C12G WINE; PREPARATION THEREOF; ALCOHOLIC BEVERAGES; PREPARATION OF ALCOHOLIC BEVERAGES NOT PROVIDED FOR IN SUBCLASSES OR
Introduced: September 1968
Classification Context
- Section:
- CHEMISTRY; METALLURGY
- Class:
- BIOCHEMISTRY; BEER; SPIRITS; WINE; VINEGAR; MICROBIOLOGY; ENZYMOLOGY; MUTATION OR GENETIC ENGINEERING
- Subclass:
- WINE; PREPARATION THEREOF; ALCOHOLIC BEVERAGES; PREPARATION OF ALCOHOLIC BEVERAGES NOT PROVIDED FOR IN SUBCLASSES OR
Description
C12G covers the production, preparation, and treatment of wine and other alcoholic beverages not specifically classified elsewhere in C12. This includes fermentation processes, chemical and physical treatments (such as clarification, stabilization, and aging), fortification, and flavoring of wine and spirits. The subclass encompasses both traditional winemaking methods and modern technological approaches for beverage manufacturing, excluding beer and vinegar production which are covered under separate subclasses (C12C and C12J respectively).
Filing statistics
IPC subclass C12G recorded 46,945 patent applications worldwide between 2013 and 2023. Annual filings declined from 2,943 in 2013 to 2,842 in 2023 (-3%), peaking at 9,031 applications in 2015. The most active applicants in class C12 are CHINESE ACADEMY OF SCIENCES (10,330 applications), HARVARD UNIVERSITY (7,308 applications) and UNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIA (6,383 applications).
Source: EPO PATSTAT, worldwide filings
In class comparison
C12G ranks 6th of 12 subclasses with filings in C12, with 46,945 applications between 2013 and 2023, 3.3% of the class. Annual filings declined 3% from 2013 to 2023, below the class as a whole (+59%).
| Rank | Subclass | Title | Applications | Share |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | C12N, Microorganisms or Enzymes; Compositions Thereof; Propagating, Preserving, or Maintaining Microorganisms; Mutation or Genetic Engineering; Culture Media | Microorganisms or Enzymes; Compositions Thereof; Propagating, Preserving, or Maintaining Microorganisms; Mutation or Genetic Engineering; Culture Media | 650,624 | 45.3% |
| 2 | C12Q, Measuring or Testing Processes Involving Enzymes, Nucleic Acids or Microorganisms; Compositions or Test Papers Therefor; Processes of Preparing Such Compositions; Condition-Responsive Control in Microbiological or Enzymological Processes | Measuring or Testing Processes Involving Enzymes, Nucleic Acids or Microorganisms; Compositions or Test Papers Therefor; Processes of Preparing Such Compositions; Condition-Responsive Control in Microbiological or Enzymological Processes | 266,123 | 18.5% |
| 3 | C12M, Apparatus for Enzymology or Microbiology | Apparatus for Enzymology or Microbiology | 171,419 | 11.9% |
| 4 | C12P, Fermentation or Enzyme-Using Processes to Synthesise a Desired Chemical Compound or Composition or to Separate Optical Isomers From a Racemic Mixture | Fermentation or Enzyme-Using Processes to Synthesise a Desired Chemical Compound or Composition or to Separate Optical Isomers From a Racemic Mixture | 146,875 | 10.2% |
| 5 | C12R, Indexing Scheme Associated With Subclasses , Relating to Microorganisms | Indexing Scheme Associated With Subclasses , Relating to Microorganisms | 119,798 | 8.3% |
| 6 | C12G | Wine; Preparation Thereof; Alcoholic Beverages; Preparation of Alcoholic Beverages Not Provided for in Subclasses or | 46,945 | 3.3% |
| 7 | C12H, Pasteurisation, Sterilisation, Preservation, Purification, Clarification or Ageing of Alcoholic Beverages; Methods for Altering the Alcohol Content of Fermented Solutions or Alcoholic Beverages | Pasteurisation, Sterilisation, Preservation, Purification, Clarification or Ageing of Alcoholic Beverages; Methods for Altering the Alcohol Content of Fermented Solutions or Alcoholic Beverages | 14,580 | 1.0% |
| 8 | C12C, Beer; Preparation of Beer by Fermentation; Preparation of Malt for Making Beer; Preparation of Hops for Making Beer | Beer; Preparation of Beer by Fermentation; Preparation of Malt for Making Beer; Preparation of Hops for Making Beer | 10,159 | 0.7% |
| 9 | C12J, Vinegar; Preparation or Purification Thereof | Vinegar; Preparation or Purification Thereof | 7,047 | 0.5% |
| 10 | C12F, Recovery of By-Products of Fermented Solutions; Denatured Alcohol; Preparation Thereof | Recovery of By-Products of Fermented Solutions; Denatured Alcohol; Preparation Thereof | 873 | 0.1% |
Source: EPO PATSTAT, worldwide filings
Additional Content
Glossary
Degorgeage Dégorgeage Process for removing yeast which has settled in the neck of a bottle or on a specially formed closure. Desulfiting Process for the removal of excess sulfur dioxide. Fermentation Process whereby yeast converts sugar to ethyl alcohol. Immobilised yeast Yeast absorbed on a solid material instead of being dispersed throughout the liquid. Low Alcohol This is a beverage which has a lower alcohol content than would be expected from complete fermentation of the beverage. Must Juice extracted from grapes. Pompage Pumping Sulfiting Process for adding sulfur dioxide (SO 2 ). Wine wines This includes fortified wines such as Sherry, Port or Madeira, but does not include barley wine which is a synonym for beer used in older documents. Winestone Crystals of potassium bitartrate precipitated from the wine.
Limiting references
Beer; Preparation thereof Methods for reducing alcohol content of fermented solutions or alcoholic beverages Methods for increasing alcohol content of fermented solutions or alcoholic beverages
Related Keywords
2 direct subcodes
Child Classifications
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Top Applicants
Top 10 applicants by patent filingsfor class C12, 2013–2023, worldwide · Source: EPO PATSTAT
- CHINESE ACADEMY OF SCIENCES 10,330
- HARVARD UNIVERSITY US 7,308
- UNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIA US 6,383
- JIANGNAN UNIVERSITY 5,144
- MONSANTO TECHNOLOGY US 4,121
- PIONEER HI-BRED INTERNATIONAL US 3,630
- REGENERON PHARMACEUTICALS US 3,515
- CNRS (CENTRE NATIONAL DE LA RECHERCHE SCIENTIFIQUE) FR 3,499
- INSERM (INSTITUT NATIONAL DE LA SANTE ET DE LA RECHERCHE MEDICALE) FR 3,371
- CJ CHEILJEDANG CORPORATION KR 3,361