Law on Vine and Wine to Improve Moldovan Wines’ Quality – experts

The new Law on Vine and Wine will contribute to the diversification of the first category range of wine and will halt falsifications, declared for Info-Prim Neo, the deputy chairman of the National Institute of Vine and Wine (NIVW), Nicolae Taran. According to the quoted source the previous law was totally changed, being adjusted to European standards. The new law includes many new terms and requirements, which will lead to the diversification of superior quality wines. Only for the wine area 20 new notions were included, as: select wine, quality, peasant, mature reserve wine, hybrid, and wine with well-known geographic indication, and the notion of natural sparkling wine was substituted with original sparkling wine. As well, strict stipulations regarding the increase of the alcohol concentration in wines – more than 11% for white wines and 12 % for red wines, according to the international requirements, were introduced. This fact will contribute, as well to the improvement of the quality of wines, states the deputy chairman of NIVW. The Law on Vine and Wine stipulates falsification fighting actions, by interdicting the use of natural flavors or dye. As well it is interdicted to produce wines out of lees and marc with sugar, and the use of any practices interdicted by the laws in force. At the same time, Nicoale Taran considers that the new Law is “too liberal”. “The present law of Vine and wine is a modern one, but it does not mention administrative sanctions for breaking its provisions, fact that could diminish the role and importance of the law. The only sanction is canceling the activity license in case of serious infringements. The general Secretary of the Science Academy of Moldova, Boris Gaina thinks that when the new law will be implemented, the Moldovan wines will become more competitive, inclusively on the EU market. According to him, the law will contribute to reducing the risk of a crisis as in the case with Russia. According to Gaina, one of the strongest point of the Law is the fact that for the first time limits to chemical indexes were set, which represent a tough condition imposed by EU and the International Office of Vine and Wine. “In case if on the EU or USA market these indexes are not respected the export of wine is to be stopped. Russia, Kazahstan and Belarus did not include them in the list of obligatory indexes”. According to Gaina, in order to become a competitive country with advanced wine market that could comply with the international standards and the standards of any country other changes in the wine area legislation will be needed, as a Wine Code. The quoted source referred, especially to more harsh norms regarding the technologic process, raw material, vineyards planting, wine purity etc. The new Vine and wine Law came into force on May 19, 2006.