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 Italian, the allergen line reads “contiene solfiti” and the word next to the QR code is “ingredienti”. The e-label page must offer Italian too. The complete EU list is in our labelling requirements guide.
Must the label be in Italian?
Yes. Food information sold to Italian consumers must be given in Italian, and other languages may be added (Regulation (EU) No 1169/2011, art. 15). Names of designations, traditional terms and the bottler's name stay as they are.
Foreign producers often meet this with a multilingual back label: “contains sulphites / contiene solfiti / enthält Sulfite” on one line, and an e-label with an Italian version. Importers sometimes add an Italian sticker, which works but costs more per bottle.
What is environmental labelling of packaging in Italy?
Italian law requires packaging placed on the Italian market to show the material of each component with the codes of Decision 97/129/EC and, for consumer packaging, how to dispose of it (Legislative Decree 152/2006, art. 219, as amended by Legislative Decree 116/2020). Digital means such as a QR code are allowed.
| Component | Typical code | Disposal line |
|---|---|---|
| Green glass bottle | GL 71 | Raccolta vetro |
| Clear glass bottle | GL 70 | Raccolta vetro |
| Natural cork | FOR 51 | Check local rules |
| Aluminium screw cap or capsule | ALU 41 | Raccolta metalli |
The rule applies to all packaging sold in Italy, including imported wines. Collection instructions vary by municipality; the label usually says “verifica le disposizioni del tuo Comune”.
What is the DOCG state band?
Wines with a DOCG designation must carry the state band (contrassegno di Stato) on the closure, under Law 238/2016, the Italian wine law. For DOC wines the band is required only where the production rules of the designation say so.
The band is issued in numbered series through the control body of the designation. If you are a foreign importer of DOCG wine, the band is already on the bottle; nothing changes for you on the label.
What does an ingredients line look like in Italian?
The ingredients list uses the official Italian 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 | Italian |
|---|---|
| Ingredients | Ingredienti |
| grapes | uve |
| acidity regulator: tartaric acid | correttore di acidità: acido tartarico |
| preservative: sulphites | conservante: solfiti |
| Contains sulphites | Contiene solfiti |
Example only. Each term must match what was actually added to your wine.
What do foreign producers most often get wrong in Italy?
Missing Italian on the allergen line, no “ingredienti” next to the QR code, no environmental labelling of the packaging, and an e-label page available only in the producer's own language. All four are cheap to fix before printing and expensive after.
- “Contains sulphites” or “enthält Sulfite” without “contiene solfiti”.
- A QR code with the word “ingredients” in English only.
- No material codes for the bottle, the closure and the capsule.
- An e-label page without an Italian version.
- The importer missing for wines produced outside the EU.
Can one back label cover Italy and its neighbours?
Yes. A back label for Italy, Austria and Germany is common: “contiene solfiti / enthält Sulfite”, “ingredienti / Zutaten” next to the QR code, the environmental codes for Italy, and an e-label in Italian and German. Adding France brings French wording and the pregnancy warning.
The environmental codes are only required for Italy but cause no problem elsewhere, so most multilingual labels simply keep them. What usually limits the number of countries is the space at 1.2 mm of x-height, not the rules.
What are the nutrition table headings in Italian?
The e-label page shows the nutrition declaration per 100 ml with the headings of annex XV of Regulation (EU) No 1169/2011, in Italian for this market. The order is fixed. Values below are for a dry red at 13.5 % vol.
| English | Italian | Per 100 ml |
|---|---|---|
| Energy | Energia | 312 kJ / 75 kcal |
| Fat | Grassi | 0 g |
| of which saturates | di cui acidi grassi saturi | 0 g |
| Carbohydrate | Carboidrati | 0.2 g |
| of which sugars | di cui zuccheri | 0.2 g |
| Protein | Proteine | 0 g |
| Salt | Sale | 0 g |
How do I prepare a back label for Italy, 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 Italian: “contiene solfiti”, and “ingredienti” next to the QR code.
- Calculate the energy value per 100 ml and print it as “E (100 ml) = … kJ / … kcal”.
- Add the environmental labelling of the bottle, closure and capsule, on the label or through a QR code.
- Publish the e-label in Italian, 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.
Who controls wine labels in Italy?
ICQRF, the central inspectorate for the quality of agri-food products, is the main body for wine labelling and fraud. It checks labels in wineries and on shelves and can issue administrative penalties. The Carabinieri health units (NAS) also carry out food checks.
Summary: a back label for Italy
| Point | What to put |
|---|---|
| Language | Italian (other languages may be added) |
| Allergens | Contiene solfiti (and uovo / latte if detectable) |
| Word next to the QR code | Ingredienti |
| Energy value | E (100 ml) = … kJ / … kcal |
| Packaging | Material codes and disposal information, on the label or by QR |
| DOCG | State band on the closure |
| Controls | ICQRF |
Questions from winemakers
Do imported wines need Italian environmental labelling?
Yes. The obligation applies to all packaging placed on the Italian market. Importers usually add it by sticker or through the QR code.
Can the environmental information be on the e-label?
Italian law allows digital means for environmental labelling. The e-label for ingredients must stay free of marketing, so combining both on one page needs care; we check it case by case.
Is “contiene solfiti” enough for Italy?
For sulphites, yes. If egg or milk fining residues are detectable, add them in Italian too.
Is an Italian back label different from a German one?
The EU particulars are the same. The language changes, and Italy adds the environmental labelling of packaging and, for DOCG wines, the state band.
Does Italy accept the symbol “E” for the energy value?
Yes. The EU allows the energy value to be shown with the symbol “E” on the label when the full nutrition declaration is online.
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)
- Delegated Regulation (EU) 2019/33 (EUR-Lex)
Updated on November 2, 2026 by the WineLex team