EU Judgment in Case C-354/22 on the use of terms “Weingut” and “Gutsabfüllung”

Thursday 23rd November 2023

Judgment in Case C-354/22 Weingut A

(Agriculture and fisheries)

A vintner in the Moselle region of Germany also uses the terms “Weingut” (winegrowing estate) and “Gutsabfüllung” (bottling on the estate) for wine he produces from grapes grown on rented vineyards around 70 km from his own farm. Under the terms of the contract that this eponymous vintner has signed with the vintner to whom these vineyards belong, the latter cultivates the rented vines according to the former’s instructions.

In addition, each year this other vintner rents a pressing facility from the eponymous vintner for a period of 24 hours, during which time the grapes from the rented vineyards are pressed exclusively in accordance with the eponymous vintner’s oenological practices. The resulting wine is then transported to the vintner’s premises.

The Land of Rhineland-Palatinate considers that the eponymous vintner cannot use the indications in question for wine made on the premises of the other vintner. In order for certain indications referring to a holding, such as “Weingut”, to be used, EU law requires that the grapevine product be made exclusively from grapes harvested in the vineyards cultivated by that holding and that the winemaking be carried out entirely on that holding.

The German Federal Administrative Court, hearing the case, referred a question to the Court of Justice concerning the latter condition.

Background Documents C-354/22

Donnerstag, 23. November 2023

Urteil des Gerichtshofs in der Rechtssache C-354/22 Weingut A

Verwendung der Bezeichnung “Weingut”

Die Inhaberin eines Weinbaubetriebs in Zell im Weinbaugebiet Mosel stellt ihren Wein u.a. aus den Weintrauben gepachteter Rebflächen her und mietet jährlich die Kelteranlage des Verpächters und zugleich Bewirtschafters bestimmter Flächen an.

Das Land Rheinland-Pfalz ist der Auffassung, sie dürfe für den in den Betriebsräumen des Bewirtschafters gekelterten Wein nicht die Bezeichnungen „Weingut“ und „Gutsabfüllung“ verwenden.

Das Bundesverwaltungsgericht möchte vom Gerichtshof wissen, ob die Weinbereitung “vollständig in diesem Betrieb erfolgt”, wenn der namensgebende Weinbaubetrieb den Wein aus Trauben von Rebflächen gepachteter Weinberge in einem vom Bewirtschafter für 24 Stunden angemieteten Kelterhaus keltern lässt.

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