# The Wine Regulations 2011, Paragraph 4: Applicable requirements for quality sparkling wine

Extent: E+W+S+N.I.

(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)
Factor
Standard to be met
Natural alcohol
A minimum of 6% before enrichment of the must.
Actual alcoholic strength
A minimum of 10%.
Total acidity
A minimum of 4 grams per litre expressed as tartaric acid.
Volatile acidity
A maximum of 18 milliequivalents per litre;
Total sulphur dioxide
A maximum of 185 milligrams per litre.
Copper
A maximum of 0.5 milligrams per litre.
Iron
A maximum of 8 milligrams per litre.
Chill stability
There must be no crystal deposits when the wine is held at 2°C for 36 hours.
Pressure
The 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.

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Source: https://www.legislation.gov.uk/uksi/2011/2936/schedule/2/paragraph/4 (the official version)
Page: https://openlegislation.uk/wine-regulations-2011/schedule-2/paragraph-4
Contains public sector information licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0. Source: legislation.gov.uk, The National Archives.