What is GI labelling
In Australia, Geographical Indication (GI) labelling for wine is regulated by Wine Australia under the Wine Australia Act 2013. If you declare a GI (e.g., Barossa Valley, McLaren Vale, Margaret River) on your label, at least 85% of the wine must be sourced from that region. Similar rules apply to vintage and variety claims.
Australian labelling rules
| Claim | Minimum Requirement |
|---|---|
| Geographical Indication (GI) | 85% of grapes from the declared GI |
| Vintage | 85% of grapes from the declared year |
| Variety | 85% of the declared variety |
| Blend (two varieties listed) | Listed in descending order, each at least 5% |
How Cepaos checks compliance
Cepaos traces every litre of wine from vineyard block to bottle. When you create a product label or prepare for bottling, the GI compliance checker analyses the blend composition and flags any issues.
Step by step
1. Access the compliance checker
From the sidebar, go to Compliance > GI Labelling. The checker lists all products with their current compliance status.
2. Select a product or lot
Click on a product or select a specific tank/lot to check. Cepaos displays:
- Blend composition: percentage breakdown by variety, with source blocks and GIs.
- Vintage composition: percentage from each harvest year.
- GI sourcing: percentage of volume from each Geographical Indication.
3. Review compliance status
Each claim is colour-coded:
- Green: compliant (meets or exceeds the minimum percentage).
- Yellow: marginal (between 83% and 85% — may need adjustment).
- Red: non-compliant (below the required percentage).
4. Adjust the blend if needed
If a claim shows non-compliant, you have options:
- Adjust the blend: add more wine from the required GI, vintage, or variety.
- Change the label claim: declare a broader GI (e.g., "South Australia" instead of "Barossa Valley") or remove the claim.
- Declassify: remove the specific claim and label as "Wine of Australia".
5. Generate compliance certificate
Once all claims are green, click Generate Certificate. Cepaos produces a compliance report showing:
- Full traceability from vineyard block to final blend.
- Percentage calculations for GI, vintage, and variety.
- Source block details (GI zone, variety, harvest date).
This certificate can be provided to Wine Australia, export markets, or buyers as proof of compliance.
Label Integrity Programme (LIP)
Wine Australia's Label Integrity Programme requires that wineries maintain records to verify label claims. Cepaos serves as your LIP record-keeping system:
- Every grape intake is linked to a registered vineyard block with GI.
- Every blending operation recalculates the GI/vintage/variety percentages.
- The compliance checker is always up to date with the latest blend composition.
Export-specific rules
Some export markets have additional requirements:
- EU: 85% variety, 85% vintage, origin claims must match EU register.
- USA: 75% variety (if declaring varietal), 85% AVA, 95% vintage.
- China: specific labelling requirements for back labels.
Cepaos flags when a product's current composition does not meet the target market's rules.
Frequently asked questions
Does Cepaos update percentages automatically when I blend?
Yes. Every blending operation triggers a recalculation of GI, vintage, and variety percentages for the resulting lot.
Can I check compliance before I blend?
Yes. Use the "What-if" tool in the compliance checker to simulate a blend and see the projected percentages before committing.
What if my vineyard block spans two GIs?
Register the block under the GI where the majority of the vines are planted, or split it into two blocks at the GI boundary.