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"Champagne" is actually a brand, it just belongs to a region (of France) instead of a company.

> EU law and the laws of most countries reserve the term "Champagne" exclusively for wines that come from this region

It seems strange to call a place of origin a "brand". Is "Ameican" as in (for instance) "American car" a "brand"?

You're right, it's not a brand, the correct term is appellation.

That's nominally (and not a brand, a "Protected Designation of Origin").

We still (in Europe) call champagne anything that's a champagne in nature, regardless of origin, even if its maker can't say so on the label.

(The same way perhaps one would say "xerox" even if the machine is from another maker).