Roskachestvo Rosalkogolregulirovanie completed and tested sparkling semi-sweet wines sold in Russian stores. According to the study (test results have RBC disposal), the most popular holiday beverage sales in the Christmas season which is up to 50% of the total production, can not boast of impeccable quality. Of the 56 samples of semi-sweet wine different abnormalities were found in 17 Manufacturers violate EU standards for organoleptic, the content of ethanol, as well as artificially added carbon dioxide.

The press service Rosalkogolregulirovaniya RBC confirmed that the Ministry experts participated in the study of sparkling wine, but declined to comment further.

What and how to analyze

Champagne examined 30 indicators of quality and safety, including the availability of artificial aeration, yeast, mass fraction of alcohol, citric acid content and added sugars. As the representative of Roskachestva, the study includes 56 brands of semi-sweet sparkling wine cost from 150 to 6121 rubles. Most of the samples were manufactured in Russia (the Crimean wines, Kabardino-Balkaria, Krasnodar region, Dagestan). In addition, we analyzed sparkling wines of Abkhazia, Georgia, Italy, Spain, Ukraine and France.

Fake bubbles

According to the study, one of the main problems of the market is a natural alcohol. Instead of semi-sweet wine consumers in 30% of cases can simply buy a sweet carbonated drink wine. "Fake sparkling wine can be introduced by means of carbon dioxide: it is subject to the production technology is produced during fermentation of the early squeezed grape juice," - explains a representative Roskachestva March Galicheva. The artificial introduction of carbon dioxide is not prohibited by Russian law, but this aspect is tightly controlled abroad. These wines are not "offenders", but are not recommended for use Roskachestvom, said the organization. Contributed carbon dioxide was detected in products under brands Brillante (made by request of OOO "Golden Manufacture"), "Crimean" (LLC "Crimean winery"), "Balm" (OOO "balm"), "Vintrest-7" ( LLC "Vintrest-7"), "RISP" (branch of JSC "MKSHV" - "Kavigris"), "Vintage" (CJSC "Vilash").

As recalled by the head of the Center for the Study of Federal and Regional Alcohol Markets (TSIFRRA) Vadim Drobiz, the term "carbonated drinks wine" has appeared in the Russian legislation in 2012. In fact, these drinks have become "institutionalized falsification", which is gaining more and more market share, venting the traditional sparkling wine expert. So, if in 2015, 160 million liters of sparkling wine was produced in Russia in 2016, this figure will drop to 150 million liters. For comparison: in 2011 the volume of production of champagne stood at 230 million liters. The production of wine carbonated drinks, according Drobiz, in 2016 will grow at the same 10 million liters - from 70 million to 80 million liters.

Wine quality issues

Another claim to wine, sold on the Russian market, - quality wine material. "Low-quality wine" experts have recognized such patterns as "Oreanda" (LLC "Crimean Wine House"), "Stavropol" (OOO "Winery" Hope ")," State trade mark "(" wine sparkling white of the traditional name of "Soviet Champagne" , JSC "Combine sparkling wines and brandies" Dewdrop ")," Tsimlyanskoe "(JSC" Tsimlyansky wine »), Artemovsk Winery (PJSC" Artyomovsk Winery ")," Golden beam "(" Agrofirma "Golden beam"), "Rostov gold "(" Rostov plant sparkling wines ").

According to a representative of one of the alcohol companies, all listed in the study Roskachestva brands are cheaper segment. "Accordingly, it is in the producers shalturili cheap sparkling brands, in the popular segment", - says the market participant. "The current government approach to winemaking leaves manufacturers choice but to try to save on production costs, - the chairman of the Board of Directors of PJSC" Abrau-Durso "Pavel Titov. - We were put in an unequal position with wine beverages, raising the excise tax on sparkling wines, but leaving it unchanged in the wine drinks ". According to him, over the past five years, the market of sparkling wines fell by 25%, and manufacturing inflation was 40% in the last two years. "All these are factors that prevent normal development and cause producers to seek loopholes to stay afloat," - he adds.

Moet & Chandon Imperial - dry or semi-sweet?

As indicated in Roskachestva study "as a result of laboratory tests of semi-sweet wine premium Moet & Chandon Imperial sugar content considered dry." But the "intruder" manufacturer, which is a provider of champagne to Queen of Great Britain, Roskachestvo still does not name: the product has been produced according to TU. These findings are very surprised Moet Hennessy Russia. Moet & Chandon Imperial Brut champagne is never positioned as sweet or dry, said Director of Communications and Corporate Marketing Alexey Savischev, refusing to comment further.

Not only alcohol

Set Roskachestvo and traditional for many industries disparity information stated on the label. Thus, the volume of ethyl alcohol in the sample "Crimean sparkling" (GUP Sevastopol "Agro-Industrial Association" Sevastopol winery ") was smaller than claimed, and in the sample" Sandigliano Dessert Grand Cuvée "(OOO" Alianta Group "), alcohol content, on the contrary, on 2 , 5% more than the value on the label, stated in Roskachestve.

Another of the brands surveyed - namely "Madame Pompadour" (JSC "AIF" Fanagoria ") - higher than EU standards on the content introduced a preservative - sulfur dioxide, better known to consumers under the code E-220. The excess of this substance in wine, "is fraught with a morning headache", said the representative Roskachestva.

Questions to the quality of Roskachestvo

As is the case with some other checks Roskachestva, companies do not always agree with the results of the research and are ready to prove the high quality of its products. According to RBC chief champagne makers of "ACE" Fanagoria "Alexander birch, sulfurous acid accompanies the entire production process and introduced including before bottling to protect the wine from the breach of temperature conditions. "The content of the bound form of the preservative specified - it is the fault reaction to a storage medium. To say that it is 100% a violation of the rules and norms of production - is not entirely true, "- said the expert. It adds Head of PR company "Fanagoria" Vladimir Pukish, sulfur oxide - an antioxidant which is used in wine since Roman times. "Though he designated the letters E, it is absolutely harmless substance," - say in "Phanagoria".

"We categorically do not accept that we have some figures do not correspond to [standards], -" Agricultural and Industrial Association "Sevastopol winery" (brand "Crimea", "Crimean sparkling») RBC director, said the production SUE Sevastopol Rem Akchurin. - We are the control samples in the laboratory, we are always able to contest all cases, to prove their case. "

As explained by RBC in March Galicheva, detailed test results were sent to regulatory authorities, including Rosalkogolregulirovanie. "The results of the study were published in early December, when buyers begin to prepare for the New Year - consumers will make informed choices in favor of high-quality wines and vote ruble, - she says. - The main thing - the market mechanism, which will ultimately lead to an increase in the overall level of quality. "