17946 is the national standard for Shaoxing wine (Shaoxing rice wine). It is applicable to 4 types of rice wine, which are:

1. Shaoxing Yuanhong wine: It is a dry rice wine with a sugar content of 15g/ Below L;

2. Shaoxing Jiafan (Huadiao) wine: a semi-dry rice wine with a sugar content of 15.1-40g/L;

3. Shaoxing’s good wine making: a semi-sweet wine Type yellow rice wine, with a sugar content of 40.1-100g/L;

4. Shaoxing Xiangxue wine, a sweet yellow rice wine, with a sugar content of more than 101g/L.

What kind of rice wine do “17946” and “13662” refer to?

17946 rice wine specifically refers to Shaoxing rice wine, a specialty of Shaoxing, Zhejiang and a national geographical indication product of China. 13662 rice wine refers to general rice wine, which can also be understood as a general implementation standard for rice wine.

As long as the rice wine is sold through regular channels, the product standard number of the rice wine will be marked on the bottle label. The same rice wine has different standard numbers.

13662 is the national standard for rice wine. It is applicable to:

Rice, millet, millet, corn, wheat, water, etc. The main raw material is fermented wine brewed by adding koji and/or some enzyme preparations, yeast and other saccharification starters.

In addition, the letter prefixes in "GB/T 17946" and "GB/T 13662" also have meanings. "GB" refers to the national mandatory standard, while "GB/T" refers to the national recommended standard. The former must be met, while the latter is a recommended standard and is optional.

What are the essential differences between these two types of rice wine? What is the essential difference between "17946" and "13662"?

As for the differences between 17946 rice wine and 13662 rice wine, there are mainly the following four points:

1. Different wine-making origins: If you want to make good wine, you must choose suitable wine-making microorganisms. The growing environment and climate, therefore, the place where the wine is produced are crucial. 17946 rice wine is produced in Shaoxing, Zhejiang. The climate and humidity of this place are very suitable for the growth of wine-making microorganisms. 13662 rice wine has no requirements on the place of origin;

2. Different water sources for brewing: rice wine is a low-alcohol brewed wine, and water accounts for 80% of it. It can be said that water quality directly affects the quality of rice wine. The water source for making 17946 rice wine must be Jianhu water in Shaoxing. Jianhu water has neutral hardness, low salt content and a variety of trace elements, which is very conducive to wine making. 13662 rice wine has less strict requirements on the water source for brewing;

3. Different brewing techniques: 17946 rice wine is generally made in July of each year, malt koji in September, and rice in October. The formal brewing begins around the beginning of spring and ends in the beginning of the following year. The brewing skills are much higher than those of 13662 rice wine. The Shaoxing rice wine brewing technique used in 17946 rice wine has been included in the national intangible cultural heritage;

4. Different tastes and flavors: 17946 rice wine consists of 6 types: sweet, sour, bitter, pungent, fresh, and astringent. The taste is fused to form a distinctive color, aroma and taste. The taste and flavor are much better than ordinary 13662 rice wine.

Legal basis

"Regulations on the Protection and Development of Shaoxing Rice Wine"

Article 10 Shaoxing rice wine production enterprises may apply to the Shaoxing Rice Wine Industry Association, the registrant of the certification trademark Use certification marks. If the conditions are met, the Shaoxing Rice Wine Industry Association shall permit its use and issue a certification trademark use certificate in accordance with the law.

Users of certification trademarks shall use the certification trademark strictly in accordance with the usage management rules and other regulations, and prominently mark and indicate the trademark registration mark in a prominent position on the product packaging.

If a Shaoxing rice wine production enterprise that has been approved to use certification trademarks fails to comply with the regulations on the use of certification trademarks, the Shaoxing Rice Wine Industry Association shall handle the matter in accordance with the management rules for the use of certification trademarks.

Article 11 Shaoxing rice wine production enterprises and operators shall strengthen independent innovation, apply for registered trademarks and patents in accordance with the law, carry out copyright registration and intellectual property customs protection filing, take reasonable protection measures for trade secrets, and safeguard their own Legitimate interests.

Article 12 The Municipal People’s Government shall establish a Shaoxing rice wine production environment protection zone focusing on the protection scope of Shaoxing wine, a geographical indication product, establish a water management system for the brewing water of Shaoxing wine, a geographical indication product, and implement corresponding protection measures. Ensure the water quality of Jianhu Lake waters.

Article 13 Shaoxing rice wine production enterprises shall organize production in accordance with their publicly implemented standards. Shaoxing Rice Wine Industry Association and Shaoxing Rice Wine Production Enterprises are encouraged to formulate and implement group standards and enterprise standards with advanced international and domestic standards.

Support Shaoxing rice wine production enterprises to establish high-quality glutinous rice and wheat planting bases, improve the Shaoxing rice wine food safety traceability system, and ensure product quality and safety.