Cem Özdemir, Germany’s Federal Minister of Food and Agriculture, has urged the European Commission to permit organically-produced de-alcoholized wines to bear organic certification.
This push comes in response to a growing consumer demand for non-alcoholic wines. Özdemir stated, "For me, a good glass of wine is also a part of the quality of life. More and more people want to enjoy wine without alcohol every now and then, and that’s certainly not bad news. If you want to drink non-alcoholic wine, you should also be able to do so in organic quality."
According to the World Health Organization (WHO), Germany had the highest alcohol consumption in Europe in 2020, with an average adult consuming 10.6 liters of pure alcohol annually. However, this figure is one liter lower than in 2010, indicating a potential decline in Germany's alcohol consumption. The Verband Deutscher Sektkellereien (VDS), representing 95% of Germany’s sparkling wine producers, reported that in 2023, Germans purchased 18 million bottles of non-alcoholic sekt, a 9.7% increase from 2022.
Özdemir highlighted the current regulatory gap: "However, dealcoholization is not yet permitted in the organic regulations – you can’t actually explain that to anyone! We should change that quickly. I am therefore campaigning in Brussels and with colleagues in the member states for a contemporary and targeted adaptation of the organic regulation. This step opens the door to an additional growing market, is in the spirit of German viticulture, and thus strengthens its sustainability."
Brussels Responds
A European Commission source explained the current rules: "Organic rules related to wine are very specific and are not the same as for processed food; the list of authorized and prohibited oenological practices are listed in Regulation (EU) 2018/848 and this list does not currently authorize the use of vacuum distillation. Therefore, vacuum distillation must be authorized for the de-alcoholization of organic wine, in order to be able to label the final product with the name ‘de-alcoholized organic wine’."
Vacuum distillation, a method that involves heating wine under vacuum to vaporize and remove the alcohol, is not yet permitted under the existing regulations. However, the Commission is evaluating the possibility of authorizing this method for organic wine production. "In order to address the issue, upon a request from Germany in 2023, the Commission services have started to evaluate the possibility to authorize vacuum distillation for the organic production of the products of the wine sector."
The Commission might propose a delegated act to amend the EU Organic Regulation and authorize vacuum distillation for organic wine production. "The report from the EGTOP (Expert Group for Technical Advice on Organic Production) is expected to be finalized by the end of March. This possible act, if adopted by the Commission, will then be subject to scrutiny by the European Parliament and the Council."
Ongoing Discussions
The discussions are ongoing, and the position of each Member State on organic de-alcoholized wine using vacuum distillation is still uncertain. The broader issue of alcohol content in wine has been contentious in Europe, with historic wine-growing countries holding strong cultural ties to wine. Recent debates include Ireland’s introduction of health information on alcoholic drink labels, which has faced opposition, particularly from Italian producers. These issues, along with the no- and low-alcohol wine trend, were key topics at last year’s Delle Venezie DOC International Forum.
Source: The Drinks Business