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Wine

Here you can find the legislation and guidance for wine.

EU legislation

Council Regulation (EC) No 1493/1999 (no longer in force) (OJ L 179, p1, 14.07.1999) of 17 May 1999 on the common organisation of the market in wine

Implemented by

Commission Regulation (EC) No 1622/2000 (no longer in force) (OJ L 194, p1, 31.07.2000) of 24 July 2000 laying down certain detailed rules for implementing Regulation (EC) No 1493/1999 on the common organisation of the market in wine and establishing a Community code of oenological practices and processes

This Regulation has been amended a number of times listed below are the amendments made in 2007

Commission Regulation (EC) No 883/2001 (No longer in force) (OJ L 128, p1, 10.05.2001) of 24 April 2001 laying down detailed rules for implementing Council Regulation (EC) No 1493/1999 as regards trade with third countries in products in the wine sector

This Regulation has been amended a number of times listed below are the amendments made in 2007

2007/C 237/01 (OJ C 237, p1, 09.10.2007) List of agencies and laboratories which third countries have made responsible for completing the documents which must accompany each consignment of wine imported into the Community (Article 29 of Commission Regulation (EC) No 883/2001) (no longer in force)

Commission Regulation (EC) No 753/2002 (no longer in force) (OJ L 118, p1, 04.05.2002) of 29 April 2002 laying down certain rules for applying Council Regulation (EC) No 1493/1999 as regards the description, designation, presentation and protection of certain wine sector products

This Regulation has been amended a number of times. Listed below are the amendments made in 2007:

Commission Regulation (EC) No 2729/2000 (no longer in force) (OJ L 316, p16, 15.12.2000) of 14 December 2000 laying down detailed implementing rules on controls in the wine sector

Amended by

Commission Regulation (EC) No 423/2008 (no longer in force) (OJ L 127, p13, 15.05.2008) of 8 May 2008 on laying down certain detailed rules for implementing Council Regulation (EC) No 1493/1999 and establishing a Community code of oenological practices and processes

The framework Regulation (EC) No 1493/1999 (no longer in force) on the common organisation of the market in wine contains rules governing wine-production potential, market mechanisms, producer organisations and sectoral organisations, oenological practices and processes, description, designation, presentation and protection, quality wine psr, and trade with third countries. It contains a number of definitions including:

Grape juice: the unfermented but fermentable liquid product obtained by appropriate treatment rendering it fit for consumption as it is.

Grape juice may be obtained:

  • from fresh grapes or from grape must, or
  • by reconstitution from concentrated grape must or from concentrated grape juice.

An actual alcoholic strength by volume of the grape juice of not more than 1 % vol. is permissible.

Wine: the product obtained exclusively from the total or partial alcoholic fermentation of fresh grapes, whether or not crushed, or of grape must.

Table wine: wine other than Quality wines produced in specified regions (‘quality wines psr’) which:

  • is derived exclusively from vine varieties referred to in Article 42(5) of Regulation (EC) No 1493/1999;
  • is produced in the European Union;
  • has, whether or not following application of the processes specified in point D of Annex V to Regulation (EC) No 1493/1999, an actual alcoholic strength by volume of not less than 8.5 % vol. provided the wine derives exclusively from grapes harvested in vine-growing zones A and B, and of not less than 9 % vol. in other vine-growing zones, and a total alcoholic strength by volume of not more than 15 % vol.;
  • subject to derogations which may be adopted, has a total acidity content, expressed as tartaric acid, of not less than 3,5 grams per litre or 46.6 milliequivalents per litre.

However, in the case of wines from certain vine-growing areas which have been produced without any enrichment, the upper limit for the total alcoholic strength by volume may be raised to 20 % vol.

Wine vinegar: vinegar which: Council Regulation (EU) 1493/1999 (no longer in force)

  • is obtained exclusively by acetous (producing or fermenting vinegar) fermentation of wine; and
  • has a total acidity of not less than 60 grams per litre expressed as acetic acid.

Labelling

Chapter II of Title V and in Annexes VII and VIII to Regulation (EC) No 1493/1999 sets out the labelling provisions for the description, designation, presentation and protection of certain products other than sparkling wines and Regulation (EC) No 753/2002 (no longer in force) lays down the rules for applying these provisions.

Regulation (EC) No 1493/1999 requires that:

  • table wines, table wines with geographical indication and quality wines psr;
  • wines originating in third countries other than those referred to under;
  • liqueur wines, semi-sparkling wines and aerated semi-sparkling wines covered by Annex I to Regulation (EC) No 1493/1999 and such wines originating in third countries shall be required to contain the following particulars:
  1. the sales designation of the product;
  2. the nominal volume;
  3. the actual alcoholic strength by volume;
  4. the lot number in accordance with Council Directive 89/396/EEC (no longer in force) of 14 June 1989 on indications or marks identifying the lot to which a foodstuff belongs.

The sales description shall consist of:

  • in the case of table wines, the words ‘table wine’, and
  1. in the case of despatch to another Member or exporting State, the name of the Member State if the grapes are produced and made into wine in that State;
  2. the words ‘mixture of wines from different countries of the European Community’ in the case of wines resulting from a mixture of products originating in a number of Member States;
  3. the words ‘wine obtained in … from grapes harvested in …’, supplemented by the names of the Member States concerned in the case of wines produced in a Member State from grapes harvested in another Member State;
  4. the words ‘retsina’ and ‘vino tinto de mezcla’ in the case of certain table wines;
  • in the case of table wines with geographical indication:
  1. the words ‘table wine’;
  2. the name of the geographical unit;
  3. one of the following terms, under conditions to be determined: ‘Landwein’, ‘vin de pays’, 'indicazione geografica tipica’, ‘ονομασία κατά παράδοση’, ‘οίνος τοπικός’, ‘vino de la tierra’, ‘vinho regional’, ‘regional wine’, ‘landwijn’, ‘geograafilise tähistusega lauavein’, ‘tájbor’, ‘inbid tradizzjonali tal-lokal’, ‘zemské víno’, ‘deželno vino PGO’, ‘deželno vino s priznano geografsko oznako’, ‘регионално вино’ or ‘vin cu indicatie geografică’;
    where such a term is used, the words ‘table wine’ are not required.
  • in the case of quality wines psr:
  1. the name of the production area;
  2. subject to derogations to be determined;
  3. the words ‘quality wine produced in a specified region’ or ‘quality wine psr’;
  4. the words ‘quality liqueur wine produced in a specified region’ or ‘quality liqueur wine psr’;
  5. ‘quality semi-sparkling wine produced in a specified region’ or ‘quality semi-sparkling wine psr’; or
  6. a traditional specific particular included in a list to be drawn up, or several of those particulars where provided for by the provisions of the Member State concerned;
  • in the case of imported wines, the word ‘wine’, which must be supplemented by the name of the country of origin and, when they are designated with a geographical indication, by the name of the geographical area in question;
  • for liqueur wines, the words ‘liqueur wine’;
  • for semi-sparkling wines, the words ‘semi-sparkling wine’;
  • for aerated semi-sparkling wines, the words ‘aerated semi-sparkling wine’.

Regulation (EC) No 753/2002 (no longer in force) requires that the compulsory particulars referred to in Annex VII(A) to Regulation (EC) 1493/1999 (no longer in force) must be grouped in the same visual field on the container, and presented in easily readable, indelible characters large enough to stand out well against the ground on which they are printed and clearly distinguishable from all other (written and graphic) content of the labelling.

However, the compulsory particulars of the importer, the lot number and the ingredients referred to in Article 6(3a) of Directive 2000/13/EC (no longer in force) on the the labelling, presentation and advertising of foodstuffs may appear outside the visual field in which the other compulsory particulars appear.

Where one or more of the ingredients listed in Annex IIIa to Directive 2000/13/EC (no longer in force) are present in one of the products referred to in Article 1(2) of Regulation (EC) 1493/1999 (no longer in force), they must be indicated on the labelling, preceded by the term ‘contains’.

For sulphites, the following terms can be used: ‘sulphites’ or ‘sulphur dioxide’.

Wines (aromatised) - EU Legislation

Council Regulation (EEC) 1601/91 (no longer in force) (OJ L 149, p1, 14.06.1991) of 10 June 1991 laying down general rules on the definition, description and presentation of aromatized wines, aromatized wine-based drinks and aromatized wine-product cocktails.

Amended by

Commission Regulation (EC) No 122/94 of 25 January 1994 laying down certain detailed rules for the application of Council Regulation (EEC) No 1601/91 on the definition, description and presentation of aromatized wines, aromatized wine-based drinks, and aromatized wine-product cocktails

Commission Regulation (EEC) 2009/92 (OJ L 203, p10, 21.07.92) of 20 July 1992 laying down the analytical methods for ethylic alcohol from agricultural origin used for the production of spirit drinks, aromatized wines, aromatized wine-based drinks and aromatized wine-product cocktails

Commission Decision 2002/624/EC (no longer in force) (OJ L 200, p34, 30.07.2002) of 24 July 2002 authorising Italy to allow the export of an aromatised wine-based drink not complying with Council Regulation (EEC) No 1601/91 laying down general rules on the definition, description and presentation of aromatised wines, aromatised wine-based drinks and aromatised wine-product cocktails

National legislation

  • European Communities (Definition, Description and Presentation of Aromatized Wines, Aromatized Wine-based drinks and Aromatized Wine-product Cocktails) Regulations, 1998 (S.I. No. 254 of 1998)  

Council Regulation (EEC) 1601/91 (no longer in force) lays down the general rules on the definition, description and presentation of Decision 2002/624 EC (no longer in force) romatized wines, aromatized wine based drinks and aromatized wine-product cocktails. It sets a number of definitions for various categories of aromatized wine based drinks including Vermouth, Sangria, and Glühwein.