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Wine - Verification

If you are a wine verifier, or have a wine standards management plan, you need to be familiar with the verification system established under the Wine Act 2003.

Verification – what it is

Verification is the process of checking compliance of a wine business with the requirements of the Wine Act 2003. Verifiers do this by assessing whether winemakers are following their registered wine standards management plan and any relevant export requirements under the Wine Act.

Wine standards management plans

Exporting wine from New Zealand

The purposes of verification are to:

• determine whether the winemaker is meeting the regulatory requirements relevant to their operations

• give the verifier confidence that the winemaker will be able to meet these requirements in the period between the current and the next verification.

Wine Act verification is a ‘systems’ verification. This means that the verifier examines the systems and processes to decide whether or not these ensure that all wine produced will comply with the standards and requirements of the Wine Act. The focus of wine verification is on the integrity of the systems and processes, rather than inspection.

Compliance with wine standards and export requirements must be verified every year for exporters. It is the wine standards management plan operator’s responsibility to ensure that verification occurs prior to the annual deadline.

Verifiers - recognised persons

Verification can only be performed by persons who have been recognised as verifiers under the Wine Act 2003. Verifiers must also be employed or engaged by an agency recognised under the Wine Act 2003.

Recognised persons (verifiers)

Recognised agencies

Becoming recognised to perform verification

Find out how to become a verifier (recognised person) and recognised agency – what the criteria are, how to apply, and how much it will cost.

Becoming recognised to perform verification

Performing verification

Learn more about verification requirements, verification outcomes, verification scope and verifier duties under the Wine Act.

Performing verification

Contact for wine verification enquiries

wine.query@nzfsa.govt.nz

Updated 19 May 2009