From this point of view, a producer being a member of an association gives the consumer (of course, the expert consumer) immediate information on certain expected characteristics of the wine, without the need for these characteristics to be stated on the label. The role of associations, in terms of information, is associated with that of certifications, which sometimes coincide, in the sense that there are producers associations (such as Biodyvin) that also issue certifications. Certification also has a purely informative value: it certifies, in particular, the type of practices followed in the vineyard and in the cellar17 . However, even in this case, a certain element of confusion may arise from the large number of certifying bodies, each of which assesses different elements. Therefore, restricting the analysis to the main certifications, we can cite those for organic wine, those for biodynamic wines, and those for 'natural' wines. Organic wine is regulated by European standards, namely Reg. 848/2018 and Reg. 1165/2021. In particular, the certification system is regulated by Art. 34 et seq. of Reg. 848/2018, and is subject to a public control system, as certificates are issued by public entities: 'Competent authorities, or, where appropriate, control authorities or control bodies, shall provide a certificate to any operator or group of operators' (Art. 35 Reg. 548/2018). The European organic wine label is coveted in every sector of the market, even in that of medium or even low-quality wines, as it makes the consumer perceive an added value precisely in terms of quality18 . It has to be said, however, that there is not necessarily a direct relationship between wine quality and organic labelling, as 17 On certifications in the wine sector, there is an extensive scientific literature; see, e.g., D. MOSCOVICI, A.REED, Comparing wine sustainability certifications around the world: History, status and opportunity in Journal of Wine Research, 2018, 29.1: 1-25; M. GIACOMARRA et al. The integration of quality and safety concerns in the wine industry: the role of third-party voluntary certifications, in Journal of Cleaner Production, 2016, 112: 267-274; P. ALONSO GONZÁLEZ, E. PARGA DANS, R. FUENTES FERNÁNDEZ, Certification of natural wine: policy controversies and future prospects, in Frontiers in Sustainable Food Systems, 2022, 6: 875427. 18 E. PARGA DANS, P. ALONSO GONZÁLEZ, A. MACÍAS VÁZQUEZ, Taste and knowledge: the social construction of quality in the organic wine market, in Human Ecology, 2019, 47.1: 135-143 ; G. MAESANO et al. What's in organic wine consumer mind? A review on purchasing drivers of organic wines, in Wine Economics and Policy, 2021, 10.1: 3-21.
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