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 Portuguese, the allergen line reads “contém sulfitos” and the word next to the QR code is “ingredientes”. The e-label page must offer Portuguese too. The complete EU list is in our labelling requirements guide.
Must the label be in Portuguese?
Yes. Mandatory information for consumers in Portugal must be in Portuguese; other languages may be added. Imported wines often add a Portuguese sticker or a multilingual back label.
What are the certification seals on Portuguese wines?
Wines with a Portuguese DO or IG carry a numbered certification seal (selo) issued by the regional wine commission (Comissão Vitivinícola Regional) that certifies them. The IVV, the Portuguese wine and vine institute, coordinates the sector and the rules on designations.
Who controls wine labels in Portugal?
ASAE, the food and economic safety authority, controls products on the market. The IVV and the regional commissions control designations and their seals. A project in the Vinho Verde region has tested software to speed up label review before certification.
What does an ingredients line look like in Portuguese?
The ingredients list uses the official Portuguese 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 | Portuguese |
|---|---|
| Ingredients | Ingredientes |
| grapes | uvas |
| acidity regulator: tartaric acid | regulador de acidez: ácido tartárico |
| preservative: sulphites | conservante: sulfitos |
| Contains sulphites | Contém sulfitos |
Example only. Each term must match what was actually added to your wine.
What do foreign producers most often get wrong in Portugal?
Missing Portuguese on the allergen line and next to the QR code, and an e-label without a Portuguese version. Portuguese producers who export make the mirror mistake: labels only in Portuguese for German, French or Belgian shelves.
- No “contém sulfitos” on the printed label.
- No “ingredientes” next to the QR code.
- An e-label without Portuguese.
- For Portuguese wineries exporting: no German, French or Dutch allergen wording.
What changes for Portuguese wineries exporting to the rest of the EU?
The DO or IG particulars and the seal stay. You add the allergen line and the word “ingredients” in the language of each destination, and an e-label in those languages. France also requires the pregnancy warning, and Ireland will require health warnings from 3 September 2028.
Portugal counted about 3,600 economic operators in wine in 2025, two thirds of them small producers. Many export part of their wine, which is where back labels in several languages become necessary.
What are the nutrition table headings in Portuguese?
The e-label page shows the nutrition declaration per 100 ml with the headings of annex XV of Regulation (EU) No 1169/2011, in Portuguese for this market. The order is fixed. Values below are for a dry red at 13.5 % vol.
| English | Portuguese | Per 100 ml |
|---|---|---|
| Energy | Energia | 312 kJ / 75 kcal |
| Fat | Lípidos | 0 g |
| of which saturates | dos quais saturados | 0 g |
| Carbohydrate | Hidratos de carbono | 0.2 g |
| of which sugars | dos quais açúcares | 0.2 g |
| Protein | Proteínas | 0 g |
| Salt | Sal | 0 g |
How do I prepare a back label for Portugal, 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 Portuguese: “contém sulfitos”, and “ingredientes” next to the QR code.
- Calculate the energy value per 100 ml and print it as “E (100 ml) = … kJ / … kcal”.
- For DO and IG wines, leave room for the seal of the regional commission.
- Publish the e-label in Portuguese, 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.
Can one back label cover Portugal and Spain?
Yes, with care. The allergen line needs both “contém sulfitos” and “contiene sulfitos”, the QR code needs “ingredientes”, which is the same word in both languages, and the e-label needs a Portuguese and a Spanish version. DO and IG seals stay as they are.
Summary: a back label for Portugal
| Point | What to put |
|---|---|
| Language | Portuguese (other languages may be added) |
| Allergens | Contém sulfitos (and ovo / leite if detectable) |
| Word next to the QR code | Ingredientes |
| Energy value | E (100 ml) = … kJ / … kcal |
| DO / IG wines | Certification seal of the regional commission |
| Controls | ASAE, IVV, regional commissions |
Questions from winemakers
What is a contra-rótulo?
The Portuguese term for a back label, the label on the back of the bottle that usually carries most of the mandatory particulars.
Who controls wine labels in Portugal?
ASAE controls products on the market; the IVV and the regional wine commissions control designations and their seals.
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)
- Instituto da Vinha e do Vinho (IVV), Portugal
Updated on November 2, 2026 by the WineLex team