by Eleonora Scholes and Igor Serdyuk
On the 27th of October the Russian Ministry of Agriculture introduced a draft of the proposed federal law "on grapes and wine". This is the first document offering a comprehensive legal base that would regulate the production and distribution of wine in Russia. The draft aims to facilitate the growth and development of quality winemaking, particularly in the northern Caucasus, a traditional Russian wine growing region. The main concepts of the document echo general European practices and the WTO norms. It introduces a system of origin and divides production into four main categories - table wine, varietal wine, wine of indicated origin, wine of controlled origin. The draft also features measures to protect Russian wines, including simpler procedures for obtaining tax banderols and the licensing of production. Another important clause stipulates favourable conditions for advertising, on a par with beer. It is expected that parliament will pass the law before the end of the year. In 2005 Russia produced over 190 million litres of wine, approximately a quarter of the country's total consumption.
