Wine Act, 2001 (Act No. XXII of 2001).

The Act provides in section 3 for the licensing of vintners, i.e. persons who prepare, make or bottle wine and wine related products for sale. Decisions pf the Director of Agriculture may be appealed against with an Appeals Board constituted by the Minister of Agriculture. The Director shall also keep a register of vineyards pursuant to section 5. No person shall produce grapes for wine production unless that person is registered as a grower and the land under wine is registered. The Minister may classify wine varieties and only recommended or authorised varieties may be used in the production of wines and related products listed in paragraph (5) of section 5. The Minister may also determine the types of wines that may be produced, imported or sold (sect. 6). Regulation making powers of the Minister are outlined in section 9. Remaining provisions of this Act concern the weighing of grapes, returns and records on production, production of quality wines, labelling of wine, importation of wine, harvesting dates, planting rights and varietal conversion, codes of practice, etc. A Wine Regulation Board is constituted under section 16. Functions of the Board are outlined in section 17. (32 sections)