Globally recognised signs of quality
PDOs (Protected Designation of Origin), PGIs (Protected Geographical Indications) and trademarks guarantee provenance, authenticity and quality. They provide assurance that the wine you choose is made to rigorous standards and reflects the distinctive character of its region and winemaking.
Apply for a PDO or PGI
Technical assessment
Geographical Indicators (GIs) are a sign of quality. It’s proof that the wine you are drinking adheres to the standards set by the schemes. GI protection guarantees a product’s characteristics or reputation, authenticity and origin. Wines marketed as ‘quality wine’ have undergone an organoleptic and analytical assessment. Its specific nature and character will be derived in part from the area of production, the quality of the grapes used and the skill of the producer and winemaker. The schemes are recognised for wine sales in the UK and EU and an increasing number of countries around the world.
WineGB manages UK Wine Schemes, on behalf of the Department for Farming, Food and Rural Affairs and ensures that the standards are upheld. We work closely with our science and laboratory partner Campden BRI. They test every wine entering the scheme and provide analysis to the winemakers. As well as proving to consumers that the wine has met the expectations of the Geographical Indicators scheme, winemakers use the insights from the information so they can continue to develop their wines for the future.
Trademark
The Great British Classic Method hallmark is a sign of assurance and an abstract representation of the highest quality craft that goes into creating English and Welsh Classic Method sparkling wine. The term “Classic Method” is now used to promote English and Welsh sparkling wines made using the Traditional Method.
The trade marked hallmark has been designed to allude to quintessential rolling British countryside and to convey the interaction of craft, time, climate and soils. The main purpose of the hallmark is to positively differentiate our sparkling wines made by the Classic Method and to add value to the PDO sparkling wines of England and Wales.
The hallmark can only be used for wines produced exclusively from grapes grown in Great Britain using the Traditional Method. Wines displaying the hallmark must have been accredited PDO status and secure a licence from WineGB.
