Label terms in EU law
Regulation (EU) 2019/33 and national terms
Regulation (EU) 2019/33 sets the sweetness terms for sparkling wine with a 3 g/l tolerance, allows a vintage only when at least 85% of the grapes come from that year, and lays down the conditions for "bottle-fermented", "traditional method" and "Crémant".1 National rules add terms such as Germany's Winzersekt.2
Sweetness terms
| Term | Sugar |
|---|---|
| Brut nature | Less than 3 g/l; only if no sugar added after secondary fermentation1 |
| Extra brut | 0-6 g/l1 |
| Brut | Less than 12 g/l1 |
| Extra dry | 12-17 g/l1 |
| Dry, sec | 17-32 g/l1 |
| Medium dry, demi-sec | 32-50 g/l1 |
| Sweet, doux | More than 50 g/l1 |
The ranges overlap. When the sugar content fits two terms, the producer chooses only one.1 Under Article 47(3) the real sugar content may not differ from what the label shows by more than 3 g/l.1 The sugar comes mostly from the dosage; the scale is shown on the sugar scale.
Vintage
Under Article 49 a vintage year may appear only if at least 85% of the grapes were harvested in that year.1 See vintage.
Production terms
| Term | Conditions |
|---|---|
| Bottle-fermented (Art. 53(3)) | Second fermentation in a bottle; process at least 9 months; fermentation and lees at least 90 days; lees removed by filtering or disgorging1 |
| Traditional method, classical method, bottle-fermented by the traditional method, classical traditional method (Art. 53(4)) | PDO or third-country GI; second fermentation in the bottle; at least 9 months on lees without interruption in the same undertaking; disgorged1 |
| Crémant (Art. 53(5)) | White or rosé quality sparkling wine with PDO or third-country GI; hand harvest; must at most 100 L per 150 kg; SO2 at most 150 mg/l; sugar under 50 g/l; meets Art. 53(4); shown with the name of the geographical unit1 |
For Crémant, the hand-harvest and pressing conditions do not apply to trade marks registered before 1 March 1986.1 The methods behind these terms: traditional method and transfer method.
Carbon dioxide statement
Aerated sparkling and aerated semi-sparkling wines must carry "obtained by adding carbon dioxide" or "obtained by adding carbon anhydride", in the same type and size as the category name, unless the language itself makes clear that CO2 was added.1 See carbonation and EU categories.
Other EU rules
- For quality sparkling wine the category name may be left out when the label includes the word "Sekt".1
- Holding terms are reserved for PDO or PGI wines made only from grapes of the holding's own vineyards and vinified on the holding.1
National terms
Winzersekt (Germany). Under § 34a of the German Weinverordnung, Winzersekt is a Sekt b.A. made from grapes of the producer's own holding, or of members of a producer group. It must be made by traditional bottle fermentation, stay at least 9 months on the lees at the same business and be disgorged. The label must give the holding, the variety and the vintage.2,3 See Germany.
Austria. On Austrian Sekt with a protected designation, the terms "Klassik", "Classic", "Crémant" and "Frizzante" may not be used since 2023; "Hauersekt" may be added.4 Stocks labelled "Klassik" earlier may be sold out.4,5 The tiers are described under Sekt Austria, Reserve and Große Reserve.
Note: Regulation (EU) 2019/33 was read in its consolidated text on EUR-Lex (Articles 47, 48, 49, 53, 54).1
See also
Sources
- EUR-Lex. Commission Delegated Regulation (EU) 2019/33 (consolidated text), Articles 47, 48, 49, 53, 54 and Annex III Part A (2023-12-08)
- Bundesministerium der Justiz (gesetze-im-internet.de). Weinverordnung (WeinV) § 34a Crémant, Winzersekt
- GOV.UK. Winzersekt (traditional term), UK protected food and drink names register (2021-03-10)
- RIS (Austrian Federal Chancellery). Sektbezeichnungsverordnung, BGBl. II Nr. 30/2022 idF BGBl. II Nr. 191/2023, § 1 (2023-06-24)
- RIS (Austrian Federal Chancellery). Sektbezeichnungsverordnung, BGBl. II Nr. 30/2022 idF BGBl. II Nr. 191/2023, § 7 (transitional provisions) (2023-06-24)
Facts checked on 2026-10-19