Understanding the EU digital wine labels. A simple guide for wineries

Understand the new EU regulations for digital wine labelling with our simple guide and see how the wine-elabels.eu platform ensures compliance with real-time updates and efficient management of wine information.

At first glance, the complexity of EU wine labelling regulations can be a challenge for wineries. However, with the right approach and the right tools, you can easily comply with the requirements while improving your brand presentation. This guide will simplify the basics of the EU wine label regulations, focusing specifically on how the wine-elabels.eu digital wine labels platform can help you effectively meet these standards. Understanding the EU digital wine labels is the purpose of this article.

Brief presentation

With effect from 8 December 2023, wineries must comply with Regulation (EU) No 1306/2013 and Regulation (EU) 2021/2117, which require detailed wine information that does not fit on physical labels and must therefore be provided in digital format, accessible via a QRCODE code.

Basic information that wineries need to know:

  • Compliance deadline and who is affected: Any wine produced in the EU after 8 December 2023 or imported after that date is subject to the latest EU wine labelling requirements.

 Mandatory labelling requirements:

  • Natural labels: The net quantity of product in mL, sugar content, expiry date (for de-aged or partially de-aged wines), batch number, basic nutritional information, allergen declaration and energy value.
  • Electronic labels (via QR codes): must provide more detailed information that does not fit on physical labels, including comprehensive nutritional information, detailed ingredient information, additives, list of importers, distributors, bottling partners and a variety of other details specified by regulation.

Benefits of digital labels:

  • More information: Digital labels can include much more information than can fit on a physical label, providing more details about the product.
  • Real-time updates: Instantly update the information associated with QR codes, ensuring that consumers always have access to the latest and most accurate data without having to reprint physical labels.
  • Accessibility: Consumers can increase the size of text, use screen readers and access information.
  • Local language translations: compared to physical labels, digital labels can easily provide information in any language, ensuring accessibility for all EU consumers.
  • Sustainability: Reduces the need for printed materials.

The wine-elabels.eu platform offers wineries a seamless solution to meet regulatory requirements, improve brand presentation and comply with evolving regulations.

The new EU rules on wine labelling in detail

From 8 December 2023, important new EU rules on wine labelling come into force. From then on, all wines produced or sold in the EU must display all their ingredients and nutritional information on the bottle, in accordance with Regulation (EU) No 1306/2013 and Regulation (EU) 2021/2117. This applies to all wines and aromatised wines, including those with a reduced alcohol content.

Instead of only listing allergens and energy values, producers must now ensure that detailed ingredient information and nutrition declaration information is included on both physical and digital wine labels. See how you can comply:

Basic requirements of EU wine labels

Physical label

  • Product description
  • Grape varieties
  • Product type
  • Origin Country
  • Importer, bottler and producer
  • Geographical indications
  • Year of production
  • Alcohol by volume (ABV)
  • Net quantity in millilitres
  • Sugar content
  • Name of importer (in case of imported wines)
  • Sugar content (in the case of sparkling wine)
  • Minimum ageing date for de-aged or partially de-aged wines with an actual alcoholic strength by volume of less than 10 % vol.
  • Batch number
  • Net quantity of wine
  • Nutritional information
  • Allergen declaration
  • Energy Value (dictated by an “E” and is similar to counting calories)

Electronic label (accessible via QR code)

  • Product description
  • Grape varieties
  • Product type
  • Origin Country
  • Importer, bottler and producer
  • Geographical indications
  • Year of production
  • Alcohol by volume (ABV)
  • Net quantity in millilitres
  • Sugar content
  • Name of importer (in case of imported wines)
  • Sugar content (in the case of sparkling wine)
  • Minimum durability date for products of semi-sparkling wines with an actual alcoholic strength by volume of less than 10% vol.
  • Batch number
  • Net quantity of wine
  • Energy Value (dictated by an “E” and is similar to counting calories)
    • Nutritional information:
    • Energy
    • Fat
    • Saturated fat
    • Carbohydrates
    • Sugars
    • Protein
    • Salt
  • Information about the ingredients:
    • Grape, Sucrose, Grape must, Corrected concentrated grape must, Concentrated grape must, Tirage Liquor (for sparkling wine),
  • Information about the additives:
    • Acidity Regulators
      • Tartaric Acid, Malic Acid, Lactic Acid, Calcium Sulphate, Potassium Tartrate, Potassium Bicarbonate, Calcium Carbonate, Calcium Tartrate , Potassium Carbonate
    • Stabilising agents
      • Citric Acid, Metatartaric Acid, Gum Arabic, Yeast Mannoproteins, Carboxymethylcellulose, Potassium Polyaspartate, Potassium Hydrogen Tartrate, Calcium Tartrate, Calcium phytate, Polyvinylimidazole-polyvinylpyrrolidone copolymers (PVI/PVP)
    • Clarifying agents
      • Wheat protein, Casein, Potassium caseinates, Egg albumin, Edible gelatin, Peas protein, Potatoes protein, Isinglass, Bentonite, Silicon dioxide (gel or colloidal solution), Kaolin, Tannins, Chitosan derived from Aspergillus niger, Chitin-glucan derived from Aspergillus niger, Yeast protein extracts, Polyvinylpolypyrrolidone (PVPP), Calcium alginate, Potassium alginate
    • Preservatives and antioxidants
      • Sulfur Dioxide, Potassium Bisulfite, Potassium Metabisulfite, Lysozyme , Potassium sorbate, L-ascorbic acid, Dimethyldicarbonate (DMDC)
    • Sequestrants
      • Charcoal for oenological use, Selective vegetal fibres
    • Activators for alcoholic and malolactic fermentation
      • Microcrystalline cellulose, Diammonium hydrogen phosphate, Ammonium sulfate, Ammonium bisulfite, Thiamine hydrochloride, Yeast autolysates, Yeast cell walls, Inactivated yeasts, Inactivated yeasts with guaranteed glutathione levels
    • Gases and packaging gases
      • Argon, Nitrogen, Carbon dioxide, Bottled in a protective atmosphere, Bottling may happen in a protective atmosphere, Gaseous oxygen
    • Fermentation agents
      • Yeasts for wine production, Lactic acid bacteria
    • Enzymes
      • Urease, Pectin lyases, Pectin methylesterase, Polygalacturonase, Hemicellulase, Cellulase, Betaglucanase, Glycosidase
    • Other practices
      • Aleppo pine resin, Caramel, Inactivated yeast, Fresh lees, Allyl isothiocyanate

Using a QR code, wineries can provide comprehensive product details digitally. This ensures compliance without compromising the aesthetics of the label.

Why digital wine labels are essential

The dynamic nature of QR codes allows wineries to capture the most up-to-date ingredient information at the post-production stage. This ensures accuracy and compliance, as pre-printed labels may contain outdated information due to changes in wine composition during production, bottling or storage.

By switching to digital labels, wineries can ensure:

* Ensure accuracy: Real-time updating of ingredient information.

* Avoid penalties: comply with the new EU regulations and avoid fines or product recalls.

* Maintain the integrity of the brand: Provide accurate and current information, building consumer confidence.

* Accessibility of information: Ensuring that consumers have easy access to detailed product information.

* Local language translation: automatic translation of the label information into the local language of consumers.

* Sustainability: Reducing the need for printed materials, contributing to environmental sustainability.

Choosing the wine-elabels.eu platform means adopting a more efficient way of managing your wine labels, ensuring compliance with the new regulations, while strengthening your market presence. The wine-elabels.eu platform transforms the way you connect with your consumers and comply with EU regulations effortlessly.

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