November 13, 2015, 08:07 / Business

Wine is offered to register

Deputy Zvagelsky will introduce a bill on mandatory indication of the country of origin of wine materials on the label Maria Kunle freeimages.com

Indication of the country of origin of wine materials (raw materials for wine production) may become mandatory for wines produced in Russia. Viktor Zvagelsky, a deputy from United Russia, is preparing to introduce the corresponding amendments to the law on regulation of the alcohol market (171-FZ).

It is expected that information about the place where the grapes were grown will be included on the label. Manufacturers will not incur any additional costs, assures Zvagelsky (he provided the comment through a representative) - only one line will be added. Now the label must contain information about the manufacturer, country of origin of the product, certification, strength, expiration date, etc.

Importers of wines with a protected geographical indication, according to the bill, will have to document it to customs authorities.

This is necessary, first of all, in the interests of consumers, who care about what grapes the wine is made from, Zvagelsky explained to Vedomosti. Also, says Vadim Drobiz, general director of the analytical agency CIFRRA, this could become a veiled support for producers of wines made from Russian grapes. The bill should help increase the production of grapes and wine in small businesses, as follows from the explanatory note to it, which Vedomosti reviewed.

This is also required by the concept of implementing state policy on the prevention of alcoholism, adopted in 2009. - it stipulates the creation of conditions for the development of Russian winemaking and increasing the production of high-quality domestic wines.

In the meantime, according to CIFRRA, in the structure of wine consumption, about 30% comes from imports, 70% from drinks bottled in Russia. However, more than half of these wines are made from grapes grown outside the country, and in the sparkling wine category this figure reaches 95%.

However, Drobiz says, verifying the origin of raw materials for wine that has already been bottled is expensive and difficult.

This will not affect the work of Russian production facilities in any way, according to manufacturers interviewed by Vedomosti. Thus, the Sparkling Wines plant is 80% supplied with imported wine materials, but recently, according to its representative, who is actively working with farms in the south of Russia, he is ready to indicate this information on the label. “We have nothing to hide,” says Vedomosti’s interlocutor. His colleague from Abrau-Durso also advocates “the most detailed, clear and detailed information to the consumer on all aspects of the product.” At the same time, he admits that Russian winemaking is not yet able to provide itself with raw materials. In May, Chairman of the Board of Directors of Abrau-Durso Pavel Titov said that the share of import purchases of wine materials from the company is 70-80%.

Previously on the topic: Excise taxes on alcohol and tobacco may be tied to the euro