Once unthinkable in the homeland of Chianti and Barolo, dealcoholized wine now has official approval. A new decree sets the tax framework for production, signaling cultural and economic change in Italy’s wine landscape.
The Italian Ministry of Agriculture presented a proposed law for the production of non-alcoholic wines at the end of 2024. Now the time may have actually come: The Ministry of Finance and Agriculture in Rome has signed a decree officially establishing the tax framework for the domestic production of non-alcoholic wines.
Although alcohol-free wine has been officially considered wine in the EU since 2021, Italy resisted the implementation of the regulation for a long time. Many tradition-conscious winegrowers saw this as a threat to Italian wine culture.
The growing popularity of non-alcoholic and low-alcohol wines paved the way for the production of such wines, but there was no clear legal framework for it. The decree that has now been signed provides clarity on excise duties, permits and distribution. It also regulates approval, storage, administrative obligations, and transportation regulations.
In view of the interest in wines with a lower alcohol content, representatives of the wine industry expressly welcome the move. You can now concretize ongoing projects.
