EU protected GI status.
Turkish baklava
This Italian wine region in Tuscany is known for its Sangiovese-based red wines with a black rooster (Gallo Nero) on the label.
Chianti
(EU) This cheese made from sheep's milk or a mixture of sheep and goat milk can only be produced in Greece, and is commonly used in salads.
Feta
(UK) This Scottish salmon comes from the coastal region of mainland Scotland, the Western Isles, Orkney, and Shetland Isles.
Scottish Salmon
(EU) This bright red spice must be grown and processed in a specific region of Spain to bear its protected name, and is essential in paella.
Spanish Paprika (Pimentón de la Vera)
This special varietal of coffee from the Blue Mountains of Jamaica is among the most expensive in the world.
Jamaica Blue Mountain coffee
This semi-sweet white wine from Germany's Rheinhessen region takes its name from "milk of the Virgin Mary" and enjoys protected status in both Europe and the United States.
Liebfraumilch
(EU) This Swiss cheese must be made in the Emmental valley region with specific bacteria that create its distinctive holes.
Emmentaler
(Japan) This Japanese beef comes from wagyu cattle raised in a specific prefecture known for feeding them beer and massaging them.
Kobe beef; US producers can call their beef "American Style Kobe," even if it does not come from Japan
(EU) This variety of pepper from Cambodia has a complex flavor profile and must be grown in a specific southern province.
Kampot pepper
This sweet wine from Hungary's Tokaj region is made from grapes affected by "noble rot" and mentioned in the national anthem.
Tokaji Aszú