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New Zealand Grape Wine Export Code

1 Executive Summary

The Wine (New Zealand Grape Wine Export Eligibility Requirements) Notice 2006 came into force on 1 July 2006 and represents an important step in the implementation of the New Zealand Wine Act 2003 (the Act). The purpose of the New Zealand Grape Wine Export Code is to provide detailed supporting information to exporters, auditors and sensory evaluators to assist with the implementation of the Notice. It draws upon a number of existing procedures with which wine makers will already be familiar.

All New Zealand grape wine will need to demonstrate that it meets export eligibility requirements, and be issued with an Export Eligibility Statement before it can be exported from New Zealand. The export eligibility statement confirms that the wine:

• is free from obvious fault as determined by a panel of NZFSA authorised sensory evaluators; and

• has a related set of audited wine making records that enable traceability and accuracy of label statements to be determined.

This Code sets out in detail the implications and duties for wine makers/exporters, for auditors and for sensory evaluators to help ensure that export eligibility requirements are met.

Section 3: Information for Wine Makers/Exporters details the legal requirements of exporters as specified under the Wine Act 2003, and describes a three step process for attaining export eligibility. This includes the documentation and auditing of wine making records, submission of wine for sensory evaluation, and application for export eligibility approval.

A significant change for wine export certification which came into effect on 1 July 2006, is that wine that is not destined for a European Union Member State no longer needs to undergo laboratory analysis. However, wine that is destined for the European Union needs, in addition to meeting the export eligibility requirements, to undergo laboratory analysis in order to be issued with a VI-1 certificate that is required by EU markets. The European Union is currently the only market that has these specific laboratory analysis requirements.

Section 4: Information for Auditors details the purpose, scope and procedures for auditing wine making records. It also lays out the requirements for auditor qualifications.

Section 5: Information for Sensory Evaluators describes the procedures that must be followed in the conduct of a sensory evaluation and outlines the review process that can be undertaken if a wine is not shown to be free from obvious fault. All grape wine exported from New Zealand must be free from obvious fault as determined by a panel of sensory evaluators.