The EU "will produce the first bio wines"

Starting this year the European Union will produce the first organic wines, by putting into practice the rules on labelling and new rules to increase transparency in the harmonized area, reported AFP.

Rules on agriculture bio already exists in the EU, but they do not cover the practices relating to the production of wine, i.e. the entire transformation process from grape to wine.

The new labelling rules will apply as from the wine harvest this autumn.

In order to receive the label bio, wines will have to abide by certain oenological practices.

Thus, sorbic acid and sweetening process will not be approved and the level of sulphites will have to be very small.

In this way, Brussels wants to ensure that consumers are given guarantees that any wine bio will be produced on the basis of stricter rules.

At the same time, the EU wants to strengthen its position at international level in this area, given that bio wines are already produced in the United States, Chile, Australia and South Africa.

The European bio wines should have a maximum concentration of 100 mg sulphites 1 liter of red wine (150 mg per litre compared to the usual red wine) and 150 mg per 1 liter of white wine or rose (from 200 mg/litre at regular white wine or rose).

The grapes are produced in strict biological conditions, and the use of pesticides will be limited.

The area under wine grape bio in the EU is estimated at 75,000 hectares, out of a total of 3.5 million hectares.

AFP claims that the largest areas of this kind are found in Italy (30,341 ha), France (21,403 ha) and Spain (17,665 ha).

Translated by Denisse-Meda Bucura
MTTLC, Bucharest University