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Paragraph 4 Applicable requirements for quality sparkling wineF1

United Kingdom

(1)

The applicable requirements for quality sparkling wine are as follows.

(2)

The wine must come from a batch of wine—

(a)

for which the maximum yield for each hectare of land cultivated with vines for producing the wine was 80 hectolitres;

(b)

that is produced in the protected designation of origin from vines of any of the following varieties—

(i)

Chardonnay;

(ii)

Pinot Noir;

(iii)

Pinot Noir Précoce;

(iv)

Pinot Meunier;

(v)

Pinot Blanc;

(vi)

Pinot Gris;

(c)

that—

(i)

is produced from cuveés with a total alcoholic strength of 9% or more by volume;

(ii)

has been obtained by first or second alcoholic fermentation of fresh grapes, grape must or wine;

(iii)

has been subject to secondary fermentation in the bottle;

(iv)

has had a minimum of nine months of uninterrupted secondary fermentation within the same undertaking on the yeast lees, which have subsequently been removed by disgorgement;

(v)

when the container is opened, releases carbon dioxide derived exclusively from fermentation; and

(vi)

has been organoleptically tested to be free from taints and other faults; and

(d)

that meets the standards set out in the following table.

Standards for quality sparkling wine (PDOs)

FactorStandard to be met
Natural alcoholA minimum of 6% before enrichment of the must.
Actual alcoholic strengthA minimum of 10%.
Total acidityA minimum of 4 grams per litre expressed as tartaric acid.
Volatile acidity

A maximum of 18 milliequivalents per litre;

Total sulphur dioxideA maximum of 185 milligrams per litre.
CopperA maximum of 0.5 milligrams per litre.
IronA maximum of 8 milligrams per litre.
Chill stabilityThere must be no crystal deposits when the wine is held at 2°C for 36 hours.
PressureThe wine must be at a pressure of not less than 3.5 bars when measured at 20°C, but this requirement does not apply when it is in 25 centilitre bottles.

Annotations

Textual amendments

F1

Sch. 2 omitted (N.I.) (31.12.2020) by virtue of The Agricultural Products, Food and Drink (Amendment etc.) (EU Exit) Regulations 2020 (S.I. 2020/1637), regs. 1(7), 14(10)