Wine Law

440 WINE LAW of wine and of muted grapes held by the vintners, on prescribed forms made available by the Department of Agriculture. There is also regulation on the proper labelling of wines and wine-related products; on imported wines maintaining such information as to whether imported in bulk or by bottle, the grape’s variety and alcohol level thereof; as well as the establishment of a Wine Regulation Board, its composition, eligibility thereto and its functions. More importantly, the Act provides for a national inventory of wine growing potential. As already mentioned, the Act contemplates the mechanism for control as well as enforcement on the industry as to maintain the quality of wine production to the best possible. Indeed, the Act provides for judicial proceedings, instituted by the Director of Agriculture through the police, before a Court of Magistrates, for any offences under the Act and any person found guilty of breaching the provisions of the Act. These shall be liable to a fine of not less than 465.87 € and not exceeding 4,658.75 € 10 . However, this fine would be higher in the case of “ a person found guilty of a subsequence offence ” when in case of conviction, falling between 1,164.69 € and 11,646.87 € 11 . Additionally and as explained above, upon conviction, besides the fine, the Court of Magistrates may, on the request of the Director of Agriculture, “ revoke or suspend any registration issued in respect of the persons so found guilty, or the premises forming the subject of the proceedings. ” 12 . Extra fines of not less than 116.47 € per diem 13 shall be applied against the convicted person by the Court of Magistrates, “ from the date of conviction to the date when such person desists from obstructing or causing obstruction or gives assistance or information required, as the case may be ” 14 . 3.2. Legal Notice No. 167 of 2007, “IĠT Wines Production Protocols Regulations” This Subsidiary Legislation, which consists of one page with four Articles, one Schedule and three Annexes, was for the specific regulation of the IĠT wine production within the Maltese Islands. The three annexes are [I] a 1:160,000 scale map of the Maltese Islands delineating the borders marking the region of grape production falling under the Geographical Indication (GI) “ Maltese Islands ”; [II] a list with the “Key of the 10 Ibid , Article 26(1). 11 Ibid , Article 26(2). 12 Ibid , Article 26(3). 13 Ibid , Article 26(4). 14 Ibid , Article 19(f).