Post-Brexit moves have watered down the definition of wine

The government plans to change the legal definition of wine after Brexit to reflect demand for lower-alcohol versions of wine.

Regulations that the UK inherited from the EU generally require wine to contain at least 8.5% alcohol by volume (ABV) to be sold as wine.

This means that low-alcohol or alcohol-free versions must be marketed as “wine-based drinks” or a similar trade name.

The rule is due to be abolished in England next year.

The changes are part of wider measures aimed at boosting British winemaking following Brexit.

The government says Brexit presents a “unique opportunity” to review the “overly complex” EU-era regulations governing the sector.

Legally, wine must be made by alcoholic fermentation of grape juice. Alcohol-free and low-alcohol versions are then made by removing the alcohol using various techniques.

However, to be labeled as 'wine', the alcohol content must currently be at least 8.5%, or 4.5% for certain brands of wine that can only be produced in certain regions.

Such naming conventions do not apply to low-alcohol or non-alcoholic beers and ciders, which are easier and cheaper to produce and have become increasingly popular in recent years.

The government has now confirmed that it intends to reduce the minimum alcohol content for all types of wine to 0% following consultation on the plan.

A Department for the Environment spokesperson told the BBC the move responds to growing demand for low-alcohol alternatives and gives consumers more choice.

The changes, which will take place next year after further consultation, will allow low-alcohol and non-alcoholic wines to be legally described and sold as “wine” in the UK.

Wine produced in the UK will be able to be sold directly across the UK under post-Brexit internal market rules.

The policy document announcing the move states that the production of wine with a “naturally low” alcohol content will also be allowed.

A government study released earlier this year found that naming non-alcoholic versions after the original drink generally does not confuse consumers.

It said this is often the “most natural way” to refer to such drinks, and descriptions such as “wine-based drinks” can be more confusing.

However, some respondents to the survey believed there could be an increased risk of consumers accidentally purchasing the non-alcoholic version.

The analysis also found that “alcohol-free wine” was already regularly used in online marketing, unlike gin, for which similar rules apply, while “botanical spirits” are often used for lower-alcohol versions. It had been.

The EU relaxed its rules on the definition of low-alcohol wine at the end of 2021, but this change did not apply to the UK, which inherited EU law after its official withdrawal in 2020.

Industry group the Wine and Spirits Trade Association said it wanted to work with the government to agree new labeling rules to ensure consumers were fully informed.

Policy director Simon Stannard said the industry was working hard to produce low and no-alcohol wines to meet consumer demand and the reforms would make current production rules easier to understand. Ta.

However, it added that “further explanation” would be needed for low-alcohol wines to maintain consumer confidence.

“We need to think about the potential for consumers to be misled,” he added.

Other changes announced by the government include the EU ending its ban on the sale of Piquette, a French low-alcohol drink made by fermenting crushed grape skins and water, by the end of the year.

It added that the move would give vineyards “more options to improve profitability” and address the “growing market” for low-alcohol products.

It also wants to ease EU-derived rules on the shape of bottles in which wine can be sold. For example, certain types of long-necked, thin bottles can only be used for certain wines.

The requirement to use foil-sheathed mushroom-shaped corks for sparkling wine will also be abolished, which the government says will better reflect market trends and reduce waste.