GENERAL RULES - CLASSIFICATIONS OF ORIGIN

DESIGNATIONS, TYPICAL GEOGRAPHIC INDICATIONS

AND ENFORCEMENT FIELD

Designation of origin and typical

Art. 1 -
geographic indication
1.The wines' designation of origin means
the geographic name of a viticultural
area, designating a quality and
renowned product, whose characteristics
are due to the natural environment and
human factors.
2.The typical geographic indication of
wines means the geographic name of an
area, designating the product coming
from.
3.The designations of origin and the
typical geographic indications are
reserved for the musts and wines, in
accordance whith the rules provided by
the current law.
4.The "wine-based fancy drinks", the
"grape-juice fancy drinks", the
unfermented grape-juices, the flavoured
viticultural products, as well as the
gassed sparkling wines and the gassed
"spumante" wine can not use
designations of origin and typical
geographic indications in their
designation and presentation.

Art. 2 - Use of the designations of origin and

typical geographic indications
1.The designations of origin and their sub-
areas, as well as the typical geographic
indications, mentioned in Art. 1, are used
to designate wines coming from many
growers, except the legal status
consolidated by the previous rules. As
an exception, bearing in mind the
particular environmental conditions of
some microareas, even if they are
included in a single estate, giving an
extremely high quality product of
national interest, with the object of the
image promotion of the Italian wine
abroad, the name of the sub-area may
be granted to the wine, as well as an
autonomous rule of production, with a
more restrictive regulation about the
existing designation of origin or typical
geographic indication or a new one. In
the designation, the name of the sub-
area may precede or follow the
designation of origin or the typical
geographic indication. As regards the
grant of the sub-area, the National
Committee, mentioned in Art. 17,
decreos by the majority of 3/4 of its
members.
2.The geographic name, being the
designation of origin or the typical
geographic indication and the other
reserved mentions can not be used to
designnte similar or alternative products
to those ones defined in paragraph 1,
nor, however, be used in order to cause
confusion to customers while choosing
the products.
3.Il nome geografico, che costituisce la
denominazione di origine, e le altre
 menzioni riservate, non possono essere
impiegati per designare prodotti similari
o alternativi a quelli definiti ai paragrafi
precedenti.

Art. 3 - Classification of origin designations

and typical geographic indications
1.The designations of origin and the
typical geographic indications,
mentioned in Art. 1, as regards the
products ruled by the present law, are
the following:
a) controlled and warranted designations
of origin (DOCG);
b) controlled designations of origin
(DOC);
c) typical geographic indications (IGT).

2.The musts and wines may use the

DOCG, DOC and IGT.
3.The DOCG and DOC are the traditional
specific definitions used in Italy to
designate the VQPRD (quality wines
produced in specific regions). The wines
may use also the following designations:
VSQPRD (quality "Spumante" wines
produced in specific regions) in
accordance with the rules of the
European Economic Community (EEC);
VLQPRD (quality sweet wines produced
in specific regions); VFQPRD (quality
sparkling wines produced in specific
regions). The EEC definitions are
additional and do not replace Italian
ones.
4.The IGT definition may be replaced by
"Vin de pays" for the wines produced in
the french bilingual Aosta Valley and by
 "Landweine" as regards the wines
produced in the German-speaking
province of Bolzano.

Art. 4 - Territorial areas

1.The DOCG and DOC mean the
geographic names and the geographic
definitions of the corresponding
production areas which are used to
designate the wines, in accordance with
Art. 1, whose characteristics depend on
the natural conditions, together with the
viticultural vocation.
2.On grant of the designation and
viticultural area limits, the
abovementioned production areas may
include, apart from the designated
territory, also adjacent or neighbouring
areas, if they have the same
vines,environmental conditions and
growing techniques, provided that the
wines have the same chemical-physical
and organoleptic characteristics, at least
since ten years.
3.In a production area, there may be
narrower areas, called sub-areas, having
some specific environinental
characteristics or which are traditionally
known, called with a specilic geographic
of historic-geographir, name, even
administratively important, provided that
they are explicitly and strictly ruled by
the regulations of production and
combined with the relative designation of
origin.
The DOC sub-areas may be promoted to
DOCG one by one or together with the
main DOC.
 4.The designations of origin may be
followed, after the DOCG or DOC
caption, by the names of vines, specific
definitions, references to particular wine-
making techniques and
specificqualifications of the product.
The abovementioned additional
delinitions must be pvovided by the
regulations of production. Some,
derogations are admitted, as regards the
use of vine names in the DOC and
D0CG designations and presentations,
provided that they are justified by
confirmed historic and economic
reasons and included in the regulation.
The use of the vine name for the IGT
wines must he approved by an
Executive Order of the Minister of
Agriculture and Forests, upon advice of
the National Committee mentioned in
Art. 17, and it is coupled only to
geographic names of wide viticultural
areas.

Art. 5 - Specifications and definitions

1.The "classic" definition is roserved to still
wines coming from the oldest origin
area, wich may have an autonomous
regulation, even in the same DOCG or
DOC. As regards the, classic Chianti,
this historical area has been
circumscribed by the intragovernmental
executive order on july 31st 1932.
2.The "reserve" definition is given to still
wines subjected to an ageing period
expressly provided by the production
rules, normally two years at least. The
rules must fix, apart from other possible
 items, the need of the year, on the label,
and to keep it in case of blends of wines
of different years.
3.The "new" definition is reserved to the
wines in accordance with the conditions,
characteristics and requirements
provided by the Italian and EEC
legislation.
4.By an Executive Order of the Minister of
Agriculture and Forests, upon advices of
the concerned regions and the National
Committee mentioned in Art. 17, the
current requirements and conditions
about the use of additional definitions
may be modified, except the "classic"
definition, in order to enforce the EEC
rules or particular needs connected with
the evolution of the sector.

Art. 6 - Coexistence of different wines in the

same designations of origin
1.It is admitted that many DOCGs and
DOCGs refer to the same geographic
name, even to identify different wines,
provided that the production areas
include the territory known by the
abovementioned geographic name.
2.It is admitted that many different DOCG
or DOC wines coexist in the same
designation of origin, provided that the
DOCG wines:
a) are produced in sub-areas or in the
whole area of a specific DOC or they are
produced by vines included in a specific
vineyard register, mentioned in Art. 15;
the sub-areas must be circumscribed
and ruled by stricter production rules and
they must have separate vineyard
 registers;
b) or rather they concern particular
typologies coming from specific
ampelographic platform or processing
methods;
c) or they quote jointly or separately the
area and sub-area or the vine name, in
accordance with the specific rule.
3.The "vineyard" definition, with the
folowing name, may be used only in the
presentation and designation of DOC
and DOCG wines coming from the
viticultural area corresponding to the
toponym, included in the vineyard
register, in accordance with Art. 15, and
claimed in the yearly grapes production
declaration provided by Art. 16, on
condition that the wine-making of the
corresponding grapes is separately
made.

Art. 7 - Wine producing area with a typical

geographic name and change of
classification
1.The geographic names defining the
typical geographic indications must be
used to designate the wines whose
characteristics come from the production
areas, even including DOCG or DOC
areas, which are normally wide and
known by the relative geographic name
or an area indicating name, in
accordance with the Italian and EEC
rules about IGT wines. The area of
production of an IGT wine must include a
wide viticultural territory being
environmentally uniform and giving
homogeneous characteristics to the
 same wine, provided that it is in
everybody's interest the
acknowledgment of the produced wine.
2.By Executive Orders of the Minister of
the Agriculture and Forests, temporary
rules and exceptional derogations may
be granted, upon advice of the
concerned regions and the National
Committee, mentioned in Art. 17.
3.It is admitted the coexistence, in a same
production area, of many wines with a
designation of origin or a typical
geographic indication, even coming from
the same vineyards, on condition that
the entitled will make yearly, in
accordance with the relative rules of
production, a choice for each area
separately registered in each vine or
vineyard register, in accordance with Art.
15. This choice may concern
designations of the same or lower level,
included in the same production area.
4.If the abovementioned choice has been
made, the maximum yield, mentioned in
Art. 10, paragraph 1, letter c) can not
exceed the stricter limit among those
fixed by the different production rules.
5.It is admitted, afterwards, for the musts
and the wines, only a down-grading:
from DOCG to DOC to IGT. The down-
grading may be made only by the holder,
in accordance with the EEC rules. The
change of designation for each stock
must be communicated to the competent
Inspector's Office for the fraud
repression before the relative
compulsory registration.
6.The geographic names, or part of it, and
 the sub-areas designating the DOCG or
DOC wines can not designate IGT
wines.
7.It is admitted the chance of using names
of hamlets, or towns or administrated
areas or sub-areas, included in the
production area of DOCG or DOC wines
for the DOCG or DOC classified
productions, on condition that it is
explicitly provided a positive list in the
rules of production of the concerned
wines and it must occur in accordance
with the conditions and rules fixed by an
Executive Order of the Minister of the
Agriculture and Forests.
8.The blend of two or more
differentDOCG, DOC or IGT musts or
wines involves the, loss of the right to
use the designation of origin for the final
product which may however be
classified as IGT wine if he has the
proper characteristics.
9.By an Executive Order of the Minister of
the Agriculture, upon advice of the
concerned regions and the National
Committee mentioned in Art. 17, the
temporary use, not longer than five
years, of an already known IGT
connected to new vineyards which
surmounted the experimental phase and
are submitted to the acknowledgment as
recommended or authorized vineyards.
If EEC acknowledges these vineyards,
the use of the relative IGT is definitive.
 Legislative framing of DOC, DOCG and IGT
HEADING II

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RECOGNITION AND FORMALITIES ABOUT

GEOGRAPHC REFERENCES

Art. 8 - Acknowledgment of the designations of

origin and typical geographic indications.
Passage of the production rules
1.The DOCGs are reserved to particularly rare
wines, with a five years old DOC at least, as
regards their inherent quality characteristics in
comparison with the average of other wines,
due to the influence of traditional natural,
human and historical factors, which are
nationally and internationally renowned and
traded.
2.The DOCs and IGTs are reserved to the
productions in accordance with Art. 1,
corresponding to the conditions and
requirements fixed in their rules of production.
3.The acknowledgment of the designations of
origin and typical geographic indications and
the limits of the relative production areas are,
made at the same time of the passage of the
relative rules of production, by an Executive
 Order of the Minister of the Agriculture and
Forests, upon similar advice of the National
Committee mentioned in Art. 17 and the
concerned regions.
4.The DOCGs and DOCs may be preceded by a
more general geographic name, even
historical, traditional or administrative one.
The separate wines keep their identity and the
chance of such a use must be explicitly
approved by an Executive Order of the
Minister of the Agriculture and Forests, upon
similar advice of the concerned region and the
National Committee mentioned in Art. 17.
5.The D0CG acknowledgment must provide
stricter viticultural and oenological rules than
DOC and a progressive shifting to sub-areas
or towns.
6.The ministerial decree mentioned in
paragraph 3 sets the date of coming in force
of the rules included in the production
regulations and may provide, if required, some
temporary laws.
7.The use of DOCGs and DOCs is forbidden for
the wines made completely or partially by
vines not included in the recommended or
authorized lists or coming from hybrids
between Vitis vinifera and other american or
asiatic species.
8.It is also forbidden, in Italy, the use of eating
grapes to make wines with a designation of
origin or typical geographic indication.
9.The designations of origin and the typical
geographic indications are lost when the
relative wine is anyway and anyhow blended
abroad with other wines, even if this practice
is admitted by the law of the country where it
is made or the final product is bottled.
Art. 9 - Revocation of the acknowledgment of
designations of origin and typical
geographic indications
1.The acknowledgment of the designations of
origin and typical geographic indications may
be revoked:
a) if the DOCG, the DOC or the IGT is not
activated within three years since the date of
coming in force of the production rules; b) if
the growers registered in the vineyard register,
mentioned in Art. 15, for five consecutive
years did not declare the grapes production in
accordance with Art. 16 or the designation has
been poorly used in the area, normally lower
than 35% of the registered surface for DOCGs
and 15% for DOCs; the registered vineyards
whose production is not declared since at
least three consecutive years, so they must be
cancelled from registers, are excluded from
the abovementioned calculated percentages;
c) if, for three consecutive years, the
production rules are not respected, as regards
the provided parameters, for more than 50%
of the registered vineyards, in accordance with
Art. 15; the National Committee, mentioned in
Art. 17, is therefore authorized to promote the
inspections made by the competent
Inspector's Offices for the fraud repression
and regions.
2.The revocation of a designation of origin, if
one or more conditions mentioned in Art. 1
occur is ordered by an Executive Order of the
Minister of Agriculture and Forests, upon
advice of the cognizant region and National
Committee of Art. 17. The Minister of
Agriculture and Forests fixes, by a decree, the
needed rules to protect the situations
corresponding to previous measures and acts.
 3.The viticultural grounds already registered
under the cancelled designation of origin may
be registered under another designation or in
an IGT register, if the conditions hold good.
4.In case of growers liable of fraud about the
product origin or wine adulteration or illegal
plants, the investigating judge may order the
suspension from one to three years or the
revocation of the use of designations of origin
and typical geographic indications, with the
ensuing cancellation from vineyard, vine or
bottlers registers, in accordance witty Art. 11.
In the most serious crimes, the judge may
officially or by request of the Minister of
Agriculture and Forests order the
precautionary suspension, for a determinate
time, of the use of designations of origin and
typical geographic indications, with the
ensuing suspension of the registration in the
vineyard, vine and bottlers registers.

Art. 10 - Rules of production

1.The rules of production for the DOCG and
DOC wines, submitted by the authorized
voluntary associations in accordance with Art.
19, paragraph 3 or by the interested parties,
and approved by the Executive Order of the
Minister of Agriculture and Forests, in
accordance with Art. 8, paragraph 3, must fix:

a) the designation of origin;

b) the limits of the grapes' production area; the
ordinary grounds are excluded; such
exclusions are verified by a Commission,
formed by members of the National
Committee of Art. 17, assisted by technical
bodies and, in case, by the viticultural
committees of the competent regions;
c) the maximum yield of grapes and wine per
hectare, on the basis of the quantities and the
quality of the five previous years, a well-
documented sworn valuation, made by three
viticultural celebrated experts or a well-
documented technical advice of the
competent region; the yield limits of grapes
and wines may be distinguished by variety,
sub-areas, towns and hamlets. The maximum
tolerance of the abovementioned yield limits
must not exceed 20%; the exceeding
production loses the higher designation and
may be included, if the conditions hold good,
in the lower one or in a corresponding IGT, by
request of the grower, in accordance with Art.
16, paragraph 1. This excess of yield can not
be marketed as D0CG or DOC wine. The
regions, by proposal of the voluntary
associations of the Art. 19, delegated in
accordance with the Art. 16, paragraph 3, and
interprofessional councils of Art. 2O and on
the basis of the controls made by the
cognizant Inspector's Office for the fraud
repression about the compatibility between
the minimum natural alcoholic volumetric
strength and the grapes' average production,
may increase yearly up to 20% the maximum
yields of grapes and wine fixed by the rules,
but only in good years. In case of bad years
the regions must decrease the maximum
yields down to the actual year limit, still on the
basis of objective data given by the cognizant
Inspector's Offices for the fraud repression. By
proposal of the abovementioned delegated
voluntary associations and interprofessional
councils, the region may yearly decrease the
yield per hectare of DOCG or DOC classifiable
wine, to achieve a new market balance. It is
compulsory, for the new DOCG plantations, to
provide the minimum density of bases per
hectare;
d) the natural potential minimum alcoholic
volumetric strength of the grapes, at the
vintage moment, on the basis of the previous
ten years, divided in vine, sub-area, town and
hamlet, bearing in mind the EEC rules
concerning the VQPRD (DOCG-DOC) and the
table-wines (IGT); in a same territory, the
abovementioned natural strength must be
progressively higher for the IGT, DOC and
DOCG wines; in accordance with the EEC
rules, the regions may annually allow a natural
minimum alcoholic volumetric strength half a
grade lower than the rule's one;
e) the physical-chemical and organoleptic
characteristics of the wine, as well as the
minimum volumetric strength required by the
market;
f) the production conditions and, particularly,
the natural environmental conditions, like the
climate, the soil, the position, the height, the
sunlight exposure, as well as the
ampelographic composition of the
recommended and authorized vineyards
aimed to produce the grapes, the plantation
density, the growing techniques, the pruning
systems, the prohibition of the strain practices;
g) the modalities of the EEC-required
chemical-organoleptic tests for all VQPRDs
and those ones of the following organoleptic
test performed stock by stock, during the
bottling;
h) the possible minimum ageing time in
wooden containers and refinement in the
bottle;
i) the possible bottling in circumscribed areas.
2.By an Executive Order of the Minister of
Agriculture and Forests, further rules may br,
optionally decided.
3.The rules may be modified by a well-
documented request of the concerned bodies,
with the, enclosed sketch of the ncw rules, as
well as by proposal of the competent region
and National Committee of Art. 17.
4.The modification requests must include:

a) a sworn valuation, made by two particularly

competent experts or a well-documented
advice of the cognizant region, if the request
concerns the production area, the wine yield
per hectare, the ampelographic base, the
natural minimum alcoholic volumetric strength
of grapes, the growing and oenological
techniques, the rearing forms. The sworn
valuation or the technical advice of the
cognizant region must refer to at least five
years of experimental data and testify the
impartiality and validity of the request;
b) a chemical-physical analysis testifying the
lack of negative influences in the wine
samples modified as requested;
c) an organoleptic analysis, complete with a
special report of the territory-competent
tasting commission, in accordance with Art.
13, paragraph 2, testifying the product's
organoleptic improvement, or the existence of
the required qualifications at the same
average level of the already produced wines,
still on wine samples modified as requested;
d) the advice of the concerned region.
5.The National Committee of Art. 17 has the
right to appoint commissions, formed by
members of the same Committee and by
dayexperts, to perform the required controls in
 order to the requested modifications.
6.As regards the request of modification of the
production rules, comply with the provided
rules for the acknowledgment of the
designations of origin and typical geographic
indications.
7.The IGT wines production rules, approved by
an Executive Order of the Minister of
Agriculture and Forests, in accordance with
Art.8 paragraph 3, defines:

a) the geographic indication and the possible

vine names or additional definitions;
b) the limits of the grapes' production area;
c) the vines forming the ampelographic
platform;
d) the oenologic typologies, included the
colour ones;
e) the maximum yield of grape per hectare;
f) the grapes' natural minimum alcoholic
volumetric strength;
g) the minimum alcoholic proof required by the
market;
h) the grape-wine yield ratio;
i) the possible authorized lacing practices.

Art. 11 - Bottlers' register

1.The Minister of Agriculture and Forests, by its
own decree, issues, in accordance with the
Art. 17, paragraph 3, of the law n. 400 august
23rd 1988, a regulation about the foundation
and the keeping of the register of each DOCG,
DOC and IGT wine bottler.

Art. 12 - Modalities and formalities for the

acknowledgment of DOCG DOC and IGT
1.The Minister of Agriculture and Forests, upon
advice of the permanent Council between the
 State, the regions and the autonomous
provinces of Trento and Bolzano, in
accordance with the Art. 12 of the law n. 400
august 23rd 1988, issues, by a regulation to
be issued in accordance with the Art. 17,
paragraph 3 of the same law n. 400/1988, the
content of the request and the formalities to
acknowledge the designations of origin and
typical geographic indications and to approve
or modify the relative production rules, as well
as the modalities and the periods of
submission.
2.To give the advice about the approval or the
revocation of designations of origin and typical
geographic indications, or about the
modification of the production rules, the
majority of 3/4 of those present of the National
Committee of Art. 17.

CHEMICAL-PHYSICAL AND OHGANOLEPTIC ANALYSIS Art.

13 - Chemical-physical analysis and organoleptic test 1. The
wines in accordance with the rules provided for the designation
and presentation of DOCG and DOC an specific production rules,
must be submitted in the production phase, in accordance with
EEC rules, in order to use the respective designations of origin, to
a preliminary chemical-physical analysis and organoleptic test.
The DOCG wines must repeat the organoleptic test, stock by
stock, while being bottled. A positive analysis and test is required
to use the DOCG and DOC. 2. The abovementioned chemical-
physical analysis is performed, by request of the interested party,
by the cognizant Chamber of Commerce, Industry, Handicraft and
Agriculture; the abovmentioned organoleptic test is performed, by
request of the interested parties, by specially appointed tasting
commissions, instituted by an Executive Order of the Minister of
Agriculture and Forests at each Chamber of Commerce, Industry,
Handicraft and Agriculture keeping the vineyard registers, in
accordance with Art. 15. 3. The abovementioned commissions
must be composed by technicians and skilled tasters representing
the professional grades involved in wine production and trade,
appointed from special lists kept by the Chambers of Commerce,
Industry, Handicraft and Agriculture. The commissions remain in
office for three years, their members may be confirmed. 4. The
Minister of the Agriculture and Forests institues, by its own
decree, at the National Committee of Art. 17, the commissions of
appeal, charged to revise the organoleptic tests, respectively for
Northern Italy, Central Italy and Southern and insular Italy. 5. The
decrees of the commissions of appeal are final. 6. The Minister of
Agriculture and Forests, by a decree, upon similar advice of the
National Committee of Art. 17 and Permanent Council between
the State, the region's and the autonomous provinces of Trento
and Bolzano, in accordance with Art. 12 of the law n. 400 of
august 23rd 1988, adopts, in accordance with Art. 17, paragraph
3 of the same law n. 400, 1988, the rules about taking samples
and performing the analytic-organoleptic tests, as well as about
the tasting commissions instituted at the Chambers of Commerce,
Industry, Handicraft and Agriculture and the commissions of
appeal, fixing also the periods to take the samples and to perform
the tests. 7. The Minister of Agriculture and Forests, in
accordance with the Minister of the Foreign Trade, by a special
decree, issues the rules concerning the controls before the Italian
wines are exported and the control for those wines which are on
foreign markets. The same decree issues the required measures
to protect the designations of origin from foreign imitations and
encroachments. 8. Until the institution of the abovementioned
commissions and the issuing of the rule mentioned in paragraph
6, the current rules remain in force.

RECORDING AND MANAGEMENT OF THE QUALIFIED

AREAS AND PRODUCTION DECLARATION

Art. 14 - Declaration of the viticultural surfaces

1.The vineyard growers must declare to the
competent regional offices, in order to
prepare the DOCG, DOC and IGT
 vineyards cadastre, the viticultural surfaces,
enclosing a 1:25.000 scaled vineyard
planimetry.
2.The abovementioned vineyard cadastre is a
basic element of the regional viticultural
registry office instituted in accordance with
the Art. 7 of the Executive Order of june
18th 1986, n. 282, converted, with
modifications, by the law n. 462 of august
7th 1986.
3.The Minister of Agriculture and Forests, by
its own decree, defines the modalities for
the abovementioned declaration.
4.The regions send to the Ministry of
Agriculture and Forests a copy of the
declaration of viticultural surfaces and
relative vineyard planimetry, the updatings
and the results of the assessments. 1

Art. 15 - Vineyard register and lists

1.For each wine with a designation of origin,
the respective viticultural soils must be
registered, by declaration of the concerned
growers, in a special register for the origin-
designated wines, marked by the respective
designation of origin and sub-area, if
required by production rules, the vine or the
other ruled typologies.
2.The viticultural soils aimed to the production
of IGT wines must be declared and
registered in the special lists of the IGT
wines.
3.By an Executive Order of the Minister of
Agriculture and Forests, in accordance with
the Minister of the Commerce, Industry and
Handicraft, it is adopted, in accordance with
the Art. 17, paragraph 3 of the law n. 400 of
august 23rd 1988, the regulations about the
 registration in te vineyards' registre and
lists, the updating of the same ones and
their keeping at the Chambers of
Commerce, Industry, Handicraft and
Agriculture.
SALTATE TRE PAGINE

RULES ABOUT THE DESIGNATION AND

PRESENTATION OF WINES

Art. 22 - Designation and presentation of wines

1.The Minister of Agriculture and Forests rules
by its own decree, in accordance with the EEC
rules, the modalities of designation and
presentation for the labels to put on the bottles
and other containers for wine with a capacity
up to 5 litres.

Art. 23 - Wine containers and State mark

1.The Minister of Agriculture and Forests, by an
Executive Order, rules the colour, the shape,
the typology, the capacity, the materials and
the caps of the containers for the origin-
designation wines.
2.The "mushroom" cork and the tin "cage" is
reserved to "spumante" wine, except some
traditional derogations, involving a bottling
difference between "spumante" and other
sparkling wines from the same source.
3.The DOCG wines must be marketed in bottles
or other containers with a capacity up to 5
litres, provided with a State mark placed to
prevent the pouring without removing the
same mark. It is provided with a serial number
and it must merge with the VAT mark.
4.The Minister of Agriculture and Forests, in
accordance with the Minister of Finance, by it
is own decree, establishes the features, the
 captions as well as the modalities of
production, the use, the distribution and the
controls of the marks, whoso price mus not he
higher than the production cost raised of 20%.
The price is fixed within 31 December of every
year for the next one.
5.The proceeds of the marks' sale are entitled to
the public revenue.

Art. 24 - Use of geographic names

1.Since the date of coming in force of the
acknowledgment decrees, the designations of
origin and the typical geographic indications
may be used only in accordance with the
same decrees.
2.Since the same date of paragraph 1, it is
forbidden to designate, both directly and
indirectly, the products carrying a designation
of origin or a typical geographic indication by a
name not explicitly allowed by the
acknowledgment decrees.
3.It is not considered designation of origin, in
order to this law, the use of geographic names
included in true proper nouns, firm names or
firm, farm, wine shops addresses and the like.
In case of such names include, partially or
completely, geographic terms reserved to
DOCG, DOC and IGT wines or which may
cause confusion, it is compulsory that the
types used to print them do not exceed three
millimetres in height and two in width and,
anyway, they do not exceed one quarter, both
in height and width, of those types used for
the product designation and firm's name of
producer, trader or bot tler, in accordance with
Art. 10.
4.The acknowledgment of a designation of
origin or a typical geographic indication
 excludes the chance of using the geographic
names used for the marks, and involves the
obligation, as regards the firm's names, to
make types smaller as require by paragraph 3.
As regards the oldest and most renowned
marks and the new designations of origin, the
Minister of Agriculture and Forests, by its own
decree, may grant a derogation on the type
size up to 10 years.
5.The acknowledgment of a designation of
origin excludes the chance of using the same
designation as typical geographic indication.
6.Whatever use of a wine or geographic
designation for DOCG, DOC and IGT wines
on labels, containers, packings price lists, sale
contracts is a declaration of compliance with
the used indication and designation.
7.It is not considered a designation of origin or a
typical geographic indication, in order only to
labelling, the family names, the common
names and the cadastral and toponymic
names, if they do not traditionally mark the
wines from a specific production area, they
are not explicitly reserved to a DOCG, DOC or
IGT wine and, however, they do no cause
confusion to the customer.
8.The names of single or associated viticultural
firms which coincide with the place name,
even if only cadastral, are considered as non-
typical geographic names, in accordance with
Art. 4, paragraph 1of the EEC rule n. 2392/89,
issued by the European Council on july 24 th
1989, in order to use the mentions provided by
the Art. 2, paragraph 3, letters c), 4, p and h),
first and third paragraph of the
abovementioned EEC rule n. 2392/89. It is
however excluded, for these geographic
indications, the use of vine names for the
 labels.

Art. 25 - Sparkling wines

1.The gassed sparkling wines other than
VQPRDs defined by the item 18 of the
enclosure I of the EEC rule n. 822/87, issued
by the European Council on march 16th 1987,
can not use, in their designation and
presentation, geographic or vine names.
2.The sparkling wines are allowed to use, in
their designation and presentation, geographic
or vine names only if they are coupled with a
geographic name.
3.The used geographic names may coincide
with a geographic name appointed to an IGT,
DOCG or DOC wine, as the sole typology or
even in presence of other typologies in the
same designation.
4.The same rules provided for DOCG, DOC and
IGT are enforced to the proceedings for the
use of geographic names and other additional
mentions.
5.As regards the sparkling wines using a
geographic term, the designation must be
completed by "IGT", "DOC" or "DOCG"
caption, in accordance with their classification
and the rules set up by the present law as
regards the presentation and designation of
such wines.

Art. 26 - Sweet wines

1.As regards the designation and presentation
of sweet wines other than VQPRDs, the same
geographic names which were authorized for
IGT wines and acknowledged for DOC and
DOCG wines may be used, if the
abovementioned typologies are traditional and
explicitly provided and ruled as regards their
 designations.
2.It is also allowed to acknowledge the
abovementioned typologies as IGT or DOC or
DOCG wines.
3.Apart from the exceptions provided by the
EEC rule, it is anyway compulsory to specify
explicitly the commercial indication of the
respective products, in the designation.

SANCTIONS AND PENALTIES Art. 28 - Violations during the

use of designations of origin and typical geographic
indications 1. Whoever produces, sells, puts up for sale or
distributes IGT-marked wines, which do not fulfil the requirements
in accordance with Art. 7, is punished with the imprisonment up to
6 months or with a penalty from 1 million up to 6 millions liras per
hectolitre or fraction of hectolitre of product. 2. Whoever
produces, sells, puts up for sale or distributes origin-designated
wines which do not fulfil the requirements for the marketing, is
punished with the imprisonment up to one year and with a penalty
from 3 millions up to 18 millions liras per hectolitre or fraction of
hectolitre of product. 3. Whoever falsifies or adulterates the marks
mentioned in Art. 23, paragraph 3, or introduces in Italy, or buys,
holds or sells to third persons or uses falsified or adulteraded
marks, is punished whit the imprisonment from 6 months up to 3
years and with a penalty from 1 million up to 30 millions liras. 4.
The rules of paragraphs 1 and 2 are not enforceable to the trader
who sells, put up for sale or distributes DOCG, DOC and IGT
wines in genuine packings, except he took part in the crime. 5.
Whoever uses the designations of origin for wines which do not
fulfil the requirements, premising words like "type", "taste",
"fashion", "system" and the like, or uses indications, pictures of
signs causing confusion to the consumer, is punished with the
arrest up to 2 months and a penalty from 1 million up to 6 millions.
The same penalties are also enforceable when the
abovementioned words or the adulterated designations are
printed on the wrappings, packings and generally on advertising
media. 6. Whoever adopts designations of origin or typical
geographic indications like firm's name, or like "firm", "cellar", or
"farm" or their addresses is punished with a penalty from 1 million
up to 12 millions liras. The rules is enforceable after two years
since the date of coming in force of the acknowledgment decree
of the DOCG, DOC or IGT. Art. 29 - Omission of the
declaration and falsities 1. Whoever omits submitting the
declaration mentioned in Art. 15, paragraphs 1 and 2, is punished
with the administrative penalty from 1 million up to 6 millions liras
per each hectare or fraction of hectare undeclared. 2. Whoever
declares a grapes' or wine production bigger than the real one,
and he is obliged to submit the declaration mentioned in Art. 16,
paragraphs 1 and 2, is punished with the administrative penalty
from 1 million up to 6 millions liras per each surplus quintal. Art.
30 - Violations of labelliny 1. Whoever violates the rules of the
ministerial decree mentioned in Art. 22, as regards the modalities
of designation and presentation for the labels to put on bottles
and other containers with a capacity up to 5 litres, containing
DOCG, DOC IGT wine, is punished with the administrative
penalty from 1 million up to 6 millions. Art. 31 - Additional
penalties 1. The condemnation for anyone of the
abovementioned violations involves the issue of the sentence on
two of the most widespread newspapers of the region, a technical
and a daily one. 2. In case of the most serious crimes and specific
recidivism, the confiscation of the product and the shutdown up to
12 months of the plant, cellar or storehouse may be decided.