Australia New Zealand Food Standards Code - Standard 4.5.1 - Wine Production Requirements (Australia Only)
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This Standard includes requirements for the production of wine in Australia only.
Table of Provisions
1 Interpretation
2 Application
3 Substances used in production
4 Processing aids
5 Composition
6 Sparkling wine
7 Fortified wine
Schedule Specifications for the Purposes of this Standard
Clauses
1 Interpretation
In this Standard –
brandy means the spirit obtained by the distillation of wine in such a manner as to ensure that the spirit possesses the taste, aroma and other characteristics generally attributed to brandy, in accordance with the requirements set out in the Schedule to this Standard.
fortified wine means the product consisting of wine to which has been added grape spirit, brandy or both.
grape spirit means the spirit obtained from the distillation of wine or the by-products of wine making or the fermented liquor of a mash of dried grapes and contains methanol in a proportion not exceeding 3 g/L at 20˚C of the ethanol content.
sparkling wine means the product consisting of wine that by complete or partial fermentation of contained sugars has become surcharged with carbon dioxide.
wine means the product of the complete or partial fermentation of fresh grapes, or a mixture of that product and products derived solely from grapes.
2 Application
This Standard applies to the production of wine in Australia only, notwithstanding any provisions to the contrary elsewhere in this Code.
3 Substances used in production
(1) Subject to any limits imposed by clause 5 of this Standard, any of the substances specified in the Table to this clause may be used in the production of wine, sparkling wine or fortified wine.
(2) In this clause –
mistelle means grape must or grape juice prepared from fresh grapes to which grape spirit has been added to prevent fermentation and which has an ethanol content between 120 mL/L and 150 mL/L at 20˚C.
Table to clause 3
Additive
Ascorbic acid
Carbon dioxide
Citric acid
Erythorbic acid
Grape juice including concentrated grape juice
Grape skin extract
Gum Arabic
Lactic acid
Malic acid
Metatartaric acid
MistellePotassium polyaspartate
Potassium sorbate
Potassium sulphites
Sodium carboxymethylcellulose
Sorbic acid
Sulphur dioxide
Tannins
Tartaric acid
Yeast mannoproteins
4 Processing aids
(1) Subject to any limits imposed by clause 5 of this Standard, any of the substances specified in the Table to this clause may be used in the production of wine, sparkling wine or fortified wine.
(2) In this clause –
cultures of microorganisms means yeasts or bacteria (including yeast ghosts) used in wine manufacture with or without the addition of any one or more of thiamine hydrochloride, niacin, pyridoxine, pantothenic acid, biotin and inositol.
(3) Thiamin chloride and thiamin hydrochloride may only be added to wine, sparkling wine and fortified wine to facilitate the growth of microorganisms.
Table to clause 4
Processing aid
Activated carbon
Agar
Alginates, calcium and potassium salts
Ammonium bisulphite
Ammonium phosphates
Argon
Bentonite
Calcium carbonate
Calcium tartrate
Carbon dioxide
Carrageenan
Cellulose
Chitin-glucan
Chitosan sourced from Aspergillus niger
Collagen
Copper sulphate
Processing aid
Cultures of microorganisms
Cupric citrate
Diatomaceous earth
Dimethyl dicarbonate
Dimethylpolysiloxane
Egg white
Enzymes
Gelatine
Hydrogen peroxide
Ion exchange resins
Isinglass
Lysozyme
Milk and milk products
Nitrogen
Oak
Oxygen
Pectins
Perlite
Phytates
Plant proteins permitted as processing aids under clause 3(a) to Standard 1.3.3
Note: Clause 3(a) to Standard 1.3.3 permits the use of foods, including water as processing aids. Therefore, plant proteins that are foods are permitted under that Standard, and would also be permitted under this Standard.
5 Composition
(1) Wine and sparkling wine must contain no less than 45 mL/L of ethanol at 20˚C.
(2) Notwithstanding subclause (1), wine must not contain added ethanol.
(3) Fortified wine must contain no less than 150 mL/L and no more than 220 mL/L of ethanol at 20˚C.
(4) Deleted
(5) Wine, sparkling wine and fortified wine must contain no more than –
(a) 250 mg/L in total of sulphur dioxide in the case of products containing less than 35 g/L of sugars, or 300 mg/L in total of sulphur dioxide in the case of other products; and
(b) 200 mg/L of sorbic acid or potassium sorbate expressed as sorbic acid; and
(c) 1 g/L of soluble chlorides expressed as sodium chloride; and
(d) 2 g/L of soluble sulphates expressed as potassium sulphate; and
(e) 400 mg/L of soluble phosphates expressed as phosphorus; and
(f) 1.5 g/L of volatile acidity excluding sulphur dioxide, expressed as acetic acid; and
(g) 0.1 mg/L of cyanides and complex cyanides expressed as hydrocyanic acid; and
(h) 200 mg/L of added dimethyl dicarbonate; and
(i) 100 mg/L of potassium polyaspartate.
(6) If potassium ferrocyanide has been used as a processing aid in the manufacture of a wine, sparkling wine or fortified wine, the final product must have residual iron present.
(7) Wine, sparkling wine and fortified wine may contain added water that is –
(a) necessary to incorporate any substance specified in clause 3 or clause 4; or
(b) necessary to facilitate fermentation; or
(c) incidental to the winemaking process.
(7A) Wine, sparking wine and fortified wine must not contain added water other than added water permitted by subclause 7.
(7B) Wine, sparkling wine or fortified wine must not contain more than 70 mL/L of the following –
(a) water added to incorporate any substance specified in clause 3 or clause 4;
(b) water incidental to the winemaking process; or
(c) any combination of water listed in paragraphs (a) and (b)
(7C) Water may only be added to wine, sparkling wine and fortified wine to facilitate fermentation if the water is added to dilute the high sugar grape must prior to fermentation and does not dilute the must below 13.5 degrees Bé.
(7D) Subject to subclauses (7A) (7B) and (7C), wine, sparkling wine or fortified wine must not contain more added water than is consistent with *GMP.
(8) Where this clause does not otherwise specify a maximum permitted level for –
(a) a food additive listed in the Table to clause 3; or
(b) a processing aid listed in the Table to clause 4;
of this Standard, then the use of the food additive or processing aid must be consistent with conditions of Good Manufacturing Practice (GMP).
6 Sparkling wine
(1) In addition to the substances permitted by clauses 3 and 4 of this Standard, sparkling wine may also contain –
(a) grape spirit; and
(b) brandy; and
(c) sugars.
(2) The addition of those foods specified in paragraphs (1)(a), (b) and (c) to sparkling wine must not increase its ethanol content by more than 25 mL/L at 20˚C.
(3) Sparkling wine must contain no less than 5 g/L of carbon dioxide at 20˚C.
7 Fortified wine
(1) In addition to the substances permitted by clauses 3 and 4 of this Standard, fortified wine may also contain caramel.
SCHEDULE
Specifications for the purposes of this Standard
Brandy
(1) Brandy –
(a) must be matured in wooden containers for no less than 2 years; and
(b) must contain no less than 250 mL/L of the spirit distilled at a strength of no more than 830 mL/L at 20˚C of ethanol; and
(c) may contain –
(i) water; and
(ii) caramel; and
(iii) sugars; and
(iv) grape juice and grape juice concentrates;
(v) wine; and
(vi) prune juice; and
(vii) honey; and
(viii) flavourings; and
(d) must not contain methanol in a proportion exceeding 3 g/L at 20˚C of the ethanol content thereof.
Amendment History
The Amendment History provides information about each amendment to the Standard. The information includes commencement or cessation information for relevant amendments.
These amendments are made under section 92 of the Food Standards Australia New Zealand Act 1991 unless otherwise indicated. Amendments do not have a specific date for cessation unless indicated as such.
About this compilation
This is compilation No. 17 of Standard 4.5.1 as in force on 5 December 2019 (up to Amendment No. 188). It includes any commenced amendment affecting the compilation to that date.
Prepared by Food Standards Australia New Zealand on 7 December 2019.
Uncommenced amendments or provisions ceasing to have effect
To assist stakeholders, the effect of any uncommenced amendments or provisions which will cease to have effect, may be reflected in the Standard as shaded boxed text with the relevant commencement or cessation date. These amendments will be reflected in a compilation registered on the Federal Register of Legislative Instruments including or omitting those amendments and provided in the Amendment History once the date is passed.
The following abbreviations may be used in the table below:
ad = added or inserted am = amended
exp = expired or ceased to have effect rep = repealed
rs = repealed and substituted
Standard 4.5.1 was published in the Commonwealth of Australia Gazette No. FSC 5 on 24 October 2002 as Standard 4.1.1 (F2008B00809 – 23 December 2008) and has been amended as follows:
Clause affected
A’ment No.
FRLI registrationGazette
Commencement(Cessation)
How affected
Description of amendment
Title
72
F2008B0081924 Dec 2008FSC 1420 May 2004
20 May 2004
am
Numbering of Standard changed from 4.1.1 to 4.5.1.
Standard
124
F2011L014508 July 2011FSC 6611 July 2011
11 July 2011
am
Spelling of ‘micro-organism’ to ‘microorganism’ wherever occurring.
1
72
F2008B0081924 Dec 2008FSC 1420 May 2004
20 May 2004
rs
Definition of ‘prepared cultures’.
3(2)
72
F2008B0081924 Dec 2008FSC 1420 May 2004
20 May 2004
rs
Definition of ‘wine’.
3(2)
90
F2006L039567 Dec 2006FSC 327 Dec 2006
7 Dec 2006
rs
Subclause.
Table to clause 3
67
F2008B0081424 Dec 2008FSC 931 July 2003
31 July 2003
rs
Table.
Table to clause 3
72
F2008B0081924 Dec 2008FSC 1420 May 2004
20 May 2004
ad, rep
Insert entries for carbon dioxide and gum arabic and omitting the entry for uncharred oak.
Table to clause 3
78
F2005L0124626 May 2005FSC 2026 May 2005
26 May 2005
ad
Entry for grape skin extract.
Table to clause 3
98
F2008L0148815 May 2008FSC 4015 May 2008
15 May 2008
ad
Entry for yeast mannoproteins.
Table to clause 3
127
F2011L0237115 Nov 2011FSC 6917 Nov 2011
17 Nov 2011
ad
Entry for sodium carboxymethylcellulose.
Table to clause 3
135
F2012L0237110 Oct 2012FSC 7711 Oct 2012
11 Oct 2012
ad
Entry for dimethyl dicarbonate
Table to clause 3
184
F2019L002596 Mar 2019FSC12527 Feb 2019Note: this variation never commenced
never commenced
amdt not applied
Entry for Potassium polyaspartate
Table to clause 3
188
F2019L0156828 Nov 2019FSC1295 Dec 2019
5 Dec 2019
ad
Entry for Potassium polyaspartate
4
90
F2006L039567 Dec 2006FSC 327 Dec 2006
7 Dec 2006
rs
Clause only.
4(3)
103
F2008L037419 Oct 2008FSC 459 Oct 2008
9 Oct 2008
ad
Subclause relating to thiamin chloride and thiamin hydrochloride.
Table to clause 4
67
F2008B0081424 Dec 2008FSC 931 July 2003
31 July 2003
a
Table.
Table to clause 4
70
F2008B0081724 Dec 2008FSC 1229 April 2004
29 April 2004
ad
Entries for cupric citrate on a bentonite base and plant proteins. Insert Editorial note.
Entries for thiamin chloride and thiamin hydrochloride and associated footnote.
Table to clause 4
135
F2012L0237110 Oct 2012FSC 7711 Oct 2012
11 Oct 2012
ad
Entry for dimethyl dicarbonate
Table to clause 4
145
F2014L000336 Jan 2014FSC879 Jan 2014
9 Jan 2014
ad
Entry for chitosan sourced from Aspergillus niger.
Table to clause 4
172
F2017L011396 Sept 2017FSC1147 Sept 2017
7 Sept 2017
ad
Entry for carrageenan and pectins.
Table to clause 4
174
F2017L0138924 Oct 2017FSC11526 Oct 2017
26 October 2017
ad
Entry for Ammonium bisulphite, Chitin-glucan and Polyvinylimidazole-polyvinylpyrrolidone co-polymers
5
72
F2008B0081924 Dec 2008FSC 1420 May 2004
20 May 2004
rs
Clause.
5(1)
126
F2011L0206613 Oct 2011FSC 6813 Oct 2011
13 Oct 2011
rs
Subclause to amend the minimum amount of ethanol allowed in wine.
5(4)
67
F2008B0081424 Dec 2008FSC 931 July 2003
31 July 2003
am
Correct minor typographical errors.
5(4)
124
F2011L014508 July 2011FSC 6611 July 2011
11 July 2011
rep
Subclause.
5(5)
90
F2006L039567 Dec 2006FSC 327 Dec 2006
7 Dec 2006
am
Paragraph 5(5)(i).
5(5)
122
F2011L006945 May 2011FSC 645 May 2011
5 May 2011
rs
Subclause as a consequential change due to amendments to Standard 1.3.3 to include co-extruded polystyrene with the entry for polyvinyl polypyrrolidone in the Table to clause 6.
(5)(5)(i)
184
F2019L002596 Mar 2019FSC12527 Feb 2019Note: this variation never commenced
never commenced
amdt not applied
Paragraph 5(5)(i) entry for Potassium polyaspartate
(5)(5)(i)
188
F2019L0156828 Nov 2019FSC1295 Dec 2019
5 Dec 2019
ad
Entry for Potassium polyaspartate
5(7)
78
F2005L0124626 May 2005FSC 2026 May 2005
26 May 2005
rep
Subclause.
5(7)
92
F2007L024062 Aug 2007FSC 342 Aug 2007
2 Aug 2007
rs
Subclause in order to permit additional water to be present in wine for technological purposes and in conformance with good manufacturing practice.
5(7)
167
F2017L001007 Feb 2017FSC 1099 Feb 2017
9 Feb 2017
rs
Subclause relating to the addition of water to wine
5(7A), (7B), (7C), (7D)
167
F2017L001007 Feb 2017FSC 1099 Feb 2017
9 Feb 2017
ad
New subclauses relating to the addition of water to wine.
5(8)
78
F2005L0124626 May 2005FSC 2026 May 2005
26 May 2005
ad
Subclause.
6(1)
67
F2008B0081424 Dec 2008FSC 931 July 2003
31 July 2003
am
Correct minor typographical errors.
6(1)
78
F2005L0124626 May 2005FSC 2026 May 2005
26 May 2005
rs
Subclause.
7
67
F2008B0081424 Dec 2008FSC 931 July 2003
31 July 2003
rep, rs
Omit subclauses (1) and (2) and renumber clause (3).