EU commission criticised over wine ruling

Rosé wine producers from Spain, France, Italy and Switzerland have joined forces to condemn a  new EU ruling which they say will 'degrade' winemaking.

Mixing red and white wine to produce rose wine without any geographical indication is currently not allowed in the EU.

Wine producers are incensed, however, after the commission recently adopted a draft ruling that would allow the mix to be bottled as rose.

At a press conference in Brussels they said they were "totally opposed" to the commission’s proposal.The final vote by member states on the draft regulation is set to take place on 19 June.
 
Xavier de Volontat, president of France’s Association Générale de la Production Viticole (AGPV), said, “The European commission’s proposal is unacceptable.

"The rosé producers have invested a great deal of time and effort over recent years in the development of a noble product of clear high quality that has been enjoying tremendous success."

His comments were echoed by Jean-Jacques Bréban, president of the Conseil Interprofessionnel des Vins de Provence.

He said, “What the commission is proposing amounts to tricking the consumer, encouraging counterfeiting and drifting towards wine-growing and oenology of an industrial nature, which we reject."

Further comment came from Pasquale De Moe, director of the Fédération italienne des vins d’appellation d’origine et avec indication géographique.

He said, " Rosé wine produced in accordance with the current rules set by the EU is a genuine quality product.

"The commission has consistently promoted the production of quality, as evidenced by the reform of the common market organisation for wine in 2008 and the publication, on 28 May, of a communication on the future of the quality policy. Now, it needs to further demonstrate its commitment."

• Previous article
• Next article