Wine Law

9 While compulsory particulars shall not be omitted in wine labelling and presentation, a number of optional particulars are worth to be mentioned. Compulsory particulars for the wine labelling and presentation of grapevine products (except for partially fermented grape must extracted from raisined grapes, rectified concentrated grape must and, of course, wine vinegar) are: (a) the designation for the category of the grapevine product, unless the label includes a PDO or a GI; (b) the term corresponding to the PDO or to the PGI as well as its name, unless a traditional term is displayed on the label 19 ; (c) the actual alcoholic strength by volume; (d) an indication of provenance; (e) an indication of the bottler; (f) an indication of the importer, in the case of imported wines; and, in the case of sparkling wine, aerated sparkling wine, quality sparkling wine or quality aromatic sparkling wine, (e) an indication of the name of the producer or vendor, and (g) of the sugar content. Optional particulars for the wine labelling and presentation of the above-mentioned grapevine products are set forth in subsequent article 60: (a) the vintage year; (b) the name of one or more wine grape varieties; (c) in the case of wines other than sparkling wine, aerated sparkling wine, quality sparkling wine or quality aromatic sparkling wine, terms indicating the sugar content; (d) for wines with a PDO or GI, the production or ageing method or the quality, colour, type of place, or a particular event linked to the history of the product; (e) the Community symbol indicating the PDO or GI; (f) the terms referring to certain production methods; and (g) for wines bearing a PDO or GI, the name growing zones; however, where it has a PDO or GI, it shall have an actual alcoholic strength of not less than 4,5% vol. and have a total alcoholic strength of not more than 15% vol. By way of derogation, the upper limit for the total alcoholic strength may reach up to 20% vol. for wines from certain wine-growing areas which have been produced without any enrichment, while the upper limit for the total alcoholic strength may exceed 15% vol. for wines with a PDO which have been produced without enrichment. With some exceptions, wine shall have a total acidity content, expressed as tartaric acid, of not less than 3,5 grams per litre or 46,6 milliequivalents per litre. Further categories provided for in Annex IV are: new wine still in fermentation; liqueur wine; sparkling wine (which is obtained by first or second alcoholic fermentation from fresh grapes, from grape must, from wine and which, when the container is opened, releases carbon dioxide derived exclusively from fermentation, has an excess pressure, due to carbon dioxide in solution, of not less than 3 bar when kept at a temperature of 20º C in closed containers and the total alcoholic strength of the cuvées intended for their preparation shall not be less than 8,5% vol.; quality sparkling wine; quality aromatic sparkling wine; aerated sparkling wine; semi-sparkling wine; aerated semi-sparkling wine; grape must; partially fermented grape must; partially fermented grape must extracted from raisined grapes; concentrated grape must; rectified concentrated grape must; wine from raisined grapes; wine of overripe grapes; wine vinegar. 19 According to article 54, “ Traditional term ” shall mean a term traditionally used for wines to designate (a) that the product has a PDO or GI; (b) the production or ageing method or the quality, colour, type of place, or a particular event linked to the history, of the product with a PDO or GI.