International Standard for the Labelling of Wines
OIV reference standard for wine labelling, including mandatory and optional information.
Wine-sector legislation
A structured survey of the core legal sources on wine, labelling, geographical indications, vine-growing potential, control and sector support.
The organisation below privileges practical usefulness: first the European core, then the densest national instruments, and finally the technical and international references of the OIV.
Methodological note
This page distinguishes between structuring acts, complementary implementing acts, annual acts of immediate operational relevance and OIV standards with a technical-comparative function. For in-depth research, this reading should be cross-checked with Jurisprudence, Themes and the Editorial Archive.
European Union
The European axis remains the centre of gravity of the wine regime: common market organisation, PDO/PGI, traditional terms, labelling and presentation, vine-growing potential, vineyard registration, accompanying documents, declarations and official controls.
| Act | Scope | Practical relevance | Official link |
|---|---|---|---|
| Regulation (EU) No 1308/2013 | Common organisation of the markets in agricultural products; the structuring basis of the wine regime. | Categories, PDO/PGI, traditional terms, oenological practices and production potential. | EUR-Lex |
| Regulation (EU) 2021/2117 | Significant amendment of the CMO and related regimes. | Reform with direct impact on labelling, ingredients, nutrition declaration and electronic means. | EUR-Lex |
| Delegated Regulation (EU) 2019/33 | PDO/PGI, traditional terms, labelling and presentation. | Central for protection, amendments to product specifications and presentation rules. | EUR-Lex |
| Implementing Regulation (EU) 2019/34 | Implementation of the PDO/PGI and traditional-terms regime. | Procedural rules, registration of protected names and controls. | EUR-Lex |
| Delegated Regulation (EU) 2018/273 | Planting authorisations, vineyard register, accompanying documents, certification and records. | Central for vine-growing potential and documentary traceability. | EUR-Lex |
| Implementing Regulation (EU) 2018/274 | Application of the authorisations regime, certification, records, declarations and notifications. | Complements the practical implementation of vine-growing potential and mandatory documentation. | EUR-Lex |
| Regulation (EU) No 1169/2011 | Food information provided to consumers. | Subsidiary relevance and general framing when reading labelling rules. | EUR-Lex |
| Regulation (EU) 2019/787 | Spirit drinks, presentation, labelling and geographical indications. | Important for wine spirits and conflicts between wine and spirit drinks. | EUR-Lex |
| Regulation (EU) No 251/2014 | Aromatised wine products. | Specific discipline for aromatised products and its relationship with the wine sector. | EUR-Lex |
| Regulation (EU) 2017/625 | Official controls. | Relevant for inspection, verification and official control in the food and wine sectors. | EUR-Lex |
| Regulation (EU) 2021/2115 | CAP Strategic Plans. | Relevant for sector support interventions, including vineyard restructuring and conversion. | EUR-Lex |
| Delegated Regulation (EU) 2022/126 | Additional requirements for CAP Strategic Plans. | Important for reading the vine sector interventions under the CAP Strategic Plan. | EUR-Lex |
Portugal (2015-2026)
A combination of structuring instruments, complementary acts, annual implementing acts and recent measures with a direct impact on the sector's operation.
| Act | Year | Scope | Practical use | Official link |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Ordinance No. 152/2015, of 26 May | 2015 | Varietal labelling / Alvarinho. | Relevant example of national rules on the use of grape variety names on labels. | DRE |
| Decree-Law No. 176/2015, of 25 August | 2015 | Management of the authorisations regime for vine plantings. | National base instrument for vine-growing potential. | DRE |
| Ordinance No. 348/2015, of 12 October | 2015 | Rules of the authorisations regime for vine planting. | Central operational instrument; should be read in its consolidated version. | DRE (consolidated) |
| Ordinance No. 174/2016, of 21 June | 2016 | First amendment to Ordinance No. 348/2015. | Relevant for the evolution of the planting-authorisations regime. | DRE |
| Ordinance No. 26/2017, of 13 January | 2017 | Complementary rules on designation, presentation and labelling. | Central national reference on labelling and presentation. | DRE (consolidated) |
| Decree-Law No. 61/2020, of 18 August | 2020 | Certification, control and assessment regime for the certification system of the wine sector with PDO and PGI. | Key instrument for the powers of the IVV and certifying bodies. | DRE |
| Order No. 2785-B/2020, of 28 February | 2020 | Annual rules and criteria for new vine plantings. | Important for the annual series of the authorisations regime. | DRE |
| Order No. 2300-D/2021, of 1 March | 2021 | Rules and criteria for new plantings in 2021. | Useful for reading eligibility and priority criteria. | DRE |
| Ordinance No. 87/2022, of 4 February | 2022 | Second amendment to Ordinance No. 348/2015. | Updates the vine-planting authorisations regime. | DRE |
| Order No. 2560-A/2022, of 25 February | 2022 | Rules for new plantings in 2022. | Maintains the annual line for setting area and criteria. | DRE |
| Ordinance No. 54-J/2023, of 27 February | 2023 | First complementary CAP Strategic Plan regime for vineyard restructuring and conversion. | Historic piece of the CAP Strategic Plan regime, later revised. | DRE |
| Order No. 2685/2023, of 27 February | 2023 | Rules for new plantings in 2023. | Completes the annual series of the authorisations regime. | DRE |
| Order No. 1721/2024, of 13 February | 2024 | Rules for new plantings in 2024. | Very useful for the recent practice of the authorisations regime. | DRE |
| Order No. 10355/2024, of 2 September | 2024 | Authorisation to increase the natural potential alcoholic strength by volume in 2024-2025. | Relevant for the oenological practice of enrichment. | DRE |
| Ordinance No. 315/2024/1, of 5 December | 2024 | Complementary national rules for vineyard restructuring and conversion interventions. | Currently the central national instrument for restructuring and conversion on the mainland. | DRE |
| Order No. 2655/2025, of 26 February | 2025 | Rules for new plantings in 2025. | Continuity of the annual authorisations regime. | DRE |
| Order No. 9244/2025, of 5 August | 2025 | Authorisation to increase the natural alcoholic strength for 2025-2026. | Acts directly on authorised oenological practice. | DRE |
| Resolution of the Council of Ministers No. 133/2025, of 9 September | 2025 | Action Plan for the Sustainable Management and Enhancement of the Wine Sector of the Douro Demarcated Region. | Highly relevant policy-programmatic instrument for the Douro. | DRE |
| Decree-Law No. 106/2025, of 15 September | 2025 | Statute of the PDOs and PGIs of the Douro Demarcated Region. | Highly relevant for Porto, Douro and the wine spirit of the DDR. | DRE |
| Ordinance No. 94/2026/1, of 27 February | 2026 | Third amendment to Ordinance No. 348/2015. | Latest relevant update of the authorisations regime identified to date. | DRE |
| Order No. 2981/2026, of 9 March | 2026 | Rules, criteria and procedures for new vine plantings in 2026. | Most recent annual act of the authorisations regime. | DRE |
Practical observations on the national layer
- Labelling: the national reading should start with Ordinance No. 26/2017 and then move to the European framework, in particular 1308/2013, 2019/33 and 2021/2117.
- Planting and vine-growing potential: the national core lies in Decree-Law No. 176/2015 and Ordinance No. 348/2015, always in consolidated version and cross-checked with the annual orders.
- Certification and control: Decree-Law No. 61/2020 is the entry point for the national certification system for PDO and PGI products.
- CAP Strategic Plan support: for vineyard restructuring and conversion, the current practical reference is Ordinance No. 315/2024.
- Douro: the pairing of CMR No. 133/2025 and Decree-Law No. 106/2025 warrants a dedicated reading whenever the issue relates to Porto, Douro or the crisis/oversupply in the region.
OIV and international references
The OIV does not replace European Union positive law nor Portuguese law, but its standards are highly relevant for technical interpretation, international comparison and understanding of wine categories, oenological practices, labelling and analytical methods.
International Code of Oenological Practices
Defines wine products and compiles oenological practices and treatments accepted under the OIV framework.
International Oenological Codex
Compiles monographs and specifications on substances, products and reagents used in oenology.
Compendium of International Methods of Wine and Must Analysis
International analytical reference for methods of analysis of wines and musts.
Reading pathways
Each pathway below crosses legal sources with thematic pages and editorial archive entries.
Labelling and presentation
Start with 2021/2117, 2019/33, 1169/2011 and Ordinance No. 26/2017.
Open ThemesPDO / PGI and name protection
Cross-check 1308/2013, 2019/33, 2019/34, the Douro regime and the relevant case law.
Open JurisprudencePlanting and vine-growing potential
Read together 176/2015, consolidated 348/2015, 2018/273, 2018/274 and the annual orders.
Open ArchiveSupport, implementation and compliance
Focus on 2021/2115, 2022/126, Ordinance No. 315/2024 and the administrative practice of IFAP / IVV.
Open Wine Map