The Wine Advisory Board is due to meet within the coming weeks to approve production protocols, which will enable the adoption of a wine quality standard. The protocols have been drawn up by local wine makers and given to the board, which is made up of government representatives and one from each of three producers.
There will now be three categories of wine. Top wines produced locally from local grapes can apply for Denominazzjoni ta' Origini Kontrollata (DOK) status, which carries stringent conditions on the amount of grapes that can be grown on each vine, as well as on the natural sugar levels. The top wines in this range will be called DOK Reserva.
The next level down is the Indikazzjoni Geografika Tipika, which can be used for a wine produced from a grape growing in a specific area in Malta.
Other wines will have to be labelled as "table wine" and the name cannot indicate the grape variety or the area from which it came.
The government has said that subsidies currently given for imported grapes will be transferred to the export of DOK and IGT wines. So far, Lm826,000 in subsidies have been granted to promote vineyards, of which 14 per cent came from the EU.
DOK and IGT could not be considered in practical terms until local grape-production had reached levels of self-sufficiency. In 2003, around 600 hectares were used as vineyards, a figure which has risen to 910 hectares.
The amount of grapes pressed in Malta rose even more steeply, from 1,500 tonnes in 2005 to over 3,000 tonnes in 2006.
However, the practical issues were not the only ones holding up the quality levels.
Winemakers also had to agree on the standards for each level, which they would also have to agree on with their farmers.
DOK will involve a considerable amount of data collection and monitoring but it will only be as valuable as its credibility, Marsovin director of exports and marketing Jeremy Cassar said.
"We have around 400 farmers supplying us and we will have to register how many vines there are, how many grapes are grown on each, the natural sugar levels of each so that no extra sugar needs to be added, myriad details. But DOK will only be as strong as its enforcement. The worst possible thing would be for us to have made all this effort to get to this stage and then to lose credibility," he said.
Marsovin set up the Wines and Vines Association, with Camilleri and Gozitano and the production protocols were drawn up with the help of Tuscan experts.
"The production protocols are not enough," he said. "They will also help with testing and tasting."
Marsovin hopes that all the winemakers will sign up.
"Let us face it. There are so many benefits to having DOK on the label - and the alternative is to call it 'table wine', which is no alternative at all for a good wine.
"When I travel and meet potential buyers for our wines, I am always asked about DOK. This is a very important step for the local industry.
"And there is another very important aspect. This will give the Maltese a real sense of pride in local wine. It is a real achievement."
Louie Camilleri, general manager of Camilleri Wines said Camilleri has been self-sufficient with regards to locally-grown grapes since 2006 and it will now have to decide how to split its production between table wine, IGT and DOK.
"Getting to this stage is a real landmark for the wine industry in Malta. Fifteen years ago, who would have thought that we would be able to get to where we are now? The industry has made leaps forward. With regards to Camilleri, I feel that we stuck our neck out when we decided to go for local production. If we had not done so, we would never have got to this stage."
Over the coming weeks Camilleri will have to plan this year's vintage.
"The vines were given their first prune in January and the second one - which will determine what level of quality they will produce - will be done at the beginning of May. By then, a decision will have been taken," he said.
"The first year will be a real learning process for us and for our farmers. Once the government approves the protocols we will meet the farmers to explain what we plan but so far the feedback to our viticulturist Patrick Xerri has been positive. They realise that this is the only way forward for the local wine industry but of course they will try to keep their prices as high as possible.
"The vines will have different yields for the different quality standards but farmers will not be able to expect set rates for all grapes. The rules of demand and supply will still apply," he said.
"We were not waiting for DOK to set our standards. In the past, we harvested some grapes later than others from an adjacent field because the natural sugar levels were not high enough. Just as we had to adapt and adopt strict standards of hygiene and production to remain competitive and to comply with EU regulations, so the farmer had to adapt. Since 2000, we spent thousands of liri to help them plant vines and we even pre-empted the subsidies, which have not yet been paid to us.
"This initiative will ensure the future of the industry. We need the farmers as much as they need us and there are real benefits for us all from this."
Bill Hermitage, director of sales and marketing of the Delicata Group said Delicata is self-sufficient when it comes to locally-grown grapes, for two reasons: More vineyards started to produce - and sales fell.
"If it were not for these two factors, we would not be self-sufficient."
Delicata has already approached its grape growers explaining that it will have to review its current flat rate, creating different rates for the different yields.
"They will get less quantities of grapes for DOK wines and larger yields for IGT and tables wines, but the rates would even out over all their production," Mr Hermitage said.
"We have to face the reality: There are foreign DOK and AOC wines available on the market for anything between 80c and Lm30 and up. We therefore have to produce quality wines and compete at all price points. We have obstacles such as the fact that Maltese grapes are far more expensive than foreign ones. It also does not help that the general Maltese wine consumer and establishments are less than patriotic when it comes to supporting locally-produced items. Many people do not yet appreciate the quality of Maltese wines and perhaps do not understand or care about the repercussions of supporting industries and the environment.
"Most of our farmers have accepted our proposals, although understandably not all are happy. We certainly do not want to hurt their livelihood - after all, we are the ones who started planting vines in the first place. We have documented evidence that we pressed over 1 million kilograms of Maltese grapes from 382 farmers. But as in so many wine-producing countries the wine maker and the vine grower have to work hand in hand, as we have been doing for the past 12 years.
"On the issue of subsidies, Delicata has been urging the government to direct funds more accurately, by making sure that these funds only reach the growers who grow grapes that supply wineries."
Delicata now produces a number of wines from Maltese-grown grapes: Red Label, Green Label, both Dolcinos and two Classic reds. As of next year, the Classic whites will also be locally-grown, leaving only the less expensive table wines made from foreign grapes.
There will now be three categories of wine. Top wines produced locally from local grapes can apply for Denominazzjoni ta' Origini Kontrollata (DOK) status, which carries stringent conditions on the amount of grapes that can be grown on each vine, as well as on the natural sugar levels. The top wines in this range will be called DOK Reserva.
The next level down is the Indikazzjoni Geografika Tipika, which can be used for a wine produced from a grape growing in a specific area in Malta.
Other wines will have to be labelled as "table wine" and the name cannot indicate the grape variety or the area from which it came.
The government has said that subsidies currently given for imported grapes will be transferred to the export of DOK and IGT wines. So far, Lm826,000 in subsidies have been granted to promote vineyards, of which 14 per cent came from the EU.
DOK and IGT could not be considered in practical terms until local grape-production had reached levels of self-sufficiency. In 2003, around 600 hectares were used as vineyards, a figure which has risen to 910 hectares.
The amount of grapes pressed in Malta rose even more steeply, from 1,500 tonnes in 2005 to over 3,000 tonnes in 2006.
However, the practical issues were not the only ones holding up the quality levels.
Winemakers also had to agree on the standards for each level, which they would also have to agree on with their farmers.
DOK will involve a considerable amount of data collection and monitoring but it will only be as valuable as its credibility, Marsovin director of exports and marketing Jeremy Cassar said.
"We have around 400 farmers supplying us and we will have to register how many vines there are, how many grapes are grown on each, the natural sugar levels of each so that no extra sugar needs to be added, myriad details. But DOK will only be as strong as its enforcement. The worst possible thing would be for us to have made all this effort to get to this stage and then to lose credibility," he said.
Marsovin set up the Wines and Vines Association, with Camilleri and Gozitano and the production protocols were drawn up with the help of Tuscan experts.
"The production protocols are not enough," he said. "They will also help with testing and tasting."
Marsovin hopes that all the winemakers will sign up.
"Let us face it. There are so many benefits to having DOK on the label - and the alternative is to call it 'table wine', which is no alternative at all for a good wine.
"When I travel and meet potential buyers for our wines, I am always asked about DOK. This is a very important step for the local industry.
"And there is another very important aspect. This will give the Maltese a real sense of pride in local wine. It is a real achievement."
Louie Camilleri, general manager of Camilleri Wines said Camilleri has been self-sufficient with regards to locally-grown grapes since 2006 and it will now have to decide how to split its production between table wine, IGT and DOK.
"Getting to this stage is a real landmark for the wine industry in Malta. Fifteen years ago, who would have thought that we would be able to get to where we are now? The industry has made leaps forward. With regards to Camilleri, I feel that we stuck our neck out when we decided to go for local production. If we had not done so, we would never have got to this stage."
Over the coming weeks Camilleri will have to plan this year's vintage.
"The vines were given their first prune in January and the second one - which will determine what level of quality they will produce - will be done at the beginning of May. By then, a decision will have been taken," he said.
"The first year will be a real learning process for us and for our farmers. Once the government approves the protocols we will meet the farmers to explain what we plan but so far the feedback to our viticulturist Patrick Xerri has been positive. They realise that this is the only way forward for the local wine industry but of course they will try to keep their prices as high as possible.
"The vines will have different yields for the different quality standards but farmers will not be able to expect set rates for all grapes. The rules of demand and supply will still apply," he said.
"We were not waiting for DOK to set our standards. In the past, we harvested some grapes later than others from an adjacent field because the natural sugar levels were not high enough. Just as we had to adapt and adopt strict standards of hygiene and production to remain competitive and to comply with EU regulations, so the farmer had to adapt. Since 2000, we spent thousands of liri to help them plant vines and we even pre-empted the subsidies, which have not yet been paid to us.
"This initiative will ensure the future of the industry. We need the farmers as much as they need us and there are real benefits for us all from this."
Bill Hermitage, director of sales and marketing of the Delicata Group said Delicata is self-sufficient when it comes to locally-grown grapes, for two reasons: More vineyards started to produce - and sales fell.
"If it were not for these two factors, we would not be self-sufficient."
Delicata has already approached its grape growers explaining that it will have to review its current flat rate, creating different rates for the different yields.
"They will get less quantities of grapes for DOK wines and larger yields for IGT and tables wines, but the rates would even out over all their production," Mr Hermitage said.
"We have to face the reality: There are foreign DOK and AOC wines available on the market for anything between 80c and Lm30 and up. We therefore have to produce quality wines and compete at all price points. We have obstacles such as the fact that Maltese grapes are far more expensive than foreign ones. It also does not help that the general Maltese wine consumer and establishments are less than patriotic when it comes to supporting locally-produced items. Many people do not yet appreciate the quality of Maltese wines and perhaps do not understand or care about the repercussions of supporting industries and the environment.
"Most of our farmers have accepted our proposals, although understandably not all are happy. We certainly do not want to hurt their livelihood - after all, we are the ones who started planting vines in the first place. We have documented evidence that we pressed over 1 million kilograms of Maltese grapes from 382 farmers. But as in so many wine-producing countries the wine maker and the vine grower have to work hand in hand, as we have been doing for the past 12 years.
"On the issue of subsidies, Delicata has been urging the government to direct funds more accurately, by making sure that these funds only reach the growers who grow grapes that supply wineries."
Delicata now produces a number of wines from Maltese-grown grapes: Red Label, Green Label, both Dolcinos and two Classic reds. As of next year, the Classic whites will also be locally-grown, leaving only the less expensive table wines made from foreign grapes.