Wine Law

THE WINE INDUSTRY REGULATION IN MALTA 443 representative, which samples shall be a priori sealed. Such officers are further empowered to carry out technical controls at the vineyards to ascertain that production protocol is adhered to. Interesting is the provision that provides for grape producers, declaring that their produce is suitable for the production of DOK wines when such grapes do not actually possess the necessary requisites. The grape-grower could be deemed to have breached the relative Articles under this Subsidiary Legislation and could be found guilty of an offence with the consequence, that such grape-grower would be barred from participating in the DOK scheme for not less than two consecutive years. Again, this manifestly demonstrates that the intention is not to allow any form of distortion of the protocol in order to achieve the wine quality expected and accepted for DOK certificated wines. Schedule I provides that the DO shall be reserved for the red, white, rosé and varietal typologies of wine. Besides, that Malta DO may be complemented with the specification “ frizzante ”, “ semi-sparkling ” or “ aerated semi-sparkling ”, “ novello ”, “ passito ”, “ imqadded ”, or “ liqueur ”. As to the description of certain quality wines other than sparkling wines, the latter as established by the Schedule’s protocol as well as, where applicable, as defined in Annex I of Council Regulation (EC) 1493/99 and subsequent modifications thereof. As already mentioned, this Subsidiary Legislation for DOK Wines Production emphasises the necessity to have vineyards that must be typical of the region for the production of grapes with particular characteristics that denote quality, the method of cultivation (for example, the planting distances with 4,000 vines per hectare) and the pruning systems restricted to Cane and/or Spur pruning not to modify the relative characteristics of the grape. It also contemplates certain provisions for QWPSR, identifying the relative grape varieties to be harvested within a given locality which is formally coded. Needless to say, overproduction is strictly prohibited. Not only are there certain restrictions as to how many vines are to be planted per hectare, but there are also benchmarks to be maintained concerning the percentage of alcoholic strength. Likewise, the varieties such as mono-varietal wines produced from Chardonnay and Sauvignon Blanc is set at a minimum of 11.0%; for Pinot Bianco and Moscato Bianco is 10.5%; for Grenache and Syrah is 10.5%; for Cabernet Sauvignon and Cabernet Franc is 11.00%; and for the two endemic grapes, Ġellewża and Girgentina, the minimum percentage of alcoholic strength is set at 10.0%. By way of exception, these parameters are not applicable for quality sparkling wines (hereinafter QSWPSP), making use of the Methode Tradionelle or the Methode Classique , in that the minimum natural alcoholic