Semi-generic is a legal term used in by the
United States Alcohol and Tobacco Tax and Trade Bureau to refer to a specific type of
wine designation. The majority of these were originally based on the names of well-known
European wine-producing regions. Consumers didn't recognize grape varieties at that time and New World producers used the familiar names to suggest the style of wine they were offering for sale. U.S. regulations require that semi-generic names (for example, California champagne) may be used on a wine label only if there appears next to such name the appellation of "the actual place of origin" in order to prevent any possible
consumer confusion.