ORDINANCE FOR THE MARKING AND THE COMMERCIAL PRESENTATION OF THE WINES, THE ALCOHOLIC BEVERAGES AND THE PRODUCTS OF GRAPES AND WINE

Prom. SG. 31/14 Apr 2000, amend. SG. 53/12 Jun 2001, amend. SG. 59/3 Jul 2001, amend. SG. 82/25 Sep 2001, amend. SG. 8/22 Jan 2002, amend. SG. 19/28 Feb 2003, amend. SG. 10/6 Feb 2004, amend. SG. 81/17 Sep 2004, amend. SG. 78/30 Sep 2005

Chapter one.

GENERAL PROVISIONS

Section I.

General rules for marking and commercial presentation

Art. 1. With the ordinance shall be provided the rules for marking wine, alcoholic beverages and products of grapes and wine.

Art. 2. (1) The rules for marking and commercial presentation of the beverages and the products of Art. 1 aim to protect the interests of the producers and the consumers, the good functioning of the market of wine and alcoholic beverages and the stimulation of the production of high quality products.

(2) The rules for the marking and the commercial presentation shall be applied for the beverages and the products of the ordinance preserved with objective selling and are offered on the market.

(3) (amend. SG 81/04) The rules for the marking and the commercial presentation shall be applied at labelling of the beverages and the products, at implementing enterings in the diaries under Art. 40b of the Law for the wine and the alcoholic beverages and in the accompanying documents of Art. 42, para of the Law for the wine and the alcoholic beverages.

(4) The rules for the marking and the commercial presentation shall be applied also when marks and scripts are made on the vessels where are preserved the beverages and the products of Art. 1, on the caps, the labels and the packing.

(5) On the labels of the wines and of the alcoholic beverages the compulsory indications shall be written in Bulgarian.

(6) The labelling shall not be obligatory for:

1. grapes or fruits transported from vineyard or orchard to place for vinification or processing;

2. wines and rakiyas for family consumption.

Art. 3. (1) The indications used for marking and commercial presentation of the beverages and the products of Art. 1 shall not mislead or lead to delusion the consumers about:

1. the character, the nature and the properties of the beverage or the product, their contents, including the actual alcohol content, the variety of the grapes, the vintage, the actual volume of the vessel;

2. the individuals or the corporate bodies who have participate in the production or in the commercial distribution of the beverages and the products.

(2) The indications used for marking and comme3rcial presentation shall not mislead or lead to delusion the consumers in the cases when:

1. have been translated and the true origin of the beverages and the products has been pointed out, or

2. they are accompanied by expressions as "kind", "type", "method", "imitation"; "mark", "style" or other similar names.

Art. 4. (1) Beverages and products which are not marked in compliance with the requirements of the ordinance cannot be offered on the market.

(2) Beverages and products designated for export can be marked in a way different from the one established in the ordinance under the condition that the legislation of the importing country admits it.

Section II.

Obligatory and facultative indications

Art. 5. At marking and commercial presentation of the beverages and the products shall be entered only the indications permitted by the ordinance.

Art. 6. The permitted indications shall be obligatory and facultative.

Art. 7. The obligatory and the facultative indications shall be grouped in one or more labels, attached, stuck on the vessel or written directly on it and shall be presented with clear, legible and undeletable letters.

Art. 8. No indications for marking and commercial presentation shall be the signs or the marks which:

1. are provided in the normative acts connected with tax levying;

2. indicate the producer of the vessel and the volume of the vessel;

3. are used for control over filling or bottling;

4. are used for identification of the product with digital code and/or machine readable symbol.

Chapter two.

LABELLING OF WINES

Section I.

Obligatory indications at labelling table wine, table wine with geographic indication, quality wine of certain region, effervescent wine, effervescent - fizzy wine, noble sweet wine and imported wine

Art. 9. (1) At labelling table wine, table wine with geographic indication, quality wine of certain region, effervescent wine, effervescent - fizzy wine, aromatised wine, liqueur wine, noble sweet wine and imported wine the following obligatory indications shall be entered:

1. commercial name of the wine;

2. nominal volume;

3. (new, SG 19/03) sign "e"

4. (prev. item 3 – SG 19/03) actual alcohol contents;

5. (prev. item 4 – SG 19/03) number of the production lot;

6. (prev. item 5 – SG 19/03) name (company), statute and headquarters of the producer and of the bottling centre;

7. (prev. item 6 – SG 19/03) name (company), statute and headquarters of the importer in cases of import;

(2) The indications of para 1 shall be entered at labelling the wines only if they meet the requirements of Art. 10 - 17.

(3) The company name and the headquarters of the producer, the importer and/or the person doing the bottling of the wine shall be written entirely, without abbreviations.

Art. 10. (1) The commercial name of the table wine is the name "table wine".

(2) The commercial name of table wine with geographic indication shall consist of the name "table wine" and the corresponding geographic indication.

(3) (amend. SG 59/01) The geographic indication for marking table wine which is coupage of wines produced from grapes originating from different viticulture regions could be used only under the condition that 85 percent of the wine originates from the viticulture region which name has the table wine.

(4) For table wine with geographic indication can be used the commercial name "regional wine". In this case the indication "table wine" is not obligatory.

Art. 11. (1) The commercial name of quality wine from certain region shall consist of the name of the region, micro - region or massif and one of the following indications:

1. "wine with guaranteed name for origin" or "wine with guaranteed and controlled name for origin";

2. "effervescent wine or "effervescent wine with guaranteed and controlled name for origin";

3. "liqueur wine with guaranteed name for origin" or "liqueur wine with guaranteed and controlled name for origin";

4. "noble sweet wine".

(2) The commercial name of a quality wine from certain region can be supplemented or substituted by specific traditional names of appendix No 1 (A).

(3) At labelling of quality wine from certain region depending on the conditions of its production defined in the act for its approval to the name of certain region, micro - region or massif can be added indications about the way of production and/or the name of the variety of the grapes or its synonym.

(4) The commercial name of quality wine imported in the country shall consist of the word "wine" supplemented by the name of the country of origin. When this wine is marked with geographic name different from the name of the country of origin in compliance with the requirements of the legislation of this country the word "wine" shall be accompanied by the corresponding geographic name.

Art. 12. (1) The name of the determined region with which is marked quality wine from certain region cannot be used for marking other wines or grapes products and wine which do not originate from this region.

(2) The name of certain region with which is marked quality wine from certain region can be used for marking table wine with geographic indication originating from this region.

Art. 13. At labelling of quality wine from certain region can be used sign according to appendix No 2.

Art. 14. (1) The commercial name of:

1. effervescent wine is "effervescent wine";

2. effervescent - fizzy wine is "effervescent - fizzy wine";

3. liqueur wine is "liqueur wine";

4. aromatised wine is "aromatised wine".

(2) The commercial name "aromatised wine" can be substituted by the indication "aperitif on wine basis".

(3) (revoked – SG 81/04)

(4) The commercial names of the varieties aromatised wines, under the condition that they meet the requirements of production determined in the Ordinance for the varieties of special wines and the rules for their production under Art. 13, para 2 of the Law for the wine and the alcoholic beverages shall be:

1. "vermouth";

2. (suppl. SG 53/01) "aromatised wine bitter" or, cinchona wine, "bitter wine" or "americano";

3. "aromatised wine on egg basis";

4. (new - SG 53/01) "vakeva viniglogi"

(5) The commercial names of aromatised beverages, under the condition that they meet the requirements for production determined in the Ordinance for the varieties of special wines and their production of Art. 13, para 2 of the Law for the wine and the alcoholic beverages shall be:

1. "sangria";

2. "clarea";

3. "tsura";

4. "bitter soda";

5. (new - SG 53/01) "calte ente";

6. (new - SG 53/01) "gluwein";

7. (new - SG 53/01) "viniglogi";

8. (new - SG 53/01) "maywein";

9. (new - SG 53/01) "μytrank";

10. (new – SG 81/04) "pelin"; aromatized beverage on the basis of wine can be marked with name "pelin" if it is produced in the Republic of Bulgaria by special technology; in the herb mixture, used in the production of "pelin" the share of the herbs of the variety "pelin" (Artemisia absinthium) is not less than 20 percen weight.

(6) (new - SG 53/01) The commercial names or aromatised cocktails of grapes and wine, under the condition, that they meet the requirements of production, defined in the Ordinance for the varieties of special wines and the rules for their production, are:

1. "cocktail on wine basis";

2. "fizzy grape aromatised drink".

(7) (prev. para 6 - SG 53/01) The commercial name of aromatised wine can be supplemented with geographic indication under the condition that the phase of production when the beverage achieves its specific or ultimate characteristics and properties is implemented in the corresponding geographic region.

Art. 15. The indication about the amount of the good shall be written in hectolitres (hl), litres (l), centilitres (cl) or mililitres (ml) and shall be expressed with a figure accompanied by the used measure or its symbol.

Art. 15a. (new, SG 19/03) The sign "e" shall be marked when the quantity of wine corresponds to the requirements for the net quantities of the pre-packed quantities with equal quantities determined by the Ordinance for the pre-packed quantities of products.

Art. 16. (1) The indication about the actual alcohol content shall be expressed with volume percentage

(vol. %).

(2) (amend. SG 82/01) The admissible positive or negative deviation from the actual alcohol content shall be expressed as three tenths.

Art. 17. The indication of the production lot shall be the Latin letter "L" accompanied by figures and/or letters including the consecutive number of the produced product determined by the producer and coding the date, the month and the year of bottling.

Section II.

Facultative indications at labelling table wine, table wine with geographic indication, quality wine of certain region, effervescent wine, effervescent - fizzy wine, aromatised wine, liqueur wine, noble sweet wine and imported wine

Art. 18. (1) At labelling table wine, table wine with geographic indication, quality wine of certain region, effervescent wine, effervescent - fizzy wine, aromatised wine, liqueur wine, noble sweet wine and imported wine the following facultative indications can be entered:

1. for table wine, table wine with geographic indication and quality wine of certain region:

a) type of the wine;

b) kind of the wine;

c) colour of the wine;

d) (revoked, SG 19/03)

e) recommendations for use of the wine;

f) data about the persons participated in the commercial turnover of the beverage;

g) name, headquarters and address of management of the distributor and/or the retail trader;

h) trade mark;

i) data about the history of the wine or of the production enterprise;

j) number of the certificate with which the producer is entered in the register at the National viticulture - winery chamber;

k) signs of the National viticulture - winery chamber;

l) signature of the master wine producer, photos of the master or of the team produced the wine;

2. for table wine with geographic indication and quality wine from certain region:

a) year of the vintage;

b) variety or varieties of grapes;

c) medals and distinctions;

d) indications connected with the way of production or obtaining the wine;

e) additional specific traditional names according to appendix No 1 (B);

3. for quality wine from certain region:

a) name of the micro - region or the massif;

b) traditionally used marks about the farm produced the grapes and implemented the vinification and the bottling.

(2) The facultative indications of para 1 can be used at labelling of effervescent wine, effervescent - fizzy wine, liqueur wine, aromatised wine and imported wine.

(3) The indications of para 1 can be entered at labelling the wines only if they meet the requirements of Art. 19 - 34.

Art. 19. The indications for type of wine are:

1. for quiet wine - "dry", "semi - dry", "semi - sweet" and "sweet";

2. for effervescent wine - "extra brut", "brut", "extra dry", "dry", "semi - dry" and "sweet".

Art. 20. The indications for kind of wine are: "quiet", "fizzy" and "special".

Art. 21. (1) The colour of the wine has to be result of the application of permitted enological practices and processing.

(2) The indications for colour of the wine are: "white", "rose" or "red".

(3) The indications for colour of the wine from import can be different from these pointed out in para 2 under the condition that the requirements of the legislation of the country producer have been observed.

Art. 22. (revoked, SG 19/03)

Art. 23. Recommendations for the use of wines refer to the meals with which is recommended the beverage to be served, the way of serving, information about the way of preparation of the beverage, information about the way of preservation of the beverage, information about the contained aromatic and/or taste additives, colouring agents and other ingredients characterising the beverage; recipes for cocktails etc.

Art. 24. The producer shall enter in the label the names of the persons participating in the commercial turnover of the wines only upon their written consent.

Art. 25. Indication about the year of the vintage shall be entered under the condition that the wine is obtained entirely from grapes from the year pointed out.

Art. 26. (1) To the indication "wine" can be added "new" or "young" only under the condition that the wine has been produced entirely from grapes obtained from one harvest and has been bottled till the end of the year.

(2) The wines can be sold with the indication "new" till March 1 of the following year. In this case on the labels shall obligatory be entered also the indication "term of sale - March 1, ...".

(3) after the elapse of the term of para 2 the wine cannot be marked and presented as "new" and the quantities of wine left in the commercial network shall obligatory be re - labelled after March 31 of the corresponding year in compliance with the requirements of the ordinance.

Art. 27. (1) The name of a variety, varieties of grapes or their synonyms can be entered at labelling wine under the condition that they have been classificated as permitted or recommended varieties of grapes by the order of the Ordinance for classification of the wine varieties of grapes and for classification of the varieties of vines under Art. 24, para 1 of the Law for the wine and the alcoholic beverages.

(2) At labelling of wine can be entered the name of variety of grapes under the condition that at least 85 percent of the wine has been produced from the variety of grapes pointed out and it is definitive for the character of the wine.

(3) The names of two varieties of grapes can be entered under the condition that the wine has been produced from these varieties of grapes.

(4) Wine produced from three and more varieties of grapes cannot have indication for variety of grapes.

(5) Wine from import can be marked with name of a variety or varieties of grapes under the condition that this indication is permitted by the legislation of the country of origin of the wine.

Art. 28. At labelling can be included indications for won medals and distinctions. On the label shall be written the name of the competition, the place and the year of conducting it.

Art. 29. (1) At labelling table wine with geographic indication can be used additional specific traditional names: "premium", "reserve" and "premium reserve".

(2) The indication "premium" can be entered under the condition that the wine:

1. has been produced from one variety of grapes;

2. is distinguished with the highest quality of the whole harvest, and

3. the quality is not more than 1/10 of the whole harvest.

(3) The indication "premium reserve" can be entered under the condition that the wine:

1. has been produced from one variety of grapes, and

2. is a preserved quantity from the best lot of the harvest, and

3. is realised on the market after depletion of the lot of item 2.

(4) The indication "reserve" can be entered under the condition that the wine:

1. has been produced from one variety of grapes, and

2. has matured at least one year assumed from November in the year of the harvest before offering on the market.

Art. 30. (1) At labelling of quality wine from certain region can be used additional specific traditional names: "baric", "premium oak" or "first filling in oak cask", "special reserve", "special selection", "collection", "rosenthaler".

(2) The indication "baric" can be entered under the condition that the alcoholic fermentation of the wine is made in oak cask with volume up to 500 l.

(3) The indication "premium oak" or "first filling in oak cask" can be entered under the condition that the maturing of the wine is made in a new oak cask with volume up to 500 l.

(4) The indication "special reserve" can be entered under the condition that the wine:

1. has been produced from one variety of grapes or is a coupage, and

2. has matured at least one year after the elapse of the term for maturing established in the act for approval the quality wine from certain region.

(5) The indication "special selection" can be entered under the condition that the wine:

1. has been produced from one variety of grapes or is a coupage, and

2. has matured at least two years after the elapse of the term for maturing established in the act for approval the quality wine from certain region.

(6) The indication "collection" can be entered under the condition that the wine:

1. meets the conditions of para 4, and

2. has matured in bottles at least one year after the depletion of the lot "special reserve", and

3. is in quantity not more than 1/2 of the lot "special reserve".

(7) (amend., SG 10/04) The indication "rosenthaler" can be entered at labelling of red wine under the condition that:

1. it has been produced from recommended varieties of grapes with sugar content not less than 22 weight percent;

2. the young wine has been separated from the solid part at alcohol content at least 11 volume percent, and

3. the ultimate character of the wine has been formed adding grapes must or concentrated grapes must at least 30 days before the expedition.

Art. 31. (1) For noble sweet wine can be used additional specific traditional names:

1. "gathering at full ripeness", "gathering at fully ripened grapes" or "selection of fully ripened bunches or berries";

2. "gathering of over - ripened grapes", "gathering of noble ripened grapes" or "gathering of over - ripened and botritised grapes";

3. "gathering of over - ripened and botritised grapes", "gathering of botritised grapes" or "selection of botritised bunches or berries";

4. "gathering of over - ripened and raisined grapes" and "selection of raisined bunches and berries".

5. (new – SG 8/02) "snow wine";

(2) The indications "gathering at full ripeness", "gathering at fully ripened grapes" or "selection of fully ripened bunches or berries" are used under the condition that the wine is produced from grapes with sugar content not less than 19 weight percent for the white and the rose wines and 21 weight percent for the red wines.

(3) The indications "gathering of over - ripened grapes", "gathering of noble ripened grapes" or "gathering of over - ripened and botritised grapes" are admissible only when the wine is produced from grapes with sugar content not less than 21 weight percent for the white and the rose wines and 23 weight percent for the red wines.

(4) The indications "gathering of over - ripened and botritised grapes", "gathering of botritised grapes" or "selection of botritised bunches or berries" are admissible only when the wine is produced from grapes on which has developed Botrytis cinarea.

(5) The indications "gathering of over - ripened and raisined grapes" and "selection of raisined bunches and berries" are admissible only when the wine is produced from grapes withered before gathering, with sugar content not less than 26 weight percent.

(6) (new – SG 8/02) The indication "snow wine" shall be used under the condition, that the wine has been produced from grapes, which is gathered at te falling of the first snow and it has sugar content not less than 22weight percent.

Art. 32. The use of the name of micro - region and massif is admissible under the condition that the wine is produced from grapes which has entirely be obtained from the defined micro - region or massif.

Art. 33. (1) The use of indication about the farm produced the grapes is admissible under the condition that:

1. The grapes from which the wine is produced is obtained from vineyards located on the territory of this farm;

2. the vinification was made at the farm, and

3. the ready wine was bottled in vessels with volume up to 2 litres at that farm.

(2) The indications containing words as "Castle", "Farm", "Monastery", "Fortress", "Cellar", "The grapes was grown by ..." and other indications creating image about vineyard and cellar where the grapes and the wine were obtained, can be used only under the conditions of para 1.

Art. 34. (1) (prev. text of art. 34 – SG 8/02) The wines from import cannot have the geographic names included in the list of appendix No 3.

(2) (new – SG 8/02) The names "Danube valley", "Black sea region", "Rose valley", Trachean valley" and "Strouma valley" shall be used for marking the regional wines.

(3) (new – SG 8/02)The geographic names of para 2 shall include regions within the administrative – territorial units according to appendix No 3.

Section III.

Obligatory indications for sparkling and sparkling - fizzy wine

Art. 35. (1) At labelling of sparkling and sparkling - fizzy wine shall be entered the following obligatory indications:

1. commercial name;

2. nominal volume;

3. (new, SG 19/03) sign "e";

4. (prev. item 3 – SG 19/03) type of the wine;

5. (prev. item 4 – SG 19/03) actual alcohol content;

6. (prev. item 5 – SG 19/03) number of the lot.

(2) At labelling of sparkling and sparkling - fizzy wine which is produced in Bulgaria shall be entered the data of para 1 and the name, the statute and the headquarters of the producer.

(3) At labelling of sparkling and sparkling - fizzy wine which is produced at a place different from the headquarters of the producer shall be entered the data of para 1 and 2 and the name of the municipality where the production was made.

(4) At labelling of sparkling and sparkling - fizzy wine which is produced outside Bulgaria shall be entered apart from the data of para 1 - 3 also:

1. the name, the statute and the headquarters of the importer, and

2. the name of the country of production.

(5) At labelling of quality sparkling wine and of quality sparkling wine of certain region, produced in the country or from import shall be entered the data of para 1 - 4 and the name of the determined region or of other geographic unit different from the determined region. The entering of these indications for wines of import shall be admissible under the condition that the conditions for its production are recognised as equal with these in the Republic of Bulgaria by the order of the Ordinance for the rules for production of sparkling and effervescent wines and the order for use of permitted sweetening means, aromatic and tasting additives under Art. Art. 12, para 2 of the Law for the wine and the spirit beverages.

(6) At labelling of quality sparkling wine obtained from aromatic varieties of grapes shall be entered the data of para 1 - 5 and the name of the variety of grapes from which it has been obtained or the text "obtained from aromatic varieties of grapes".

(7) The indications of para 6 shall be entered at labelling of the wines only if they meet the requirements of Art. 36 - 40

Art. 36. (1) the commercial name of of :

1. sparkling wine is "sparkling wine";

2. quality sparkling wine is "quality sparkling wine";

3. quality sparkling wine with guaranteed name of origin is "quality sparkling wine with guaranteed name of origin";

4. quality sparkling wine with guaranteed and controlled name of origin is "quality sparkling wine with guaranteed and controlled name of origin";

5. quality sparkling wine obtained from aromatic varieties of grapes is "quality aromatic sparkling wine" or "quality wine obtained from aromatic varieties of grapes";

6. sparkling wine from import is "sparkling wine" or "quality sparkling wine from certain region", when the conditions for its production are recognised as equal with these in the Republic of Bulgaria by the order of the Ordinance for the rules for production of sparkling and effervescent wines and the order for use of permitted sweetening means, aromatic and tasting additives under Art. Art. 12, para 2 of the Law for the wine and the spirit beverages.

7. sparkling - fizzy wine is "sparkling - fizzy wine" or "wine obtained with adding of hydrogen dioxide".

(2) The commercial name of quality sparkling wine, quality sparkling wine with guaranteed name of origin and quality sparkling wine with guaranteed and controlled name of origin can be supplemented or substituted by specific traditional names according to appendix No 1 (A).

Art. 37. (suppl., SG 19/03) The provisions of Art. 15, 15a, 16 and 17 shall be applied also for the sparkling wines.

Art. 38. (1) The indications for the type of sparkling and fizzy - sparkling wine depending on the content of residual sugar and at observing the Law for the wine and the alcohol beverages shall be: "extra brut", "brut", "extra dry", "dry", "semi - dry", "sweet".

(2) The indications of para 1 for quality aromatic sparkling wine can be substituted by indications for sugar content expressed as gram per litre.

Art. 39. (1) The name of certain region or of other geographic unit different from the determined region shall be entered at the labelling of quality sparkling wine or of quality sparkling wine from certain region under the condition that:

1. it meets the requirements for production determined in the Ordinance for the conditions to be met by the quality wines from certain region, the order and the way for their approval and the order of the Ordinance for the rules for production of sparkling and effervescent wines and the order for use of permitted sweetening means, aromatic and tasting additives under Art. Art. 12, para 2 of the Law for the wine and the spirit beverages.

2. the wine materials from which the wine has been obtained originate entirely from this region except the liqueur.

(2) The name of geographic unit smaller than the determined region could be entered at the labelling of quality sparkling wine and of quality sparkling wine from certain region at observing the requirements of para 1 and under the condition that at least 85 percent of the wine materials from which the wine has been obtained originate from this geographic unit.

Art. 40. The company name and the headquarters of the producer, the importer and/or the person who does the bottling of the wine, shall be written fully, without abbreviations.

Section IV.

Facultative indications for sparkling and sparkling - fizzy wine

Art. 41. (1) At labelling sparkling and sparkling - fizzy wine obtained in the country or from import the following facultative indications can be entered:

1. name, headquarters and address of the management of the distributor and/or the retail trader;

2. trade mark;

3. medals and distinctions;

4.variety or varieties of grapes;

5. (revoked, SG 19/03)

6. data about the history of the wine or of the production enterprise;

7. data about the persons who have participated in the commercial turnover of the beverage;

8. recommendations for the use of the wine;

9. markings connected with the way of production or obtaining of the wine;

10. number of the certificate with which the producer is entered in the register of the National viticulture - wine chamber;

11. signs of the National viticulture - wine chamber;

12. signature of the master wine producer, photos of the master or the team produced the wine;

13. year of the vintage;

14. name of the micro - region and the massif;

15. name and headquarters of the enterprise or the farm produced the grapes or implemented the vinification;

16. additional specific traditional names according to appendix No 1 (B).

(2) The indications of para 1, items 13 - 16 can be used at labelling quality sparkling wine from certain region.

(3) The indications of para 1 shall be entered at labelling the wines only if they meet the requirements of Art. 42 - 49.

Art. 42. The provisions of Art. 22, 23, 24, 28, 32 and 33 shall also be applied for sparkling and sparkling - fizzy wine.

Art. 43. (1) The name of variety, varieties of grapes or their synonyms can be entered at labelling of sparkling and sparkling - fizzy wine under the condition that they are classificated as permitted or recommended by the order of the Ordinance for the rules for classification of the wine varieties of vines and for classification of the varieties of vines under Art. 24, para 1 of the Law for the wine and the alcoholic beverages.

(2) At labelling of sparkling and sparkling - fizzy wine can be entered the name of a variety of grapes under the condition that:

1. at least 85 percent of the wine is produced from the variety of grapes pointed out and it is determining for the character of the wine, and

2. the process of obtaining sparkling and sparkling - fizzy wine calculated from the moment of turning the wine into sparkling or sparkling - fizzy and including the period of maturing cannot be shorter than 90 days, and

3. duration of the fermentation of the wine materials is at least 60 days or 30 days - when the fermentation has been done in vessels with means for stirring.

(3) The provision of para 2, item 1 shall not refer to the liqueur.

(4) The provisions of para 1, items 2 and 3 shall not refer to sparkling aromatic wine.

(5) Two or three varieties of grapes can be entered at labelling the naturally sparkling wines observing the requirements of para 2, items 2 and 3 and under the condition that the wine has been obtained entirely from the varieties of grapes pointed out.

(6) The provision of para 5 shall not refer to the liqueur.

Art. 44. Year of the vintage shall be entered at the labelling under the condition that the wine has been obtained at least 85 percent from grapes from one vintage except the liqueur.

Art. 45. At labelling of quality sparkling wine or of quality sparkling wine from certain region obtained in the country or from import which conditions of production are recognised as equal with the condition of production in the Republic of Bulgaria by the order of the Ordinance for the rules for production of sparkling and effervescent wines and the order for use of permitted sweetening means, aromatic and tasting additives under Art. Art. 12, para 2 of the Law for the wine and the spirit beverages, the following indications about the way of obtaining the wine can be entered:

1. "fermentation in bottle";

2. "fermentation in bottle along the traditional method", "traditional method", "classic traditional method";

3.indication about method for obtaining of the wine containing the name of certain geographic region or other geographic unit.

Art. 46. The indication "fermentation in bottle" can be entered at the labelling of wines under the condition that:

1. the wine has become sparkling by implementing secondary alcohol fermentation in bottle;

2. the process of obtaining the sparkling wine, calculated from the moment of turning the wine in sparkling one and including the period of maturing, cannot be shorter than 9 months;

3. the fermentation process turning the wine in sparkling one and the duration of maturing in yeast cannot be shorter than 90 days, and

4. the sediments of the end product have been separated by filtration according to the method of transvasion and degorging.

Art. 47. The indication "fermentation in bottle along the traditional method", "traditional method", "classic traditional method" are to be entered at the labelling of wines under the condition that the wine:

1. the wine has become sparkling by implementing secondary alcohol fermentation in bottle;

2. has matured in the yeast of the enterprise of obtaining during a period at least 9 months;

3. has been separated from the sediments by the method of degorging.

Art. 48. (1)The additional specific traditional name "premium" can be used at labelling quality sparkling wines under the conditions of Art. 29, para 2.

(2) The additional specific traditional name "reserve" can be used at labelling quality sparkling wines under the condition that the wine has been produced from one variety of grapes or is coupage and has matured at least one year assumed from November in the year of the vintage.

Art. 49. (1) The sparkling wines shall be preserved for sale and be sold in bottles.

(2) The bottles where are preserved the sparkling wines shall be from glass and closed with cork plugs or with plugs made of other appropriate material permitted for contact with food products. The plugs shall be fixed to the bottles with baskets and covered entirely with paper that holds entirely or partially the gorge of the bottle.

(3) For closing bottles with nominal content 0.20 litres or less also other appropriate means can be used.

Chapter three.

LABELLING OF ALCOHOLIC BEVERAGES

Section I.

Obligatory indications for alcoholic beverages

Art. 50. At labelling of alcoholic beverages the following obligatory indications shall be entered:

1. commercial name of the beverage;

2. nominal amount;

3. (new, SG 19/03) sign "e";

4. (prev. item 3 – SG 19/03) actual alcohol content of the beverage;

5. (suppl. SG 8/02; prev. item 4 – SG 19/03) number of the production lot and of the technical specification of the drink;

6. (prev. item 5 – SG 19/03) name (company), statute and headquarters of the producer;

7. (prev. item 6 – SG 19/03) name (company), statute and headquarters of the bottling enterprise when the beverage has been bottled or poured in vessels with volume 60 litres or less;

8. (pre. item 7 – SG 19/03) name (company), statute and headquarters of the importer and of the producer in the case of import;

9. (prev. item 8 – SG 19/03) country of origin of the beverage;

10. (prev. item 9 – SG 19/03, amend. SG 81/04) number of the certificate for registration of the producer of spirit beverages when it is produced, bottled or poured in vessels in the Republic of Bulgaria and is offered for sale or consumption on its territory;

11. (prev. item 10 – SG 19/03) content of ethyl alcohol in the cases when it has been used in the production of the alcoholic beverage.

Art. 51. (1) The commercial names of the alcoholic beverages shall be "rum"; "whisky"; "rakiya"; "mastika"; "anise spirit beverage"; grain spirit beverage"; wine spirit beverage"; "brandy"; "spirit beverage from grape yeast"; fruit spirit beverage"; "spirit beverage of raisins"; "apple and pair spirit beverage"; "gin"; "juniper spirit beverage"; "spirit beverage from gentian"; "bitter"; "vodka"; "liqueur"; "tequila"; "arak"; "sake".

(2) The commercial names of the alcoholic beverages of para 1 shall be used at their marking under the condition that the beverages met the requirements of the Ordinance for determining the definitions of the kinds of alcoholic beverages and the rules for their production, the permitted additives and the conditions for their use under Art. 36 of the Law for the wine and the alcoholic beverages.

(3) (new - SG 53/01) At mixing two or more alcoholic beverages or an alcoholic beverage with a soft drink, beer, wine or products of grapes and wine, the obligatory indication "cocktail" shall be entered.

(4) (prev. para 3 - SG 59/01, amend., - SG 78/05, in force from 01.01.2005) A beverage which does not meet the requirements of the Ordinance for the determining of the kinds of alcoholic beverages and the rules for their production, the permitted additives and the conditions for their use under Art. 36 of the Law for the wine and the alcoholic beverages shall be labelled "alcoholic beverage" under the condition that its content is preliminary approved by the Minister of Health and the technology of production has been approved by the Minister of Economy and Energy.

Art. 52. (suppl., SG 19/03) The provisions of Art. 15, 15a, 16 and 17 shall also be applied for the alcoholic beverages.

Art. 53. At labelling an alcoholic beverage for the production of which ethyl alcohol of agricultural origin has been used the raw material from which the ethyl alcohol is obtained and its content shall be entered. If two or more ethyl alcohols with agricultural origin are used their content shall be entered in descending order according to the quantity input in the production.

Section II.

Facultative indications about the alcohol beverages

Art. 54. (1) At labelling of an alcoholic beverage the following facultative indications can be entered:

1. the name of the geographic region where the beverage has been produced;

2. (suppl., SG 10/04) the name of the fruit or the fruits, or the name of the raw material from which the beverage has been produced;

3. the trade mark;

4. recommendations for the use of the beverage;

5. medals and distinctions;

6. way of maturing of the beverage;

7. way of production;

8. (new – SG 81/04) multiplicity of the distillation;

9. (prev. 8 – SG 81/04) information about the history of the beverage and of the production enterprise;

10. (prev. 9 – SG 81/04) data about the persons participated in the commercial turnover of the beverage;

(2) The indications of para 1 shall be entered at labelling alcoholic beverages if only they meet the requirements of Art. 55 - 62.

Art. 55. (1) The commercial name of the alcoholic beverage can be supplemented with geographic indication under the condition that the phase of production from obtaining the raw material to the obtaining of the specific or ultimate characteristic properties has been implemented in the geographic region pointed out.

(2) The commercial name of alcoholic beverage can be supplemented with geographic indication for the corresponding beverage according to appendix No 4.

Art. 56. (1) (amend. and suppl., SG 10/04) The name of the fruit or the raw material from which the alcoholic beverage has been obtained can be entered at the labelling under the condition that it has been produced from the fruit or raw material pointed out.

(2) The indication "fruit alcoholic beverage" or "fruit rakiya" can be entered at labelling under the condition that the alcoholic beverage has been obtained a result of the distillation of two or more kinds of fruits.

(3) At the distillation of two or more kinds of fruits their names shall be entered in descending order according to the quantity input in the production.

Art. 57. Indication about the way of obtaining the alcoholic beverage can be "blended".

Art. 58. The provisions of Art. 22, 23, 24 and 28 shall be applied also for the alcoholic beverages.

Art. 59. Indication about maturing or ageing of whisky shall be the number of years. As zero year shall be considered the year of distillation.

Art. 60. Indications for maturing or ageing of brandy are:

1. up to three years - stars, each corresponding to the years of maturing; as zero shall be considered the year of distillation;

2. over 3 years the number of years shall be written.

Art. 61. At labelling alcoholic beverage rakiya or brandy can be entered additional specific traditional names:

1. "matured"- for rakiya matured not less than 6 months;

2. "old" - for rakiya or brandy matured not less than 3 years;

3. "special" - for rakiya or brandy produced with special technology different from the way of production described in the ordinance for determining the kinds of alcoholic beverages and the rules for their production, the permitted additives and conditions for their use under Art. 36 of the Law for the wine and the alcoholic beverages, or from special varieties of grapes or fruits;

4. "reserve" - for rakiya or brandy produced from distillates matured in oak casks, the average age of the coupage being not less than 5 years;

5. "special reserve" - for rakiya or brandy produced from distillates matured in oak casks, the average age of the coupage being not less than 10 years.

Art. 62. Indication about the way of use of the alcoholic beverages before meal is "aperitif". This indication can substitute the indication "alcoholic beverage".

Chapter four.

MARKING OF PRODUCTS FROM GRAPES AND WINE

Art. 63. The commercial name of:

1. fresh grapes is "fresh grapes";

2. grapes must is "grapes must";

3. partially fermented grapes is "partially fermented grapes";

4. spirited grapes must or mistel is "spirited grapes must or mistel";

5. concentrated grapes must is "concentrated grapes must";

6. concentrated rectified grapes must is "concentrated rectified grapes must";

7. grapes juice is "grapes juice";

8. concentrated grapes juice is "concentrated grapes juice";

9. young wine in process of fermentation is "young wine in process of fermentation";

10. wine fir for production of table wine is "wine fir for production of table wine";

11. wine sediments is "wine sediments";

12. non fermented grapes marc is "non fermented grapes marc";

13. fermented grapes marc is "fermented grapes marc";

14. vinasa is "vinasa";

15. piquette is "piquette";

16. strengthened wines is "strengthened wines";

17. wine vinegar is "wine vinegar".

18. (new – SG 8/02) wine distillate is "wine distillate".

Art. 64. At marking the products from grapes and wine of Art. 63 the following obligatory indications shall be entered:

1. for the products of items 1, 2, 3, 4, 6, 7, 8, 9 and 13 shall be entered indication about sugar content expressed in weight percentage;

2. (amend. SG 8/02) for the products of items 5, 10, 12, 14, 16, 17 and 18 shall be entered indication about alcohol content expressed in volume percentage;

3. for wine vinegar shall be entered indication about total acid content expressed as acetic acid in volume percentage.

Additional provisions

§ 1. In the context of the ordinance:

1. "Labelling" is the totality of indications, signs, illustrations or marks as well as any other marking, that characterise the product, which are on, or are stuck on the vessel, including the means for closing or hanging object attached to the vessel.

2. "Production lot" is the quantity of beverage with common name, produced under one and the same conditions, with equal quality characteristics, produced, bottled or poured in vessels under practically equal conditions, designated for approval and delivery as a whole and registered with common analysis certificate.

3. "Adding of ethyl alcohol" is manipulation consisting in adding ethyl alcohol of agricultural origin to alcoholic beverage.

4. "Blended" is manipulation consisting in mixing two or more alcoholic beverages belonging to one and the same kind which differ one from another in some insignificant components of their content. The differences in the content of the alcoholic beverages are result of the application of different methods for obtaining them, used apparatus, facilities for distillation, duration of maturing or ageing or geographic zone of production. The obtained alcoholic beverage after the manipulation is of the kind of the initial alcoholic beverages.

5. "Coupage" or "coupaging" of alcoholic beverages is the obtaining of alcoholic beverage by mixing two or more different alcoholic beverages.

6. "Maturing" or "ageing" is a process implemented in vessels where reactions take place in natural way. As result of this process the alcoholic beverage obtains new organoleptic properties.

7. "Traditional name" is a name which is traditionally used and which refers to the way of production or the quality or the colour or the type or the way or the duration of maturing or ageing of the wine or the alcoholic beverage. The traditional names can be specific traditional names and additional specific traditional names.

Transitional and concluding provisions

§ 2. Wines and alcoholic beverages in commercial sites and in storage premises which have been bottled, marked and presented in a way that does not meet the requirements of the ordinance shall be released on the market till the depletion of the existing quantities.

§ 3. The producers cam mark and present the existing lots for export till their depletion but not later than June 1, 2000 in the way they have marked and presented them till the ordinance enters into force.

§ 4. (amend., - SG 78/05, in force from 01.01.2005) The implementation of the ordinance shall be assigned to the Minister of Economy and Energy and to the Minister of Agriculture and Forestry.

§ 5. The ordinance is approved pursuant to Art. 45 of the Law for the wines and the alcoholic beverages.