TITLE IIIOENOLOGICAL PRACTICES

CHAPTER IVSweetening

Article 34Technical rules applicable to sweetening

The sweetening of table wines and quality wines psr shall be authorised only at the production and wholesale stages.

Article 35Administrative rules applicable to sweetening

1

Any natural or legal person intending to carry out a sweetening operation shall notify the competent authority of the Member State on whose territory the operation is to take place.

2

Notifications shall be made in writing and must reach the competent authority at least 48 hours before the day on which the operation is to take place.

However, where an undertaking frequently or continuously carries out sweetening operations, Member States may allow a notification covering several operations or a specified period to be sent to the competent authorities. Such notification shall be accepted only on condition that the undertaking keeps a written record of each sweetening operation and records the information required by paragraph 3.

3

Notifications shall include the following information:

a

for sweetening operations carried out in accordance with point F(1)(a) of Annex V and point G(2) of Annex VI to Regulation (EC) No 1493/1999:

  1. (i)

    the quantity and the total and actual alcoholic strengths of the table wine or the quality wine psr to be sweetened;

  2. (ii)

    the quantity and the total and actual alcoholic strengths of the grape must to be added;

  3. (iii)

    the total and actual alcoholic strengths of the table wine or quality wine psr after sweetening;

b

for sweetening operations carried out in accordance with point F(1)(b) of Annex V and point G(2) of Annex VI to Regulation (EC) No 1493/1999:

  1. (i)

    the quantity and the total and actual alcoholic strengths of the table wine or the quality wine psr to be sweetened;

  2. (ii)

    the quantity and the total and actual alcoholic strengths of the grape must or the quantity and density of the concentrated grape must to be added, as the case may be;

  3. (iii)

    the total and actual alcoholic strengths of the table wine or quality wine psr after sweetening.

4

The persons referred to in paragraph 1 shall keep goods inwards and outwards registers showing the quantities of grape must or concentrated grape must which they are holding for sweetening operations.

Article 36Sweetening of certain imported wines

The sweetening of imported wines as referred to in point F(3) of Annex V to Regulation (EC) No 1493/1999 shall be subject to the conditions laid down in Articles 34 and 35 of this Regulation.

Article 37Specific rules applicable to the sweetening of liqueur wines

1

Sweetening under the conditions laid down in the second indent of point J(6)(a) of Annex V to Regulation (EC) No 1493/1999 shall be authorised for ‘vino generoso de licor’ as defined in point L(11) of Annex VI to that Regulation.

2

Sweetening under the conditions laid down in the third indent of point J(6)(a) of Annex V to Regulation (EC) No 1493/1999 shall be authorised for Madeira quality liqueur wine psr.