Wine label rules, country by country
The EU rules are the same everywhere, but each country adds its language and sometimes its own mentions. WineLex prepares the back label and the e-label of your wine for every EU country where you sell it, checked by a specialist before printing. Here is what changes from one market to the next.
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What changes from one country to another?
The language of the mandatory particulars and of the e-label, the wording of the allergens, and a few national mentions. The core list of particulars comes from Regulation (EU) No 1308/2013 and is identical in every member state.
| Country | Allergen wording | Word next to the QR | National points to check |
|---|---|---|---|
| Italy | Contiene solfiti | Ingredienti | Environmental labelling of packaging, state band for DOCG, controls by ICQRF |
| Germany | Enthält Sulfite | Zutaten | Weingesetz and Weinverordnung, AP number for quality wines |
| Austria | Enthält Sulfite | Zutaten | Weingesetz 2009, state control number for Qualitätswein |
| France | Contient des sulfites | Ingrédients | Pregnancy pictogram, sorting information depending on packaging, controls by DGCCRF |
| Spain | Contiene sulfitos | Ingredientes | Royal Decree 1363/2011, rules of the regulatory councils |
| Portugal | Contém sulfitos | Ingredientes | IVV and the regional wine commissions |
| Ireland | Contains sulphites | Ingredients | Health warnings scheduled for 3 September 2028 |
| Belgium | Contient des sulfites / Bevat sulfieten | Ingrédients / Ingrediënten | French, Dutch or German depending on the region of sale |
| Netherlands | Bevat sulfieten | Ingrediënten | Dutch required |
| Switzerland | Depends on language | Depends on language | EU rules only required for wines exported to the EU |
Detailed guides in English
Each guide covers the language, the allergen wording, the national mentions, the control body and a summary table for that country, with links to the official texts.
- Selling wine in Italy: what changes on the label
- Selling wine in Germany: what changes on the label
- Selling wine in Austria: what changes on the label
- Selling wine in France: what changes on the label
- Selling wine in Spain: what changes on the label
- Selling wine in Portugal: what changes on the label
- Selling wine in Ireland: the coming health warnings
- Swiss wine exported to the EU: what changes on the label
- Exporting wine to the EU from outside the EU
Which language for the other EU markets?
Each member state requires its official language or languages for consumers. The table covers the other common export markets for European wine, with the allergen wording for sulphites.
| Country | Language(s) on the label | Sulphites |
|---|---|---|
| Belgium | French, Dutch or German, depending on the region of sale | Contient des sulfites / Bevat sulfieten |
| Netherlands | Dutch | Bevat sulfieten |
| Luxembourg | French, German or Luxembourgish | Contient des sulfites / Enthält Sulfite |
| Denmark | Danish | Indeholder sulfitter |
| Sweden | Swedish | Innehåller sulfiter |
| Finland | Finnish and Swedish | Sisältää sulfiitteja / Innehåller sulfiter |
| Poland | Polish | Zawiera siarczyny |
| Czechia | Czech | Obsahuje siřičitany |
Check the wording against the language version of Regulation (EU) No 1169/2011 and Delegated Regulation (EU) 2019/33 for each market.
Can one label be used in several EU countries?
Yes. A label is valid in every member state if it carries the mandatory particulars in a language understood in each country of sale, plus the national mentions of each of them. Multilingual allergen lines and a multilingual e-label are the usual solution.
A label for Italy, Germany and Austria needs “contiene solfiti” and “enthält Sulfite”, “ingredienti” and “Zutaten” next to the QR code, and an e-label in both languages. Adding France brings “contient des sulfites”, “ingrédients” and the pregnancy pictogram. At some point the back label runs out of room at 1.2 mm, and two versions become cheaper than one crowded label.
We work out the combination with you: which countries share one label, which need their own, and how to keep the number of print runs down.
Is the e-label page also country-specific?
The page must be in a language understood where the wine is sold. One page can offer several languages, selected by the reader or by the phone's language. The content (ingredients, nutrition) is the same for every country; only the language changes.
Who controls wine labels in each country?
National authorities, after the wine is on the market: ICQRF in Italy, DGCCRF in France, the food and wine control services of the German Länder, the Federal Cellar Inspection (Bundeskellereiinspektion) in Austria, the regional authorities in Spain and the IVV with ASAE in Portugal. None of them approves labels in advance.
Pages in the language of each country
Written for the winemakers of each country, in their own language.
Questions from winemakers
Do I need to translate the whole label for each country?
No. Only the mandatory particulars that are words need translating: the allergen wording, the word “ingredients”, the category where it is not a protected term, and any national mention. Names, PDO terms and figures stay as they are.
Which country has the strictest wine labels?
France adds the most national mentions (pregnancy warning, sorting information). Ireland will be the strictest once its health warnings apply on 3 September 2028.
Sources
Selection criteria: we cite official texts first (EUR-Lex, national law portals), then named surveys with their publisher.
Send us your current label
A photo or a PDF is enough. We tell you what is missing for each country where you sell, and what it would cost to fix.
Label check: Free · Back label + e-label: from €290 / year
A specialist replies within 24 business hours. No commitment.