Map of the European Union

At present the EU consists out of 27 member countries that share a common market. It covers a total area of: 4,324,782 sq km and has an approx population of 492,387,344. The EU headquarters are located in Brussels.

EU Wine Growing Zones

In a EU directive, all European Union members' vineyard areas are divided into zones according to climatic criteria. These wine growing zones provide a means for the EU to apply wine regulations and regulate certain aspects of winemaking.

Wine Classifications

The European Union divides wine production into three different categories. Two for wines which contain geographical indications and one for wines without origin./p>

1.	PDO Protected Designations of Origin
2.	PGI Protected Geographical Indication
3.	Wine without a Geographical Indication

PDO Protected Designations of Origin

means the name of a region, a specific place or, in exceptional cases, a country used to describe a wine that complies with the following requirements:

(i) its quality and characteristics are essentially or exclusively due
to a particular geographical environment with its inherent natural
and human factors;
(ii) the grapes from which it is produced come exclusively from this
geographical area;
(iii) its production takes place in this geographical area;
(iv) it is obtained from vine varieties belonging to Vitis vinifera.

PGI Protected Geographical Indication

means an indication referring to a region, a specific place or, in exceptional cases, a country, used to describe a wine that complies with the following requirements:

(i) it possesses a specific quality, reputation or other
characteristics attributable to that geographical origin;
(ii) at least 85 % of the grapes used for its production come
exclusively from this geographical area;
(iii) its production takes place in this geographical area;
(iv) it is obtained from vine varieties belonging to Vitis vinifera or a
cross between the Vitis vinifera species and other species of
the genus Vitis.

Wine without a Geographical Indication"

Wines of this wine category are entitled to bear an indication of their vintage year and varietal composition but not of their geographical indication. They do have to meet the minimum standards set out for this category.

Resources