Germany is to face European Union (EU) officials in a bid to save the designation of Apfelwein - its traditional apple wine - amid fears it is to be victim of new EU regulations.

Apfelwein, a beverage with five to seven percent alcohol content, comes from the country's south-western state of Hesse which includes the financial center Frankfurt.

According to an Agriculture Ministry spokesman Friday, the European Commission wants the term 'wine' used only for grape-based drinks.

He told a press conference in Berlin, "The concern of the Hessians is justified. The [Agriculture] Minister definitely wants to save the terms Apfelwein and Obstwein [fruit wine], while it should be made clear to consumers that these are not grape products."

According to AP, state governor Roland Koch is "outraged" by the plans and "will fight with all the means" to conserve the name, reports the International Herald Tribune.

Apfelwein, which has a sour taste, is a regional icon.

This is not the first time EU has faced a member's wrath. It regularly engages in battles with member states over designations, especially over food and alcoholic drinks.

In the past, vodka, ouzo, whiskey, champagne, cognac and Armagnac have been subject of heated debate.