16.1.88 Official Journal of the European Communities No C 11/7 
II 
(Prepa ratory A cts) 
COMMISSION 
Modification of proposal for a Council Regulation (EEC) on the preparation and marketing of 
liqueur wines produced in the Community (') 
COM(87) 652 final 
(Submitted by the Commission pursuant to Article 149 (3) of the EEC Treaty on 15 December 
1987) 
(88/C 11/10) 
THE COUNCIL OF THE EUROPEAN COMMUNITIES, 
Having regard to the Treaty establishing the European 
Economic Community, and in particular Article 43 
thereof, 
Having regard to the proposal from the Commission, 
Having regard to the opinion of the European Par­
liament, 
Having regard to the opinion of the Economic and 
Social Committee, 
Whereas at present there are no Community provisions 
governing the conditions under which liqueur wines are 
prepared and marketed; whereas, in view of the 
economic importance of such products, common 
provisions need to be adopted in this area in order to 
enhance the operation of the wine market as a whole; 
Whereas Council Regulation (EEC) No 822/87 (2), as 
last amended by Regulation (EEC) No 3146/87 (3), 
establishes the common organization of the market in 
wine and Council Regulation (EEC) No 823/87 (4) lays 
down special provisions relating to quality wines 
produced in specified regions; whereas those rules 
should be supplemented by adopting corresponding 
provisions for all liqueur wines produced in the 
Community; 
Whereas liqueur wines should be made subject to a 
system of rules governing production, preparation, 
marketing and controls, together with common rules, 
which, while maintaining quality distinctions, enables 
distortions of competition to be avoided, the free circu­
lation of such products to be facilitated and the 
consumer to be protected; 
Whereas such a measure will help to guide the consumer 
in his choice by providing him in particular with the 
(') OJNoC 87,2.4. 1987, p. 10. 
O OJNo L84, 27. 3. 1987, p. 1. 
O OJ No L 300, 23. 10. 1987, p. 4. 
(4) OJ No L 84, 27. 3. 1987, p. 59. assurance that each product presented meets specific 
quality requirements; whereas it is thereby likely to 
protect the interests of the producer, to encourage intra-
Community trade, to increase demand and therefore to 
ensure the increased disposal of wine; 
Whereas, in order to avoid the use of sucrose in the 
sweetening of liqueur wines, the use of rectified 
concentrated grape must should be permitted in addition 
to that of concentrated grape must; 
Whereas all liqueur wines and the products used in their 
preparation must be made subject to minimum quality 
requirements; whereas provision should accordingly be 
made for their minimum characteristics; 
Whereas the preparation of certain quality liqueur wines 
produced in specified regions (quality liqueur wines psr) 
calls for a special process of ageing 'sous voile'; whereas 
it should accordingly be defined; 
Whereas additional provisions should also be laid down 
on the analytical characteristics of the products used for 
the preparation of liqueur wines, in particular where 
neutral spirits of vinous origin or wine distillate is 
employed; 
Whereas the process of preparing liqueur wines requires 
operators to keep a wide range of raw materials and in 
particular of spirits which may be used in particular for 
the manufacture of artificial wine; whereas provision 
should consequently be made for better controls on such 
activity and in particular, in order to avoid such manu­
facture, for a declaration of such activity to be required; 
Whereas, with a view to preserving the typical character 
of the origin of each quality liqueur wine psr and to fa­
cilitating the task of control bodies, the Member States 
should be permitted, within the limits laid down by this 
Regulation, to adopt production, preparation and 
movement disciplines supplementing Community rules; 
Whereas, in view of the traditional practices contributing 
towards the reputation of port quality liqueur wine psr, 
No C 11/8 Official Journal of the European Communities 16.1. 
the geographical ascription in question should be 
recognized by way of a derogation, in respect of that 
designation only, as covering a different delimited area 
from that where the raw materials used were produced, 
HAS ADOPTED THIS REGULATION: 
Article 1 
This Regulation lays down rules for the preparation and 
marketing of liqueur wines as defined in point 14 of 
Annex I to Regulation (EEC) No 822/87. 
'Quality liqueur wines produced in specified regions' 
means wines which meet the conditions listed in point 14 
of Annex I to Regulation (EEC) No 822/87 for liqueur 
wines and may also be considered to be quality wines 
produced in specified regions in accordance with Regu­
lation (EEC) No 823/87 of 16 March 1987. 
TITLE I 
General provisions 
Article 2 
The descriptions 'liqueur wine' and 'quality liqueur wine 
produced in a specified region' or 'quality liqueur wine 
psr' shall be used only for the products referred to in 
Article 1. 
Article 3 
For the preparation of the products referred to in Article 
1, the following raw materials may be used: 
1. — grape must, 
— grape must in fermentation, and 
— wine. 
2. In addition: 
(a) in the case of liqueur wines: 
— added alcohol, i.e.: 
— alcohol with an alcoholic strength greater 
than or equal to 95 % vol, obtained from 
neutral spirits of vinous origin including 
spirits obtained from the distillation of 
dried grapes, 
— wine distillate with an alcoholic strength 
greater than or equal to 52 % vol, and less 
than or equal to 80 % vol, 
— concentrated grape must, and 
— a mixture of the products referred to in the 
two preceding indents; 
(b) in the case of quality liqueur wines psr: 
— grape must in fermentation obtained from 
raisined grapes, 
— concentrated must obtained by the action of 
direct heat, meeting, with the exception of this 
operation, the definition of concentrated 
grape must, and — the products referred to under (a) with the 
exception, for certain red quality liqueur wines 
psr to be determined, of wine distillate the 
alcoholic strength by volume of which must be 
greater than or equal to 70 % vol; 
3. 'ageing "sous voile" ' means the process of biological 
ageing in contact with the air involving the 
development of a film of typical yeasts at the free 
surface of the wine after total alcoholic fermentation 
of the must. 
Article 4 
The products used for the preparation of liqueur wines 
must: 
— comply with the definitions in Annex I to Regulation 
(EEC) No 822/87 and be obtained from specific vine 
varieties selected from those listed in Article 69 of the 
abovementioned Regulation, 
— have undergone, where appropriate, only the 
oenological practices referred to in Title II of and in 
Annex VI to Regulation (EEC) No 822/87. 
However, with the exception of freezing and the 
addition of the products listed in Article 3 (2), all 
enrichment operations including those involving fresh 
grapes shall be prohibited, 
— in the case of neutral spirits of vinous origin or wine 
distillate, comply with the definitions in Annexes I 
and II to this Regulation, 
— in the case of concentrated grape must and rectified 
concentrated grape must and grape must in fer­
mentation obtained from raisined grapes, have 
undergone, where appropriate, only the oenological 
practices referred to in Annex VI to Regulation 
(EEC) No 822/87. 
Article 5 
Without prejudice to any more restrictive provisions 
which the Member States may adopt for liqueur wines 
prepared within their territory, such products shall be 
authorized to undergo the oenological practices referred 
to in Annex VI to Regulation (EEC) No 822/87. 
In addition, sweetening using concentrated grape must 
or rectified concentrated grape must shall be authorized 
provided that the increase in the total alcoholic strength 
by volume of the liqueur wine in question is not 
increased by more than 2 % vol and that operation is the 
subject of a declaration as provided for in Article 2 of 
Commission Regulation (EEC) No 1618/70 ('). 
Lastly, sulphating by adding calcium sulphate is also 
authorized for vino generoso where it is a traditional 
practice. 
Article 6 
All producers of liqueur wines as referred to in Article 1 
shall be required to make a declaration of such activity. 
(') OJ No L 175, 8. 8. 1970, p. 17. 
LDP CBofhcial]ournal of the European communities ^oCPMB^ 
Without prejudice to Article B^^of Regulation r^EEC^o 
^^^B^B^,all producers of liqueur wine shall be required to 
keep ^oods inwards and stock utilisation registers for the 
use of products listed in Articled. 
Without prejudice to provisions adopted pursuant to 
Article^pt^of Regulation ^EEC^o^^B^ liqueur 
wine may only he released to the market in containers 
hearing a market lahel on dispatch from the place of 
preparation, indicating the description of the product 
together, where applicable, with the name of the 
specified region, and under cover of commercial or 
official documents accompanying such products and 
indicating the same particulars, fhe composition of the 
product must he indicated on the marks or labels. 
PTOvisio^sor^^q^eurw^nes 
A^cA^^ 
The list of vine varieties selected amon^ those referred to 
in Article ^ of Regulation ^EEC^o^^B^shall be 
adopted inaccordancewiththeprocedurelaiddownin 
Article ^^ of that Regulation. 
The natural alcoholic strength by volume of the basic 
products usedforthepreparationof liqueur wines may 
not be less than t^Bo vol. 
Without prejudice to any more restrictive provisions 
which the Member States may adopt where liqueur wines 
are prepared within their territory, the total sulphur 
dioxide content of the latter may not exceed ^00 m^B 
litre when they are released to the market for direct 
human consumption. 
Prov^io^so^qu^diry liqueur w^nes produced in specked 
regions 
A^cA^ 
The operations referred to in Article ^ for the 
preparation of quality liqueur wines psr may be 
performed only within the specified region where the 
basicproducts areproduced and, where applicable, the 
concentrated ^rape must or the ^rape must in ferment 
ration obtained from raisined crapes from reco^ni^ed 
vine varieties suitable for the preparation of quality 
liqueur wines psr in the specified region whose name 
they bear. 
However, for the quality liqueur wine designated port, 
theareaof preparation may not necessarily be thesame 
as the area of production. Without prejudice to any more restrictive provisions 
which the Member States may apply as re^ards^ 
^ the products used within their territory for the 
preparation of quality liqueur wines psr, with the 
exception of quality liqueur wines psr on the list 
provided for in the third subparagraph of pointt^of 
AnnexltoRe^ulation^EEC^^o^B^andthe 
quality liqueur wines psr referred to in point f ^ 
and ^ of the abovementioned Annex, the natural 
alcoholic strength by volume of ^rape must, ^rape 
must in fermentation and winemay not beless than 
t^Bovob 
^ quality liqueur wines psr^ 
— theactualalcoholicstren^thbyvolumemay not 
be less than t^Bo vol nor higher than^^o vol, 
— the total alcoholic strength by volume may not be 
less than t^^Bo vol, 
Idowever, the minimum total overall alcoholic 
strength by volume may be t^Bo vol for certain 
quality liqueur wines psr on a list adopted in 
accordance withtheprocedurelaiddown in Article 
^of Regulation ^EEC^o^^B^ where national 
laws applicable thereto before t ]anuary r^ 
expressly so provide. 
ArrA^A^ 
Without prejudice to any more restrictive provisions 
which the Member States may apply to quality liqueur 
wines psr prepared within their territory, the total 
sulphur dioxide content of such products may not exceed 
tOO m^Blitre when they are released to the marketfor 
direct human consumption. 
ArrA^^ 
C^uality liqueur wines psr referred to as ^vino dulce 
natural'may be obtained only from basic products ^O^o 
of which are produced from vine varieties listed in Annex 
IN, with anatural alcoholicstren^thby volume higher 
than or equal tot^^o vol. 
ArrA^A^ 
(duality liqueur winespsrreferred to as ^vino^eneroso' 
may be obtained only f^om white crapes, a^ed ^sous 
voile', produced from vine varieties listed in Annex 111 
and released to the market after they have been kept for 
an average of two years in oak barrels. 
A^AA^ 
duality wines psr referredtoas^vino^enerosodelicoP 
may be obtained only from vino ^eneroso to which ^rape 
must in fermentation obtained from raisined crapes or 
concentrated ^rapemust has been added and which has 
been released to the market after it has been kept at least 
two years in oak barrels. 
NoCll/10 Official Journal of the European Communities 16.1.88 
Article 17 Article 19 
In addition to the provisions provided for in this Regu­
lation, the producer Member States may lay down, 
taking into account fair and traditional practices, any 
additional or stricter characteristics or conditions 
governing production, preparation, ageing and release to 
the market, for liqueur wines produced in specified 
regions as referred to in this Title and prepared within 
their territory. 
TITLE IV 
Final provisions 
Article 18 
1. The methods of analysis required for the 
application of this Regulation shall be those adopted 
pursuant to Regulation (EEC) No 822/87. 
2. However, where no Community analysis methods 
are laid down, the analysis methods applicable shall be: 
(a) those set out in Annex A to the International 
Convention for the Unification of Methods for the 
Analysis and Appraisal of Wines of 13 October 1954; 
(b) or, where that Annex makes no such provision, 
methods scientifically recognized. The Member States and the Commission shall notify 
each other of the information required for the 
application of this Regulation. 
Article 20 
Liqueur wines whose conditions of preparation or certain 
analytical characteristics of which do not comply with 
the provisions of this Regulation but are in accordance 
with the national laws previously in force may be held 
with a view to sale, released to the market and exported 
until stocks are exhausted. 
Article 21 
The detailed rules for the application of this Regulation 
and in particular those relating to Articles 6, 8 and 12 
shall be adopted in accordance with the procedure laid 
down in Article 83 of Regulation (EEC) No 822/87. 
Article 22 
This Regulation shall enter into force on 1 January 1988. 
This Regulation shall be binding in its entirety and 
directly applicable in all Member States. 
ANNEX I 
CHARACTERISTICS OF NEUTRAL SPIRITS OF VINOUS ORIGIN AS REFERRED TO IN 
ARTICLE 4 
1. Organoleptic characteristics 
2. Total alcoholic strength by volume 
3. Maximum residues: 
— total acidity, expressed as acetic acid g/hl alcohol at 100 % vol 
— esters, expressed as ethyl acetate g/litre alcohol at 100 °/o vol 
— aldehydes, expressed as acetaldehyde g/litre alcohol at 100 % 
vol 
— higher alcohols, expressed as methyl-2 propanol-1 g/hl at 100 % 
vol 
— methanol g/hl alcohol at 100 % vol 
— dry extract g/hl alcohol at 100 % vol 
— volatile nitrogenous bases, expressed as nitrogen g/hl alcohol at 
100 °/o vol 
— furfural absence of unpleasant taste 
96 % vol 
1,5 
1,3 
0,5 
0,5 
50 
1,5 
0,1 
not detectable 
16.1.88 Official Journal of the European Communities NoC 11/11 
ANNEX II 
CHARACTERISTICS OF WINE DISTILLATE AS REFERRED TO IN ARTICLE 4 
1. Organoleptic characteristics absence of unpleasant taste 
2. Minimum alcoholic strength by volume 52 % vol 
Maximum alcoholic strength by volume 80 % vol 
3. Content of total volatile substances other than ethyl and methyl 
alcohol more than 200 g/hl alcohol 
at 100 % vol 
4. Maximum methyl alcohol content 1 000 g/hl alcohol at 100 % 
vol 
ANNEX III 
LIST OF VINE VARIETIES AS REFERRED TO IN ARTICLE 14 
Muscat — Grenache —* Maccabeo — Malvoisie. 
LIST OF VINE VARIETIES AS REFERRED TO IN ARTICLE 15 
Palomino de Jerez — Palomino fino — Pedro Ximenez — Verdejo — Zalema and Garrido Fino.