Commercial Information Circulars
24-hour hotline : 23 922 922
e-mail address : enquiry@tid.gov.hk
Ref : EIC 414/2
18 January 2016
Dear Sirs,
Commercial Information Circular No. 97/2016
Chile : Implementation of the Protocol to the 2007 World Wine Trade Group Agreement on Requirements for Wine Labelling Concerning Alcohol Tolerance, Vintage, Variety and Wine Regions
The Chilean government issued Decree No. 108/2015 on 20 October 2015 announcing the implementation of the Protocol to the 2007 World Wine Trade Group (WWTG)1 Agreement on Requirements for Wine Labelling Concerning Alcohol Tolerance, Vintage, Variety and Wine Regions. The requirements for wine labelling are set out as follows:
Alcohol Tolerance
The importing party shall permit the importation and sale of wine that complies with the exporting party's domestic laws, regulations and requirements relating to the labelling of alcohol content if the alcohol tolerance does not exceed +/- 1.0% acl/vol. The alcohol content of the wine in its correct taxable category should be indicated on the label if required by the importing party.
Vintage
The importing party shall permit the importation and sale of wine that is labelled with a vintage if the wine complies with the domestic laws, regulations and requirements of the exporting party; and at least 85% of the wine is obtained from grapes of that vintage or at least 95% of the wine is obtained from grapes that grown in a single delimited grape growing area in that region if required by the importing party.
Variety
The importing party shall permit the importation and sale of wine that is labelled as a single grape variety if the wine complies with the domestic laws, regulations and requirements of the exporting party; and at least 75% of the wine is obtained from grapes of that variety.
For wine with multiple grape varieties, at least 85% of the wine is obtained from grapes of those varieties. Each variety listed on the label must be in greater proportion in the wine than any other variety that is not listed. The varieties must be listed in descending order of their proportions in the wine. The importing party may require indication of the percentage of the variety or varieties grown in the labelled wine region(s).
Wine Regions
The importing party shall permit the importation and sale of wine that is labelled with a single wine region if the wine complies with the domestic laws, regulations and requirements of the exporting party; and at least 75% of the wine is obtained from grapes grown in the named wine region or at least 85% of the wine is obtained from grapes grown in a single delimited grape growing area in the named wine region if required by the importing party.
For wine labelled with two or not more than three wine regions, at least 85% of the wine is obtained from grapes grown in those wine regions. The wine regions must be listed in descending order of the proportions of grapes from those regions in the wine. The wine regions must be within the same country.
2.For details, traders are advised to consult their importers in Chile and/or the relevant Chilean Decree (in Spanish) at: http://www.leychile.cl/N?i=1082964&f=2015-10-20&p.
ENQUIRIES
3.For enquiries about the content of this circular, please contact Mr Lewis LAU at telephone number 2398 5405.
Yours faithfully,
(Ms Lydia CHAN)
for Director-General of Trade and Industry
1. The World Wine Trade Group (WWTG) is an informal group consisted of government and industry representatives from the wine-producing countries including Argentina, Australia, Canada, Chile, Georgia, New Zealand, South Africa and the United States.