(1)There shall be charged on wine—
(a)imported into the United Kingdom ; or
(b)produced in the United Kingdom by a person who is required by subsection (2) below to be licensed to produce wine for sale,
a duty of excise at the rates shown in Schedule 4 to this Act and the duty shall, in so far as it is chargeable on wine produced in the United Kingdom, be charged and paid in accordance with regulations under section 140 of the Act of 1952 (as substituted by paragraph 27 of Schedule 3 to this Act).
(2)Subject to subsection (3) below, a person who, on any premises in the United Kingdom, produces wine for sale must hold an excise licence under this subsection in respect of those premises for that purpose and on such a licence there shall be charged an excise duty at the rate of £5.25 per annum.
(3)A person who, in warehouse, produces wine for sale by rendering it sparkling in accordance with regulations under section 16(2) of this Act need not hold an excise licence under subsection (2) above in respect of those premises.
(4)If any person who is required by subsection (2) above to hold a licence under that subsection in respect of any premises produces wine on those premises without being the holder of a licence under that subsection in respect of those premises he shall be liable to a penalty of £500 and the wine and all vessels, utensils and materials for producing wine found in his possession shall be liable to forfeiture.
(5)In this section (and in the customs Acts and excise Acts) " wine" means any liquor obtained from the alcoholic fermentation of fresh grapes or the must of fresh grapes, whether or not the liquor is fortified with spirits or flavoured with aromatic extracts; and any reference to " wine " in those Acts in force on 1st January 1976 shall be construed accordingly.