European Union, Organic wine: See European Union. | European Union, Organic agriculture. | European Union, Organic Regulations.

Council Regulation (EEC) No. 2092/91 on organic production of agricultural products and indications referring thereto on agricultural products and foodstuffs. This Regulation provides the first Community rules for the production, labelling and control of agricultural products and foodstuffs produced organically, to ensure transparency at each stage of production and processing. After defining the products that are eligible for the European organic farming label, this technical Regulation specifies the labelling requirements for the processed products and outlines the principles to be applied for the product to be presented with such specifications (rules for organic production restricting notably the use of chemical fertilizers and pesticides and envisaging periods of fallow). It provides for a regular system of control to monitor each operator producing, processing, importing or marketing products bearing organic farming specifications. It also establishes a particular code for the marketing of organically produced commodities imported into the EC. The Community’s juridical framework comprises five regulatory categories: ‘regulations’, ‘directives’, ‘decisions’, ‘recommendations’ and ‘opinions’. A regulation is a general provision that is directly enforceable by virtue of the exclusive authority granted by the Member Countries to the Community in specific areas. It is issued by the Council when directly based on a provision of the Treaty, and issued by the Commission when it only comprises implementation measures.

EU Council Regulation (EC) No 834/2007 of 28 June 2007 concerned organic production and labelling of organic products and repealing Regulation (EEC) No 2092/91.

EU Council Regulation EC No 203/2012: Commission Implementing Regulation (EU) No 203/2012 of 8 March 2012 amending Regulation (EC) No 889/2008 laying down detailed rules for the implementation of Council Regulation (EC) No 834/2007 (seee above), as regards detailed rules on organic wine. The legislative framework established by Regulation (EC) No 834/2007, has been complemented by Regulation (EU) No 203/2012 that lays down detailed rules on organic winemaking and thus opened the door for organic wine in Europe. So as of August 2012 organic wines can be labelled “organic”, with the EU organic logo, making wine recognised as an organic product fully integrated into EU legislation and therefore part of CAP (as well as being a subject for additional private standards). Wine is defined as “organic” when organic grapes are grown in the vineyard without the aid of synthesized chemical substances (fertilizers, weed killers, fungicides and pesticides in general) and without the use of genetically modified organisms.  In the winery, fermentation is conducted using only oenological products and processes authorized by European Regulation 203/2012.

Sorbic acid and de-sulfuring are not permitted. Maximum sulphite levels are 100 mg/l for reds, 150 mg/l for dry whites and rosés – both of which are 50 mg/l below the maximum allowed for non-organic wine. Maximum sulphite levels of 30 mg/l below the relevant non-organic maximum for wines whose residual sugar is above 2 g/l. 

EU Council Regulation EC No 889/2008 defined the technical and oenological procedures for organic vinification from the 2012 harvest onwards. Wines sold as ‘organic wine’ must declare this on the label with the EU organic (leaf) logo together with the code number of the organic certifying entity. The maximum limit ​​for sulfur levels in organic wines was slightly reduced compared to conventionally produced wines; certain wine treatment additives were forbidden; some additives must be of organic origin; and no genetic engineering, for example for yeasts, is allowed. Wines which are produced according to these guidelines, can be described as bio wine, organic wine or eco wine and labelled with the green EU logo.

European Union, Organic vineyard surface area2016 Just under 9 percent of the 3.3 million hectares of vineyards across the European Union were cultivated organically in 2016 = 297,000 hectares (733,600 acres)–Source: Bio Austria.