Il vino dealcolizzato o parzialmente dealcolizzato come «prodotto innovativo» per il mercato dell'Unione europea alla luce del regolamento (UE) n. 2021/21171

As part of the 2021 CAP Reform, the Regulation (EU) No. 2021/2117 amended the Regulation (EU) No. 1308/2013 on the single CMO, allowing the marketing in the Union of grapevine products that have undergone a partial or total dealcoholisation treatment, as «wine». The new product has an alcohol content lower than that previously required by the EU legislation or almost zero. The article focuses on the novelties concerning the authorization of the oenological practices of partial and total dealcoholisation of wine in the light of the evolution of the OIV standards on the matter. It then analyses the reasons and limits of the extension of the authorization of partial dealcoholisation to PDO or PGI wines, as well as of the labelling rules for dealcoholized wine and partially dealcoholized wine. Finally, it reflects on the potential effects of this legislative evolution on the interpretation of the legal name «wine» and on the traditional idea of wine as an alcoholic beverage.