Wine and the Law

Question 1

What is the primary concern of the authorities in regard with food safety ?

Answer 1

Ensure that what is being sold is safe and fit for consumption.
Concerns processing agents and chemicals that are used by grape grower and winemakers.

Question 2

What elements is present in wine but can be toxic when consumed in high doses ?

Answer 2

SO2

Question 3

What is written on almost all labels in the world, regarding food safety?

Answer 3

Contains sulfites, since is it naturally produced during fermentation

Question 4

What is a GI ?

Answer 4

Refers to a products region or place of origin
GI is a designated vineyard area that can be large and cover entire region or very small covering no more than a single vineyard

Question 5

What organization has developed a system for GIS that is used by all major wine-producing countries ? What is this system ?

Answer 5

World Trade Organization - body that manages intrenational trade agreement

The system relies on defined boundaries and regional names to ensure that everyone uses the same approach, to reach agreement and respect each other’s GI.

For example Australian producers used to use Chablis but as a result of trade agreement, Australia agreed to recognise and prohibit the use of EU GI’s.

Question 6

What are the two important points of interest about GIs regulations ?

Answer 6

• If a GI is stated on the label, typically at least 85 % of the liquid in the bottle must come from the stated GI (depends on the region, some or less or more strict). Similar rules apply to vintage dates and grape varieties
• There are significant variations between the way that Gi leglisation is written in the EU and Non -EU Countries

Question 7

What are the two GI of European Union ?

Answer 7

PGI - Prodected Geographical Indication
PDO - Protected Designation of Origin

Question 8

What are the differences between PGI and PDO ?

Answer 8

PGIs are larger and have fewer regulation
PDO are smaller areas with more tightly defined regulations

Question 9

Are PGI and PDO always used on labels?

Answer 9

No, producers tend to use long-established traditional labelling terms.

For example, in France, use of Appellation d’origine contrôlée (AC) is used instead of Appellation d’origine protégée

Question 10

What is the particularity of European GIs ?

Answer 10

They also give information on ggrape varieties, type of grape growing and winemaking techniques.

The system protect the unique quality of local wines, preventin from fraud.

According to Do, 100% or the grapes must come from the stated region of these wines

Many PDO won’t state the grape varieties (as Chablis AC or Meursault AC)

Question 11

Why are producers are choosing to use PGI instead of PDO in EU?

Answer 11

Because it it less restrictive and allow the use of no-traditional varieties in blend,.

Question 12

What is the wine quality of EU PGI ?

Answer 12

It is very diverse and can include wines of exceptional quality made using grapes grown outside of the pdo boundaries, or high-volume inexpensive wines from international grape varieties

In PGI, the grape varieties are usually stated on the label

Question 13

What labelling gives the European producers the most flexible production rule ?

Answer 13

Wine without a GI

allow brand owners to create multi-regional blends or multinational blends by sourcing grapes from different country in EU

There are no other limits one production beyond those of Product safety and accurate labelling

Question 14

What is the difference between EU GI and non EU countries GI?

Answer 14

Each country has developed its own way of dividing its vineyard areas into specific regions, zones, districts.

There are no local laws to define and limite what grap varieties can be planted. The legal terms surch as AVA, Zone or Ward are rarely seen on label.

Question 15

What is legally defined Quality and Style indications labelling in EU ?

Answer 15

The EU as another set of labelling terms defined by loca laws to indicate quality in style. The EU tries to limit the extent to which they are copied.

For example, Fino and Amontillado Sherry cannot be used outside EU.

Question 16

What are the effects of alcohol on health?

Answer 16

• Consumed in moderation alcohol is not harmful to health
• Alcohol can affect the behaviour of anyone who consumes to much.
• Can be highly addictive and have a negative impact on short and long term health

Question 17

What are the general legislation for alcohol consumption?

Answer 17

• Some culture do no consider alcohol as socially acceptable and ban it
• Legal controls focus on the areas
  1. minimum legal age, since young people are more vulnerable
  2. legal limit on the amount someone can have in their blood while driving. It is expressed in milligrams of ethanol per millilitres of blood. alcohol limits coordination, slows reaction times and increases risk-taking.

Question 18

How are governements encourage safe consumption?

Answer 18

• by publishing sensible drinking guidelines
• For example, alcoholic drinks are broken into fixed quantities or alcohol units and government recommend a maximum number of units men and women should consume over the course of the day or the course of the week.

Question 19

How can advertising and marketing of alcohol can be limited ?

Answer 19

Governments often place limits through voluntary industry codes, diret legislation of combination of both.
Limits lifestyle claims that can be made for a product or encourage the use of responsible drinking in adverstising and on packaging.

Question 20

What three important issues do most wine laws seek to address? Which one is most imperative?

Answer 20

1. Wine should be sound to drink and suitable for humans to ingest;
2. Any information on the label should accurately represent what is actually in the bottle;
3. Ensuring principles are in place that should protect persons and societies from abuse.

Question 21

Nearly all wines made outside of the E.U. fall into what category of the E.U.’s hierarchy?

Answer 21

Wines with a GI