Which EU rules apply first?
The same as everywhere in the EU: the compulsory particulars of article 119 of Regulation (EU) No 1308/2013, the allergens, and since 8 December 2023 the ingredients list and nutrition declaration of Regulation (EU) 2021/2117. The energy value and allergens are printed; the rest may sit behind a QR code.
What changes is the language. In German, the allergen line reads “enthält Sulfite” and the word next to the QR code is “Zutaten”. The e-label page must offer German too. The complete EU list is in our labelling requirements guide.
Which Austrian law applies?
The Weingesetz 2009, with its regulations, completes the EU rules: quality levels (Wein, Landwein, Qualitätswein, Prädikatswein), the DAC origin designations, the state control number and specific terms. Imported wines mostly follow the EU rules plus the German language.
What is the state control number?
Austrian Qualitätswein and Prädikatswein receive a state control number (staatliche Prüfnummer) after an analytical and sensory test. It must appear on the label.
The number does not concern foreign wines sold in Austria. If you are an Austrian winery exporting to Italy or France, the number stays and you add the language of the destination.
What does DAC mean on a label?
DAC (Districtus Austriae Controllatus) marks a regional origin designation with its own grape varieties and styles, such as Weinviertel DAC or Kamptal DAC. The rules of each DAC define what may be written, for example the place names allowed.
What does an ingredients line look like in German (Austria)?
The ingredients list uses the official German (Austria) terms for the additive categories, set in the language versions of Delegated Regulation (EU) 2023/1606 and Regulation (EU) No 1169/2011. The example below is for a dry wine; your own list depends on what was used in your cellar.
| English | German (Austria) |
|---|---|
| Ingredients | Zutaten |
| grapes | Trauben |
| acidity regulator: tartaric acid | Säureregulator: Weinsäure |
| preservative: sulphites | Konservierungsstoff: Sulfite |
| Contains sulphites | Enthält Sulfite |
Example only. Each term must match what was actually added to your wine.
What do producers most often get wrong in Austria?
The same points as in Germany: German wording missing on the allergens and next to the QR code, and an e-label without German. Austrian producers who export also forget the language of the destination country on their own labels.
- No “enthält Sulfite” on the printed label.
- No “Zutaten” next to the QR code.
- Energy value missing when the nutrition table is online only.
- For Austrian wineries exporting: no Italian, French or Dutch allergen wording for those markets.
What changes for Austrian wineries exporting to other EU countries?
The Austrian particulars (control number, DAC terms) stay. You add the allergen wording and the word “ingredients” in the language of each destination, and an e-label in those languages. A label for Austria, Germany and Italy needs German and Italian on the allergen line.
Many Austrian estates sell to Germany first, which needs no change of language. For Italy, the Netherlands or Scandinavia, plan the extra languages before the next print run rather than adding stickers later.
What are the nutrition table headings in German (Austria)?
The e-label page shows the nutrition declaration per 100 ml with the headings of annex XV of Regulation (EU) No 1169/2011, in German (Austria) for this market. The order is fixed. Values below are for a dry red at 13.5 % vol.
| English | German (Austria) | Per 100 ml |
|---|---|---|
| Energy | Brennwert | 312 kJ / 75 kcal |
| Fat | Fett | 0 g |
| of which saturates | davon gesättigte Fettsäuren | 0 g |
| Carbohydrate | Kohlenhydrate | 0.2 g |
| of which sugars | davon Zucker | 0.2 g |
| Protein | Eiweiß | 0 g |
| Salt | Salz | 0 g |
How do I prepare a back label for Austria, step by step?
Start from your analysis and cellar records, write the text in the language of the market, check it against the EU and national rules, publish the e-label, then approve a proof before printing. The order matters: changing text after the layout is where most errors creep in.
- Collect the analysis of the vintage (alcohol, residual sugar, acidity) and the list of additives and fining agents used.
- Write the ingredients list and the allergen line in German: “enthält Sulfite”, and “Zutaten” next to the QR code.
- Calculate the energy value per 100 ml and print it as “E (100 ml) = … kJ / … kcal”.
- For Austrian quality wines, add the state control number once it is issued.
- Publish the e-label in German, without marketing or tracking, and test the QR code on several phones.
- Check the full proof at 1.2 mm of x-height before printing, and keep the file for the next vintage.
Do Austrian wines sold in Austria need anything beyond the EU rules?
Austrian law adds rules on quality levels, DAC designations, the state control number and specific terms such as Heuriger or Schilcher. These concern Austrian producers. A foreign wine sold in Austria needs the EU particulars in German and nothing more on the national side.
Who controls wine labels in Austria?
The Bundeskellereiinspektion, the Federal Cellar Inspection, checks wineries, merchants and labels. Food authorities of the federal states check food information more broadly.
Summary: a back label for Austria
| Point | What to put |
|---|---|
| Language | German |
| Allergens | Enthält Sulfite (and Ei / Milch if detectable) |
| Word next to the QR code | Zutaten |
| Energy value | E (100 ml) = … kJ / … kcal |
| Austrian quality wines | State control number, DAC rules |
| Controls | Bundeskellereiinspektion |
Questions from winemakers
Can I use the same back label for Germany and Austria?
Usually yes: both need German. Check only the national terms if you are an Austrian or German producer using quality-level terms.
Who checks wine labels in Austria?
The Federal Cellar Inspection (Bundeskellereiinspektion), together with the food control authorities of the federal states.
Sources
Selection criteria: we cite official texts first (EUR-Lex, national law portals), then named surveys with their publisher.
- Regulation (EU) No 1308/2013 (EUR-Lex)
- Regulation (EU) 2021/2117 (EUR-Lex)
- Regulation (EU) No 1169/2011 (EUR-Lex)
Updated on November 2, 2026 by the WineLex team