New EU Wine Labeling Rules in Detail
Starting on December 8, 2023, important new EU rules came into effect around wine labeling. Since then, all wines made or sold in the EU must have all their ingredients and nutritional information listed on the bottle, complying with Regulation (EU) No 1306/2013 and Regulation (EU) 2021/2117. This applies to all wines and aromatized wines, including those with reduced alcohol content.
Instead of showing just allergens and energy values, producers must now ensure that detailed ingredient and nutritional information is included on both physical and digital wine labels. Here’s how you can comply:
Key Requirements of EU Wine Labels
Physical Label
- Product Description
- Grape Variety
- Product Type
- Origin Country
- Importer, Bottler, and Producer
- Geographical Indications
- Vintage Year
- Alcohol by Volume Percentage (ABV)
- Net Quantity in Milliliters
- Sugar Content
- Grape Variety Specific to the Vintage
- Date of Expiration
- Importer’s Name (in case of imported wines)
- Sugar Content (in the case of sparkling wine)
- Minimum Durability Date for De-Alcoholized Wine Products having an Actual Alcoholic Strength by Volume of less than 10%
- Lot Number
- Net Quantity of the Wine
- Nutritional Information
- Allergen Declaration
- Energy Value (dictated by an “E” and similar to a calorie count)
E-label (Accessible via QR Code)
- Product Description
- Grape Variety
- Product Type
- Origin Country
- Importer, Bottler, and Producer
- Geographical Indications
- Vintage Year
- Alcohol by Volume Percentage (ABV)
- Net Quantity in Milliliters
- Sugar Content
- Grape Variety Specific to the Vintage
- Date of Expiration
- Importer’s Name (in case of imported wines)
- Sugar Content (in the case of sparkling wine)
- Minimum Durability Date for De-Alcoholized Wine Products having an Actual Alcoholic Strength by Volume of less than 10%
- Lot Number
- Net Quantity of the Wine
- Energy Value (dictated by an “E” and similar to a calorie count)
- Nutritional Information:
- Energy
- Saturates
- Sugars
- Fat
- Carbohydrates
- Protein
- Salt
- Ingredients Information:
- Grape
- Sucrose
- Grape Must
- Rectified Concentrated Grape Must
- Concentrated Grape Must
- Tirage Liquor (for Sparkling Wine)
- Additives Information:
- Acidity Regulators: Tartaric Acid, Malic Acid, Lactic Acid, Citric Acid, Calcium Carbonate, Yeasts for Wine Production, Lactic Acid Bacteria, Potassium Tartrate, Potassium Bicarbonate, Potassium Carbonate, Potassium Sulfate
- Preservatives and Antioxidants: Sulphur Dioxide, Potassium Bisulfite, Potassium Metabisulphite, Potassium Sorbate, Lysozyme, Ascorbic Acid, Dimethyl Dicarbonate (DMDC)
- Stabilizers: Potassium Hydrogen Tartrate, Citric Acid, Tannins, Histamine, Potassium Ferrocyanide, Potassium Phytate, Metatartaric Acid, Gum Arabic, Neutral Potassium Salt, Yeast Mannoproteins, Potassium Polyaspartate, Fumaric Acid, Carboxymethylcellulose, PVI / PVP, Potassium Polyaspartate
- Sweeteners: Grape Must, Sucrose, Concentrated Grape Must, Rectified Concentrated Grape Must, Partially Fermented Grape Must
- Other Ingredients: Aleppo Pine Resin, Caramel, Tirage Liqueur, Expedition Liqueur
- Potential Allergens: Sulfur Dioxide, Tannins, Histamine
- Activators for Fermentation: Microcrystalline Cellulose, Diammonium Hydrogen Phosphate, Ammonium Sulphate, Ammonium Bisulphite, Thiamine Hydrochloride, Yeast Autolysates, Yeast Cell Walls, Inactivated Yeasts, Inactivated Yeasts with Guaranteed Glutathione Levels
- Clarifying Agents: Edible Gelatine, Wheat Protein, Peas Protein, Potatoes Protein, Isinglass, Casein, Potassium Caseinates, Egg Albumin, Bentonite, Silicon Dioxide (Gel or Colloidal Solution), Kaolin, Tannins, Chitosan Derived from Aspergillus Niger or Agaricus Bisporus, Chitin-Glucan Derived from Aspergillus Niger, Yeast Protein Extracts, Polyvinylpolypyrrolidone, Calcium Alginate, Potassium Alginate
- Enzymes: Urease, Pectin Lyases, Pectin Methylesterase, Polygalacturonase, Hemicellulase, Cellulase, Beta-glucanase, Glycosidase, Arabinanase, Beta-glucanase Glucosidase, Aspergillopepsin
- Fermentation Agents: Yeasts for Wine Production, Lactic Acid Bacteria
- Other Ingredients: Fresh Lees, Allyl Isothiocyanate, Inactivated Yeasts
- Correction of Defects: Copper Sulphate Pentahydrate, Copper Citrate, Chitosan Derived from Aspergillus Niger or Agaricus Bisporus, Chitin-Glucan Derived from Aspergillus Niger, Inactivated Yeasts
- Other: Anti-Caking Agent, Anti-Foaming Agent, Bulking Agent, Color, Emulsifier, Emulsifying Salts, Firming Agent, Flavor Enhancer, Flavoring(s), Flour Treatment Agent, Foaming Agent, Gelling Agent, Glazing Agent, Humectant, Modified Starch, Propellant Gas, Raising Agent, Sequestrant, Thickener
- Gases and Packaging Gases: Argon, Nitrogen, Oxygen, Carbon Dioxide
Using a QR code, wineries can provide comprehensive product details digitally. This ensures compliance without compromising the label’s aesthetic appeal.
Why Digital Wine Labels Are a Must
The dynamic nature of QR codes, allows wineries to record the most up-to-date ingredient information at the post-production stage. This ensures accuracy and compliance, as pre-printed labels might contain outdated information due to changes in wine composition during production, bottling, or storage.
By turning to digital labels, wineries can:
- Ensure Accuracy: Update ingredient information in real-time.
- Avoid Penalties: Comply with the new EU regulations and avoid fines or product removal.
- Maintain Brand Integrity: Provide precise and current information, enhancing consumer trust.
- Accessibility of Information: Ensure consumers have easy access to detailed product information.
- Translation to Local Language: Automatically translate label information into the local language of consumers.
- Sustainability: Reduce the need for printed materials, contributing to environmental sustainability.
Labellink: The Superior Choice for EU Wine Labels
Labellink stands out as the best platform for managing your EU wine labels. Here’s why:
- Easy Compliance: Stay up to date with automated data correction, validation, and input guidance, ensuring effortless adherence to regulations.
- Customization and Premium Service: Fully tailored e-label solutions to fit your winery’s unique needs.
- Assistance and Training: Labellink provides ongoing assistance and training services, ensuring you always have someone to help you.
- AI Assistant: Unique to Labellink, this feature answers customer queries by converting ordinary data into smart data, providing intelligent responses and enhancing user engagement.
- User-Tailored Alerts: Custom notifications for user selected ingredients or any other info.
- Rich Wine and Winery Storytelling Experiences: Create engaging narratives about your wines and winery.
- Traceability: Ensures product authenticity and traceability from production to sale.
- User Interaction: Customers can compare products, leave feedback, and more.
- Real-time Analytics: Get precise insights with scan analytics.
- Multimedia Content: Include images, videos, and audio in your e-labels.
- Multi-language Support: Automatic translations in 133 languages.
- Guided Data Entry: Software guides data entry, validates data, and assists wineries in maintaining all necessary wine information.
- Stay Up-to-date: Easily stay compliant as regulations change.
- Superior Accessibility Tools: Ensures content is accessible to everyone, including those with disabilities.
- User Tailored Alerts: Highlights or alerts users about important data such as allergens.
- QR CodeBridge: Ensures QR codes never lead to outdated or removed content.
- Drag-and-drop E-label Editor: Easy-to-use editor for creating and updating e-labels.
- Comprehensive Management: All-in-one platform for creating and managing e-labels.
- Multi-market Ready: Easily adapt your labels for multiple markets with automatic translations and compliance checks, ensuring your products meet regulatory requirements in different regions.
- Enterprise Class Platform: Manage multi-user content efficiently with tools for workflow management, permissions, and collaboration, streamlining your label creation and approval processes.
Choosing Labellink means embracing a superior, more efficient way to manage your wine labels, ensuring you stay ahead of the regulatory curve while enhancing your brand’s market presence. Labellink transform how you connect with your consumers and comply with EU regulations effortlessly.
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