Commission Regulation (EC) No 423/2008 (repealed)Show full title

CHAPTER V Coupage

Article 38 Definition

1. ‘Coupage’ within the meaning of Article 46(2)(b) of Regulation (EC) No 1493/1999 shall mean: the mixing together of wines or musts coming from:

(a) different States;

(b) different wine-growing zones in the Community within the meaning of Annex III to Regulation (EC) No 1493/1999 or different production zones in a third country;

(c) the same wine-growing zone in the Community or the same production zone in a third country but being of different geographical origins, vine varieties, or harvest years provided that these origins, varieties or years are specified or required to be specified in the description of the product concerned; or

(d) different categories of wines or musts.

2. The following shall be regarded as different categories of wine or must:

(a) red wine, white wine and the musts or wines suitable for yielding one of these categories of wine;

(b) table wine, quality wine psr and the musts or wines suitable for yielding one of these categories of wine.

For the purposes of this paragraph, rosé wine shall be regarded as red wine.

3. The following processes shall not be regarded as coupage:

(a) the addition of concentrated grape must or of rectified concentrated grape must to increase the natural alcoholic strength of the product concerned;

(b) the sweetening:

(i)

of a table wine;

(ii)

of a quality wine psr where the sweetener comes from the specified region whose name it bears or is rectified concentrated grape must;

(c) the production of a quality wine psr in accordance with traditional practices as referred to in point D(2) of Annex VI to Regulation (EC) No 1493/1999.

Article 39 General rules applicable to coupage

1. Coupage or blending of the following products shall be prohibited if any of the ingredients do not comply with Regulation (EC) No 1493/1999 or with this Regulation:

(a) table wines with each other; or

(b) wines suitable for yielding table wines with each other or with table wines; or

(c) quality wines psr with each other.

2. The result of mixing fresh grapes, grape must, grape must in fermentation or new wine still in fermentation, where any of those products does not possess the required characteristics for obtaining table wine or wine suitable for yielding table wine, with products suitable for yielding such wines or with table wine, shall not be considered to be table wine or wine suitable for yielding table wine.

3. Where coupage takes place and subject to the following paragraphs, the only products which may be considered to be table wines shall be those resulting from coupage of table wines with each other or coupage of table wines with wines suitable for yielding table wines, provided that such wines suitable for yielding table wines have a total natural alcoholic strength by volume not exceeding 17 % vol.

4. Without prejudice to Article 44(7) of Regulation (EC) No 1493/1999, coupage of a wine suitable for yielding a table wine with:

(a) a table wine may yield a table wine only if the operation is carried out in the wine-growing zone where the wine suitable for yielding a table wine has been produced;

(b) another wine suitable for yielding a table wine may yield a table wine only if:

(i)

the second wine suitable for yielding a table wine has been produced in the same wine-growing zone; and

(ii)

the operation is carried out in the same wine-growing zone.

5. Coupage of a grape must or a table wine which has undergone the oenological practice referred to in point 1(n) of Annex IV to Regulation (EC) No 1493/1999 with a grape must or a wine which has not undergone that practice shall be prohibited.