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TECHNICAL DEFINITIONS, REQUIREMENTS AND RESTRICTIONS (1) Flavouring (a) The following products are authorised for the flavouring of aromatised wines:

(i) natural flavouring substances and/or flavouring preparations as defined in Article 3(2)(c) and (d) of Regulation (EC) No 1334/2008;

(ii) flavourings as defined in Article 3(2)(a) of Regulation (EC) No 1334/2008, which:

— are identical to vanillin,

— smell and/or taste of almonds,

— smell and/or taste of apricots,

— smell and/or taste of eggs; and (iii) aromatic herbs and/or spices and/or flavouring foodstuffs; and (iv) spirit drinks in a quantity not exceeding 1 % of the overall volume.

(b) The following products are authorised for the flavouring of aromatised wine-based drinks and aromatised wine-product cocktails:

(i) flavouring substances and/or flavouring preparations as defined in Article 3(2)(b) and (d) of Regulation (EC) No 1334/2008; and (ii) aromatic herbs and/or spices and/or flavouring foodstuffs. Addition of such substances confers on the final product organoleptic characteristics other than those of wine.

(2) Sweetening The following products are authorised for the sweetening of aromatised wine products:

(a) semi-white sugar, white sugar, extra-white sugar, dextrose, fructose, glucose syrup, sugar solution, invert sugar solution, invert sugar syrup, as defined in Council Directive 2001/111/EC ();

(b) grape must, concentrated grape must and rectified concentrated grape must, as defined in points 10, 13 and 14 of Part II of Annex VII to Regulation (EU) No 1308/2013;

(c) burned sugar, which is the product obtained exclusively from the controlled heating of sucrose without bases, mineral acids or other chemical additives;

(d) honey as defined in Council Directive 2001/110/EC ();

(e) carob syrup;

(f) any other natural carbohydrate substances having a similar effect to those products.

(3) Addition of alcohol The following products are authorised for the preparation of some aromatised wines and, some aromatised wine-based drinks:

(a) ethyl alcohol of agricultural origin, as defined in Annex I, point 1, to Regulation (EC) No 110/2008, including viticultural origin;

(b) wine alcohol or dried grape alcohol;

(c) wine distillate or dried grape distillate;

(d) distillate of agricultural origin, as defined in Annex I, point 2, to Regulation (EC) No 110/2008;

(e) wine spirit, as defined in Annex II, point 4, to Regulation (EC) No 110/2008;

(f) grape-marc spirit, as defined in Annex II, point 6, to Regulation (EC) No 110/2008;

(g) spirit drinks distilled from fermented dried grapes. The ethyl alcohol used to dilute or dissolve colorants, flavourings or any other authorised additives used in the preparation of aromatised wine products must be of agricultural origin and must be used in the dose strictly necessary and is not considered as addition of alcohol for the purpose of production of an aromatised wine product.

(4) Additives and colouring The rules on food additives, including colours, laid down in Regulation (EC) No 1333/2008 apply to aromatised wine products.

(5) Addition of water For the preparation of aromatised wine products, the addition of water is authorised provided that it is used in the dose necessary:

— to prepare flavouring essence,

— to dissolve colorants and sweeteners,

— to adjust the final composition of the product.

The quality of the water added has to be in conformity with Directive 2009/54/EC of the European Parliament and of the Council () and Council Directive 98/83/EC (), and it should not change the nature of the product. This water may be distilled, demineralised, permuted or softened.

(6) For the preparation of aromatised wine products, the addition of carbon dioxide is authorised.

(7) Alcoholic strength ‘Alcoholic strength by volume’ means the ratio of the volume of pure alcohol contained in the product in question at a temperature of 20 °C to the total volume of that product at the same temperature. ‘Actual alcoholic strength by volume’ means the number of volumes of pure alcohol contained at a temperature of 20 °C in 100 volumes of the product at that temperature. ‘Potential alcoholic strength by volume’ means the number of volumes of pure alcohol at a temperature of 20 °C capable of being produced by total fermentation of the sugars contained in 100 volumes of the product at the same temperature. ‘Total alcoholic strength by volume’ means the sum of the actual and potential alcoholic strengths by volume.