“The indication 'natural wine' on the label can suggest the idea of a higher quality wine. There is a risk that the use of the term 'natural' will mislead the consumer”.
The opinion of DG Agri at the EU Commission on the use of a wording on the label that still represents a gray area in Brussels regulations leaves no room for doubt.
In particular, for DG AGRI, the term "natural wine" is not defined by European legislation, nor is it included in the list of wine product categories in Annex VII, part II, of EU regulation no. 1308/2013. At the same time, pursuant to article 80 of EU regulation no. 1308/2013, the authorized oenological practices are used to allow good vinification, good conservation or good aging of the products: they preserve the natural and essential characteristics of the wine, guaranteeing its composition from substantial changes.
Therefore, a wine product can be marketed as "natural wine" if it falls within the definition of one of the aforementioned categories of wine products and if it has been obtained in compliance with the provisions on authorized oenological practices, without any distinction as to which particular practices have taken place in the process. productive.
DG AGRI therefore underlines that the information must not be misleading, as required by article 7 of EU regulation no. 1169/2011 as the designation "natural wine" or "vin méthode nature" - pushes the consumer to believe that the product thus designated has a higher quality or wholesomeness than another wine that does not bear the same wording, suggesting a substantial difference in its composition and nature.
For the UIV secretary general, Paolo Castelletti: "The adjective used in the opinion of DG Agri - 'misleading', i.e. misleading - is very clear, because reading the term 'natural wine' could seriously lead the consumer into error regarding the intrinsic characteristics of the product, as well as it could induce incorrect evaluations on the naturalness of the wine in general. It is therefore evident – concludes Castelletti -, a communicative risk for the entire sector”.
Also the secretary general of Ceev (the body that represents 23 wine producers' associations from 12 European countries), Ignacio Sanchez Recarte, vice president of UIV, Sandro Sartor general secretary of Federbio, Paolo Carnemolla, director general of the Spanish Wine Federation (Fev ), José Luis Benítez, expressed themselves in unison on the importance and need to establish clear and non-nebulous rules.
Matilde Poggi, president of Fivi also criticizes the use of the wording, defining it as very difficult to clarify and regulate. 'Natural wine' is in fact a term which, if not regulated, risks generating confusion, not only regarding the quality of the product, but also regarding the work of the other producers and winemakers.
