Why do I need correspondence templates?
As a winemaker you regularly have to notify the authorities about your activity:
- Agricultural market authority - declarations and statements about your vineyard and production
- Customs and excise authority - notifications of production and harvest (wine excise is harmonised across the EU)
VineyardElf helps you prepare professional letters based on the data already in the system!
When do I have to email the authorities?
Notification to the customs and excise authority
Before you start producing wine you must notify your customs and excise authority about:
- The planned grape harvest
- The start of fermentation
- Estimated quantities
Important: This notification goes to the customs and excise authority, not to the agricultural market authority!
Email templates
1. Notification of harvest and start of fermentation
Use this template when you harvest grapes and begin fermentation:
Subject: Notification of harvest and start of fermentation - [VINEYARD NAME] - Excise ID: [YOUR_NUMBER]
Dear Sir or Madam,
With reference to the approved verification documentation (case reference: [CASE_NUMBER]),
we hereby inform you of the planned start of the wine production process on
[DATE] from [TIME].
Due to the nature of the work, the data below may be approximate:
Product: [WINE TYPE - e.g. white wine, rose wine]
Raw material: approximately [QUANTITY] kg of grapes (varieties planned for harvest: [VARIETIES])
Fermentation vessels: stainless steel tanks no. [NUMBERS] and food-grade
polyethylene containers no. [NUMBERS]
Planned racking date: approx. [DATE_FROM] - [DATE_TO]
Expected product volume: approx. [QUANTITY] L
Detailed data will be recorded in the production documentation kept at the vineyard.
Yours faithfully,
[FULL NAME]
[VINEYARD NAME]
[ADDRESS]
[PHONE]
2. Notification of an additional harvest
Use this when you carry out another harvest during the season:
Subject: Notification of an additional harvest and start of fermentation - [VINEYARD NAME] - Excise ID: [NUMBER]
Dear Sir or Madam,
We hereby inform you that on [DATE] an additional grape harvest is planned,
along with the start of fermentation of a new batch of wine.
The data below is approximate:
Product: [WINE TYPE - e.g. white wine (intended for sparkling wine)]
Raw material: approx. [QUANTITY] kg of grapes, varieties [VARIETIES]
Fermentation vessel: stainless steel tank no. [NUMBER],
food-grade
Planned racking date: approx. [DATE_FROM] - [DATE_TO]
Expected product volume: approx. [QUANTITY] litres
Detailed data will be recorded in the production documentation kept at the vineyard.
Yours faithfully,
[FULL NAME]
[VINEYARD NAME]
[ADDRESS]
[PHONE]
3. Notification of the end of fermentation
Subject: Notification of the end of fermentation - [VINEYARD NAME] - Excise ID: [NUMBER]
Dear Sir or Madam,
We hereby inform you that the primary fermentation of the following wine batch has finished:
Batch: [NUMBER/LABEL]
Type: [WINE TYPE]
Quantity: [QUANTITY] litres
Fermentation end date: [DATE]
Tank: no. [NUMBER]
The wine has been racked off the fermentation lees and is entering the maturation period.
Yours faithfully,
[SIGNATURE]
How do I fill in a template?
Replace the fields in square brackets with your own data:
| Field | Where to find it |
|---|---|
| [VINEYARD NAME] | Settings > Vineyard |
| [Excise ID] | Your number in the excise registration system |
| [CASE_NUMBER] | From the authority’s letter approving your verification documentation |
| [VARIETIES] | Your grape varieties in VineyardElf |
| [QUANTITY] kg | Estimate based on previous years |
Where do I send the email?
Customs and excise authority
Send it to the email address of your local customs and excise authority (excise
department). You will find the address in the letter approving your verification
documentation.
Agricultural market authority
Declarations to the agricultural market authority are usually submitted through
its electronic system or to the official contact address. Check your national
authority’s website for the current channel and email address.
Tips
- Send in advance - ideally the day before the planned harvest
- Keep a confirmation - save the email with its send date
- Use estimates - it is better to give a range (e.g. 900-1100 kg) than an exact figure
- Update if things change - if the date shifts, send a correction
Planned features
In the future VineyardElf will offer:
- Automatic email generation based on the data in the system
- Sending directly from the app
- A history of correspondence with the authorities
- Reminders when a notification is due