The European Union's updated wine labelling requirements
CONTEXT:
Initially, our hope was that the new E.U. legislation would mandate wine producers to disclose the complete list of ingredients on the rear label of every bottle. This would have provided a distinct advantage to natural winemakers, who use only grapes and add nothing or just a small amount of sulfites.
The European Union's updated wine labelling requirements, effective from December 8th, 2023, were further clarified in a document released on May 30, 2023. This document, sourced from the DGCCRF (Direction générale de la concurrence, de la consommation et de la répression des fraudes), outlines the latest essential and obligatory information for winegrowers selling within the E.U.
We have compiled the important information below.
#1 - When does this legal obligation begin?
- Starting in 2023, the revised wine labeling regulations pertain to sparkling wines and aperitif wines (or aromatized wine products) produced on or after December 8th, 2023 (bottling date for sparkling wines, blending date for aperitif wines).
- For still wines and liqueur wines, the updated requirements come into effect from the 2024 vintage onwards.
🐌 KEEP CALM AND CARRY ON!
The regulation allows a 2-year transition period. Throughout this time, authorities will be lenient if the required information is still missing from your bottles.
#2 - Is the e-label compulsory?
To ensure compliance, it is imperative to include both the ingredients and nutritional declaration on either the label or the back label. If you include this information, the e-label is NOT compulsory.
- Ingredients: "Grapes" and "Preservatives (Sulfites)" (in the absence of any other additives).
- For the nutritional declaration, specify the energy value in kilojoules or kilocalories per 100 ml.
- Example: Ingredients: grapes, sulfites - 100ml = Energy 266 KJ / 64kcal - Fat 0g - Carbohydrates: 1g.
💥 SO2 = allergen
As SO2 is an allergen, it must appear separately in the list of ingredients (in bold, for example).
#3 - e-labels are dynamic and quick to update!
Considering the intricacies of laws varying across countries, we're taking the chance to add extra value to the inclusion of e-labels by making your work easier and ensuring future compliance if the law changes.
- Save hours of work: most of your cuvées are in our database, when creating a e-label, info is auto-completed.
- E.U regulations: compliant with the latest updates and upcoming ones.
- Localised: 22 languages included.
- Edit your wine label info anytime.
- High resolution: .PDF file ready for printing.
- Italian packaging laws: which require material + recycling information (coming soon).
#4 - Increase your visibility
By updating your e-labels, the information linked to your wines is then added to the Raisin website and app, along with that of all the natural winemakers info already recommended.
- +420K Downloads on the Raisin app (iOS and Android).
- +60K Visits on the Raisin website.
- +4,000 Daily users
#5 - Visual summary:
#6 - Yes! You can still do without:
Benjamin Dupas, a winemaker and a team member, opted for printing ingredients and nutritional info directly on the labels for the wine Comme Avant. As you can see on the screenshot below:
#7 - QR Codes (E-labels) for other winemakers:
As only natural winemakers can access our free service, we've included a list of sites that provide a QR code creation generator, only a few are free.
- www.dansmabouteille.com
- www.u-label.com
- www.viticode.fr (gratuit)
- www.littlewine.io (gratuit)
- https://qrcodekit.com
- https://pinotqr.com
- https://craft-technology.com/elabel/
- https://scanthiswine.com/
- https://myqrcode.com/
#8 - Related articles:
Useless to mention this new regulation is an amazing maze where most of us would lost their way. For the record, below you will find the key documents produced by the E.U about E-labeling.
- Regulation - 2021/2117 - EN - EUR-Lex
- Regulation - 1306/2013 - EN - EUR-Lex
- EUR-Lex - 52023XC01190 - EN
- What will a QR code tell us about the wine we are drinking?
