Vinetur reports that the EU Packaging and Packaging Waste Regulation begins applying generally from 12 August 2026, bringing new compliance requirements affecting wineries selling into the bloc. Although most wine categories are exempt from the specific 10% reusable beverage packaging availability target, wine producers remain subject to broader requirements covering packaging minimisation, recyclability, technical documentation, labelling and waste financing. Particularly significant for wine is greater scrutiny of bottle weight and decorative packaging, potentially adding further pressure for lighter glass and simplified bottle designs.
Regulation
-
Italy Proposes Decree Expanding Wine Consortia Powers
Vinetur reports that an Italian government draft decree would give wine appellation consortia broader authority over market management, supply coordination, wine tourism and protection of denomination value. The proposal would align Italian legislation more closely with EU Regulation 2024/1143 and could allow consortia to publish non-binding market indicators, coordinate tourism services and take stronger action against commercial practices considered damaging to a protected geographical indication’s reputation or value.
-
Bordeaux Allows Sweetening of Wines
Meininger reports that Bordeaux and Bordeaux Supérieur producers are moving towards allowing wines across all styles, including reds, clarets, rosés and whites, to be sweetened after fermentation to as much as 7 grams of residual sugar per litre, breaking with Bordeaux’s traditional association with fully dry wines and raising concerns that the region could follow other European areas towards softer, more commercially styled wines. The decision was approved by the appellations’ management body on 26 June 2026, following a broader ruling by France’s INAO that dry AOC still wines may be sweetened under certain conditions, a practice previously limited to IGP and Vin de France wines. Supporters, particularly négociants focused on exports and changing consumer tastes, argue that slightly sweeter wines could attract new audiences, while many growers fear that the move could weaken Bordeaux’s identity and encourage a broader shift towards sweeter styles, an issue also attracting interest from producers in Côtes-du-Rhône.
-
Pinot Grigio DOC Delle Venezie Moves to Control 2026 Supply
WineCouture reports that Consorzio DOC Delle Venezie has approved new 2026 harvest measures to protect the value and stability of Northeastern Italy’s Pinot Grigio. The maximum yield has been set at 160 quintals per hectare, with 30 quintals held in administrative stock, a move designed to avoid oversupply and support market positioning.
-
Douro Port Producers Warn of a Deepening Crisis
The Times reports that Portugal’s Douro Valley, the historic home of port, is under pressure from falling consumption, rising costs and a disputed law that would require port to be fortified only with brandy distilled from Douro grapes. Producers argue that the change could sharply increase costs and damage sales, while supporters say it could help local growers, leaving the region facing a difficult debate over how to modernise without undermining its traditional economy.
-
Chianti DOCG Set to Add Rosé and Relax Sangiovese Rules
The Drinks Business reports that Chianti DOCG is preparing a major update to its production rules, including an official rosé category, a reduced minimum Sangiovese requirement from 70% to 60%, and a new Terre di Vinci sub-zone. The proposed changes also tighten vineyard standards, with higher planting density requirements, a ban on the tendone training system, and emergency irrigation allowed only within limits.
-
Australia Details New Mandatory Wine Grape Code Of Conduct
ABC Rural reports that Australia’s federal government has released details of a mandatory wine grape code of conduct, due to take effect on 1 January 2027. The code will require wineries to publish payment terms, face monitoring of payment practices and allow anonymous complaints from growers, though some industry voices say it does not yet solve deeper oversupply and ageing-grower pressures.
-
Georgia Moves to Tighten Wine Rules and Raise Agency Revenue
Georgia Today reports that the Georgian government has submitted amendments to tighten wine regulation, including mandatory organoleptic testing for all wine categories sold both domestically and for export, plus a paid bottle-labelling system that officials expect could generate €14 million to €15 million a year for the National Wine Agency. The proposal is notable because it combines stricter quality oversight with a financial and structural shake-up, lowering the threshold for “small cellar” status from 40,000 litres to 25,000 litres, affecting around 50 producers directly while leaving about 550 small cellars exempt, and adding new definitions such as “natural wine” while dropping the term “home wine”.