June 9 - The European Commission decided yesterday to come back on its decision to allow rosé wine to be produced by blending red and white wines.
“We are very happy with the decision, which will allow traditional European rosé wine producers to continue to produce a high-quality product; it also shows that the Commission is willing to listen to the main players in the European wine sector, that is to say producers and their cooperatives”, said Mr Pekka Pesonen, Copa-Cogeca’s Secretary General.
The Commission had proposed to relax the new CMO’s implementing rules, thus making it possible for rosé wine to be produced by blending red and white wines.
Copa-Cogeca opposed this proposal, which contradicted the European Union’s quality policy and would have caused major economic damage to traditional regions where rosé wines are produced.
For the record, rosé wine production accounts for just over 8.5% of world wine production. Three quarters of this is produced in Europe, amounting to 15 million hectolitres.