Annex C - Maximum Acceptable Limits of Various Substances

Codified File

Maximum acceptable

OIV-MA-C1-01 Maximum acceptable limits of various substances caontained in wine (2019 issue)

Citric acid:

1 g/L

Volatile acidity:

20 milliequivalents/L

The volatile acidity of various specially fortified old wines (wines subject to special legislation and controlled by the government) may exceed this limit.

Arsenic:

0.2 mg/L

Boron:

80 mg/L (expressed as boric acid)

Bromine:

1 mg/L (limit exceeded by way of exception in wines from certain vineyards with a brackish subsoil).

Cadmium:

0.01 mg/L

Copper:

(OIV-OENO 434-2011)

1 mg/L

2 mg/L for liqueur wines produced from unfermented or slightly fermented grape must

Diethylene glycol:

 10 mg/L, to the quantification limit

Malvidol diglucoside:

15 mg/L (determined by the quantitative method diglucoside described in the Compendium)

Silver

< 0.1 mg/L

Total sulfur dioxide at the time of sale to the consumer: (oeno 9/98)

  • 150 mg/L for red wines containing a maximum of 4 g/L of reducing substances.
  • 200 mg/L for white and rosé wines containing a maximum of 4 g/L of reducing substances.
  • 300 mg/L: red, rosé and white wines containing more than 4 g/L of reducing substances.
  •  
  • 400 mg/L: in exceptional cases some sweet white wines.

Ethanediol /Ethylene glycol:

 10 mg/L

Fluoride: (OENO 8/91)

1 mg/L except for wines coming from vineyards treated in conformity with national law, with cryolite in which case, the level of fluoride must not exceed 3 mg/L.

Methanol:

(OENO 19/2004)

400 mg/L for red wines

250 mg/L for white and rosé wines

Ochratoxin A :

(CST 1/2002)

2 µg/L (for wines obtained as from the 2005 harvest)

Lead: (OIV-OENO 638-2019)

0.10 mg/L for wine, produced starting from the 2019 harvest year

0.15 mg/L for liqueur wines, produced starting from the 2019 harvest year[1] 

Propan-1,2-diol/propylene glycol

(OENO 20/2003)

Still wines : = 150 mg/L

Sparkling wines : = 300 mg/L

Excess sodium:

(OENO 09/2007)

80 mg/L

Sulfates:

(expressed as potassium sulfate)

1 g/L

However this limit is raised to:

-  for wines which have undergone a maturing  period in casks for at least 2 years

-  for sweetened wines

-  for wines obtained by the addition to the musts or wine of alcohol or potable spirit

1.5 g/L

-  for wines with added concentrated musts

- for naturally sweet wines

2.0 g/L

-  for wines obtained under a film "sous voile" 

2.5 g/L

Zinc

5 mg/L


[1] For liqueur wines subject to extended periods of aging, the applicable limit is that in force at the time of their production.