FOR YOUR INFORMATION
We share below a number of recent developments. As always, we rely on FIVS Members to apprise us of noteworthy matters. Please contact the FIVS Secretariat with items that may be of interest.
Turkey: Legislation would require police approval for alcohol licensing – Draft legislation prepared by Turkey’s Interior Ministry reportedly would limit municipalities from issuing alcohol licences for bars, nightclubs, and similar establishments and would require business owners to acquire prior approval from law enforcement. New restrictions would affect opening hours, noise restrictions, and “alcohol zones” where business could be opened. Police and neighbourhood watchmen would be authorised to issue fines and close establishments found in violation.
Ukraine: Finance ministry planning digital tax stamp scheme for alcohol – Ukraine’s Ministry of Finance reportedly plans to launch an electronic excise stamp during the fall of 2021, beginning with alcohol beverages. The Ministry claims that the plan will simplify the process for manufacturers and exporters. Ukrainians will be able to verify the authenticity of the excise stamp online and report violations, helping to combat counterfeit and illegally imported goods.
United Kingdom: Not the time for mandatory calorie labels on pints – Reports of proposals to force large pub chains to display calorie labels on pints of beer have been dubbed “outrageous” and described as “costly and complicated” by the trade.
Argentina: Stakeholders criticize government’s new zero BAC proposal – A number of groups including the Association of Wine Cooperatives, the Association of Winemakers of Mendoza, and the Argentine Chamber of Bulk Wines have expressed their opposition to the “Zero Alcohol on the Wheel” project supported by Deputy Facundo Moyano and the National Road Safety Agency. While they support government efforts to reduce the number of traffic accidents, they have reportedly urged the government to resolve the underlying issue of irresponsibility at the wheel through increased awareness and educational campaigns, tough penalties for those who drive beyond permitted limits, and investment in improved road infrastructure, rather than by imposing zero tolerance for the alcohol content in the blood of drivers, which would have a damaging impact on the wine industry.
France: Vineyards heavily damaged by heavy frost – This year’s grape harvest may be one of the smallest ever, due to a heavy frost that affected up to 80 percent of French vineyards in nearly every region, following soaring temperatures in March that caused grapes to begin blooming early. Only Alsace, parts of Champagne, and the Cognac region were not significantly affected by the unseasonably cold weather. Some winemakers reportedly tried to salvage their crops by lighting candles and small fires to keep frost from forming. France’s Prime Minister has promised that the government will provide emergency relief to those who were affected and remove the limit on the amount of financial compensation that can be provided.
- Of note for those FIVS members who joined a tour of Rathfinny Wine Estate during FIVS’s spring meeting in 2019 – Due to its coastal location – three miles from the Seven Sisters cliffs in East Sussex – Rathfinny Wine Estate was spared from the devastating spring frosts that have damaged France’s 2021 crop. Most English vineyards were reportedly still at a woolly bud stage of vine development, two-to-three weeks behind most of Europe in terms of ripening and thus have not been affected by the late spring frosts.
United States: Removing the fire impact from wildfire-damaged grapes – A Santa Rosa-based wine filtration company claims to have developed a complete and permanent process for salvaging wine affected by the smoke. The process involves the use of a highly selective membrane separation and involves the removal of a harsh mouthfeel by means of a non-traditional fining agent.
United States: Are clean and natural wines better? – “Clean” and “natural” are marketing terms for wines, defined differently from brand to brand, but according to this article, clean wine producers are more likely to share their ingredients, usually via their websites, than conventional wine producers. These producers further claim that natural wines are generally made with organic or biodynamically farmed grapes and are produced with greater attention to environmentally sustainable goals.
NOTE: We make no warranty of any kind regarding the accuracy or completeness of the information in these FIVS Alerts; nor do we necessarily support or agree with views expressed or contained therein.