4. Wine spirit

Wine spirit is a spirit drink which meets the following requirements: it is produced exclusively by the distillation at less than 86 % vol. of wine, wine fortified for distillation or wine distillate distilled at less than 86 % vol.; it has a volatile substances content equal to or exceeding 125 grams per hectolitre of 100 % vol. alcohol; it has a maximum methanol content of 200 grams per hectolitre of 100 % vol. alcohol. The minimum alcoholic strength by volume of wine spirit shall be 37,5 %. No addition of alcohol, diluted or not, shall take place. Wine spirit shall not be flavoured. This shall not preclude traditional production methods. Wine spirit may only contain added caramel as a means of adjusting the colour. Wine spirit may be sweetened in order to round off the final taste. However, the final product may not contain more than 20 grams of sweetening products per litre, expressed as invert sugar. Where wine spirit has been matured, it may continue to be placed on the market as ‘wine spirit’ provided that it has been matured for as long as, or longer than, the maturation period provided for in respect of the spirit drink defined under category 5. This Regulation shall be without prejudice to the use of the term ‘Branntwein’ in combination with the term ‘essig’ in the presentation and labelling of vinegar.

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Source: EUR-Lex (Cellar) · retrieved 2026-11-08 · Text as adopted (Official Journal); later amendments are not incorporated in this text.