Europe relaxes rules on lower alcohol wines

6 November 2008.

Experimental techniques used to reduce alcohol content in wines have been cleared by the EU.

The EU has relaxed its stance on winemakers who take alcohol out of wine during production following pressure from Member States to relax strict rules on wine making, in order to make it easier for producers to sell wines with alcohol content as low as 6.5 per cent.

Previously, winemakers in France and Spain were allowed to use reverse osmosis or spinning cone devices to reduce alcoholic strength by up to two percentage points – but the wines could not be exported. US winemakers were the only ones allowed to sell wines in Europe which had been reduced in alcoholic strength.

This move could result in more wines of around 10% alcohol hitting the shelves. The move was welcomed by the Wine & Spirit Trade Association, which has campaigned for 18 months to persuade Europe to change its position.

The ruling comes into force this month and carries a number of conditions – the use of the experimental practice must be noted on both the accompanying documentation and winemaking records. The European Commission must be notified of the product and process used.