EU Commission gives the green light to Alcohol-Free Organic Wine

Organic winemakers will now be allowed to de-alcoholize their wine without losing its organic certification. The EU Commission has decided to amend the EU Organic Regulation accordingly. German Minister of Agriculture, Cem Özdemir, sees this as a significant market advantage for German wine producers.

Until now, vacuum distillation was not permitted for organic wines, meaning they would lose their organic status if de-alcoholized. With the new amendment, the EU has officially recognized vacuum distillation as an approved method for alcohol removal in organic wine.

Özdemir emphasized that consumers who choose organic should receive truly organic products, even in their glass. He described the amendment as an important modernization of the organic regulations and a competitive advantage for German winemakers. The minister actively advocated for this change in Brussels.

Germany played a key role in pushing this regulation forward, submitting a proposal with support from other EU member states. Following a technical review by an EU expert group, the Commission implemented the amendment through a delegated regulation.

The new rule allows organic winemakers to benefit from the growing demand for alcohol-free wine. According to the German Ministry of Agriculture, this change is particularly important given the overall decline in wine consumption across Europe