Regulations, 2006

L.N. 188 of 2006

WINE ACT

(CAP. 436)

Classification of Vine Varieties (Production of Wine Grapes)

Regulations, 2006

IN exercise of the powers conferred by article 5(4) and 27 of the

Wine Act, the Minister for Rural Affairs and the Environment has made

the following regulations>-

(1) The title of these regulations is the Classification of Vine Title,

commencement and

Varieties (Production of Wine Grapes) Regulations, 2006.

scope.

(2) The classification refers to the vine varieties allowed

for the production of wine grapes in Malta.

(3) These regulations shall be deemed to have come into

force on the 1st May, 2004.

(4) The main legislative references for the classification of

vine varieties for the production of wine grapes are mainly those foreseen

in Article 19 of Council Regulation (EC) 1493#99 and in Article 20 of

Commission Regulation (EC) 1227#00.

In these regulations, the following words and phrases shall Interpretation.

have the following meanings>

“the Act” means the Wine Act<

“the Director” means the Director of Agriculture<

“the Minister” means the Minister responsible for agriculture<

“the Unit” means the office responsible for viticulture and

oenology within the Department of Agriculture.

The Unit is hereby designated as the competent office for Designation of

Unit’s competency.

setting up and updating the classification of vine varieties for the

production of wine grapes.

(1) For the purpose of cultivation, the vine varieties for the Classification.

production of wine grapes are nationally classified and are identified

by name, synonyms and, or homonyms, grape colour, suitability for the

production of Maltese quality wines produced in specific regions and

by any of the following authorised uses>

(a)

Variety for the production of table grapes<

(b) Variety for the production of wine spirit<

(c) Variety for the production of grapes intended for drying<

and

(d) Other.

(2) Only varieties that belong to the species Vitis vinifera

or come from a cross between this species and other species of the

genus Vitis are allowed in the classification. These varieties shall be

listed in the National Catalogue of Varieties – Vines Section, prior to

classification.

(3) The varieties listed in Schedule I to these regulations

shall form the classification and only these varieties shall be planted or

used for grafting in Malta for the purpose of wine production intended

for commercialisation.

(4) Areas planted with vine varieties, for the purpose of wine

production, not listed in the classification shall be grubbed up, save

where the production of those areas is intended exclusively for the

consumption of the wine producer’s family or used for scientific research

and experiments as authorised by the Unit.

Vine varieties for the production of wine grapes in Malta are

assigned to one of the following classes>

(a) Suitable Varieties> These are varieties that produce

wines of good quality. The suitability of each variety for the

production of quality wines produced in specified regions or of

table wines with a geographic indication shall be determined in

the production protocol of each denomination of origin or

geographic indication. Within the class of suitable varieties, some

varieties may be indicated by the Director on the basis of technical

parameters and, or policies for the development of the sector, as

“recommended” for specific objectives of vitivincultural policies.

(b) Varieties under observation> These are varieties for

which trials of aptitude to the cultivation in Malta are being carried

out. The grapes produced from these varieties can be used for the

production and commercialisation of table wines with or without

the reference to a geographic indication.

(1) The insertion of new vine varieties for the production of Recognition of new

varieties in the

wine grapes which do not appear in Schedule I to these regulations classification.

shall become effective after the necessary technical and administrative

investigation of the results from aptitude trials has been terminated by

the Unit. The new classification shall be published in the Gazette.

(2) The aptitude trials shall be carried out in conformity

with the protocol detailed in regulation 7 hereof for a period which

comprises at least three grape harvests.

(3) Requests for the inclusion of synonyms shall be made

to the Unit. New insertions accepted in accordance with subregulation

(1) hereto shall be published in the Gazette.

(1) An aptitude trial shall consist in the study of the aptitude Evaluation of

aptitude for

for cultivation of the vine variety under investigation, taking into account cultivation of a vine

Community provisions on the matter and in particular Directive variety.

2004#29#EC of 4th March, 2004, and its successive modifications,

relative to the determination of characteristics and minimum conditions

for inspecting vine varieties.

(2) The normal procedure shall be as follows>

(a) the variety under study shall be cultivated under normal

conditions<

(b) one or more varieties which are listed in the classification

of vine varieties shall be cultivated in identical conditions and

observed as the reference variety or varieties for comparative

purposes. Only vine varieties which are relatively diffused on the

territory shall be taken into consideration for comparative purposes<

(c) the area under cultivation shall be such that in normal

years the variety under examination, as well as one or more

reference varieties, can produce at least 100 litres of wine per

variety<

(d) the fields to be used for the study shall be suitable for

viticulture and shall be chosen in such a way that, with respect to

climate, exposure and soil can be considered as being representative

of the area<

(e) the technical data relevant to the aptitude studies shall

take into consideration at least three consecutive wine making

years.

(3) During the studies on the variety under investigation,

as well as for the reference variety, the evaluation of the following

parameters shall be carried out>

(a)

Vegetative parameters>

(i) Date of bud burst<

(ii) Date of flowering<

(iii) Date of veraison (colour change)<

(iv) Date of maturity<

(v) Weight of prunings<

(b) Evolution of must composition during maturation (3 to

4 readings including 1 after maturation)>

(i) Refractive Index (°Brix)<

(ii) Total acidity (g#ltr tartaric acid)<

(iii) pH<

(c)

Productive and qualitative parameters of grapes at

harvest>

(i) Average weight of the bunch<

(ii) Average weight of the berry<

(iii) Average production in kilogrammes of grapes per

vine and per hectare<

(iv) Refractive index (°Brix)<

(v) Total acidity (g#ltr tartaric acid)<

(vi) pH<

(d) Analytical parameters of white wines>

(i) Total acidity (g#ltr tartaric acid)<

(ii) Tartaric acid (g#ltr)<

(iii) Malic acid (g#ltr)<

(iv) pH<

(v) Actual alcohol content (%v#v)<

(vi) Dry extract (g#ltr)<

(vii) Flavonoid content (mg#ltr)<

(viii) Total polyphenols (mg#ltr)<

(e)

Analytical parameters for red and rosè wines>

(i) Total acidity (g#ltr tartaric acid)<

(ii) Tartaric acid (g#ltr)<

(iii) Malic acid (g#ltr)<

(iv) pH<

(v) Actual alcohol content (%v#v)<

(vi) Dry extract (g#ltr)<

(vii) Flavonoid content (mg#ltr)<

(viii) Anthocyanin content (mg#ltr)<

(ix) Total polyphenols (mg#ltr).

(4) For every vinification an anonymous organoleptic

evaluation (blind tasting) of the wine obtained from the variety under

investigation shall be carried out using the method of sensorial analysis.

The evaluation shall be carried out by a panel approved or appointed by

the Director.

(5) For the variety under investigation indications

concerning the resistance to drought and diseases, vigour etc shall be

included.

(6) At the end of the aptitude test a technical report shall be

drawn up composed of>

(a)

a brief historic description of the variety under study<

(b) the reference variety or varieties chosen<

(c)

a detailed description of the method of cultivation<

(d) a brief description of the area used for the trial including

pedoclimatic data<

(e) a detailed description of any agronomic plans used

including the fertilization plan, the irrigation plan and the plant

protection plan used<

(f)

the data at subregulations (3), (4) and (5) hereof.

A report about the technical and administrative investigation

required by subregulation (6) of regulation 7 hereof shall be presented

to the Unit<

(1) For the purposes of labelling, wine producers may only

use the variety name or any synonym listed in Schedule I hereto, to

indicate the use of that variety in the production of a wine.

(2) Notwithstanding subregulation (1) of this regulation, the

names and synonyms of varieties reserved for certain countries as

regulated by Annex II of Commission Regulation (EC) 753#2002 and

subsequent modifications, may not be used even if listed in Schedule I.

Schedule I

Regulation 4 (3)

Classification of vine varieties

for the production of wine grapes

Classification 1

Code

Variety

Colour

Synonym

Aglianico

Black

Ob

Albariño

White

Alvarinho

Ob

Aleatico

Black

Ob

Barbera

Black

Ob

Brachetto

Black

Ob

Cabernet Franc

Black

S

Cabernet Sauvignon

Black

S

Carignan

Black

S

Carmenere

Black

S

Catarratto

White

Ob

Chardonnay

White

S

Chenin blanc

White

S

Falanghina

White

Ob

Fiano

White

Ob

Fiano aromatico

White

Ob

Gellewza

Black

S

Girgentina

White

Girgenti, Ghirgentina

S

Graciano

Black

S

Grecanico

White

Ob

Greco Bianco

White

Greco

Ob

Greco di Tufo

White

Greco

Ob

Grenache

Black

Cannonau

S

Grillo

White

Ob

Inzolia

White

Ansonica, Insolja

S

Lambrusco

Black

S

Malbec

Black

Ob

Malvasia

White

Ob

Malvasia nera

Black

Ob

B

Montonico

White

Ob

Manzoni Bianco

White

Ob

Merlot

Black

S

Montepulciano

Black

S

Moscato Bianco

White

Moscato

S

Moscato di Alessandria

White

Moscato, Zibibbo

S

Moscato, Maskta,

Moscato fior d’arancio

White

S

Muskatel

Moscato giallo

White

Moscato

S

Mourvedre

Black

Kaldaretta

S

Muscat Hamburg

Black

Ob

Negroamaro

Black

S

Nero d'Avola

Black

Serkużan, Sirakużan

S

Petit Verdot

Black

S

Pinot Bianco

White

Pinot blanc

S

Pinot Grigio

White

Pinot gris

Ob

Pinot noir

Black

Pinot noir

S

Primitivo

Black

Zinfandel

S

Riesling

White

Riesling renano

Ob

Sangiovese

Black

S

Sauvignon Blanc

White

S

Syrah

Black

Shiraz

S

Tannat

Black

Ob

Tempranillo

Black

Cencibel

S

Traminer

White

Ob

Uva di Troia

Black

Ob

Trebbiano

White

Ugni Blanc

S

Verdicchio

White

Ob

Vermentino

White

S

Viognier

White

S

S = Suitable Varieties, SR= Suitable Varieties and Recommended, Ob = Varieties under observation

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