COMMISSION IMPLEMENTING DECISION

of 10 July 2018

on the publication in the Official Journal of the European Union of an application to amend the specification for a name in the wine sector in accordance with Article 105 of Regulation (EU) No 1308/2013 of the European Parliament and of the Council

(Côtes de Montravel (PDO))

(2018/C 243/03)

THE EUROPEAN COMMISSION,

Having regard to the Treaty on the Functioning of the European Union,

Having regard to Regulation (EU) No 1308/2013 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 17 December 2013 establishing a common organisation of the markets in agricultural products and repealing Council Regulations (EEC) No 922/72, (EEC) No 234/79, (EC) No 1037/2001 and (EC) No 1234/2007 (1), and in particular Article 97(3) thereof,

whereas:

France submitted an application to amend the specification for the name ‘Côtes de Montravel’ in accordance with Article 105 of Regulation (EU) No 1308/2013.

The Commission examined that application and found that the conditions laid down in Articles 93 to 96, 97(1), 100, 101 and 102 of Regulation (EU) No 1308/2013 had been met.

In order to allow statements of objection to be submitted in accordance with Article 98 of Regulation (EU) No 1308/2013, the application to amend the specification for the name ‘Côtes de Montravel’ should be published in the Official Journal of the European Union,

HAS DECIDED AS FOLLOWS:

Sole Article

The application to amend the specification for the name ‘Côtes de Montravel’ (PDO) in accordance with Article 105 of Regulation (EU) No 1308/2013 is contained in the Annex to this Decision.

In accordance with Article 98 of Regulation (EU) No 1308/2013, the publication of this Decision in the Official Journal of the European Union confers the right to oppose the amendment of the specification referred to in the first paragraph of this Article within two months.

(1) OJ L 347, 20.12.2013, p. 671.

ANNEX

‘CÔTES DE MONTRAVEL’

AOP-FR-A0188-AM01

Date of submission of the application: 10 September 2014

REQUEST FOR AMENDMENT OF THE SPECIFICATION

1. Rules applicable to the amendment

Article 105 of Regulation (EU) No 1308/2013 — non-minor amendment

2. Description of and reasons for the amendment

2.1. Geographical production area

The geographical production area described in point IV of Chapter 1 of the specification has been extended to cover the territory of four municipalities — Fougueyrolles, Nastringues, Saint-Antoine-de-Breuilh and Vélines — and that of the former municipality of Port-Sainte-Foy before it merged with the municipality of Ponchapt. These municipalities, which are also situated in the production area for the ‘Haut-Montravel’ PDO, have identical soil and climate characteristics to those of the geographical production area initially defined for the ‘Côtes de Montravel’ PDO, and have similar vine varieties. This amendment goes hand in hand with a gradual change in the production conditions to maintain the semi-sweet nature of the white wines of the ‘Côtes de Montravel’ PDO.

As the municipalities added to the geographical area used to be in the area in immediate proximity, that area has consequently been amended to remove them.

Point 6 of the Single Document has been amended in this respect.

The designations ‘Côtes de Montravel’ and ‘Haut-Montravel’ thus share the same territory and have natural factors in common.

It is the human factors that distinguish these designations. The choices made by the winegrowers in the training of the vines and the harvesting, and their winemaking skills, result in different products that have long been classified under different names.

The winegrowers' expertise comes from a long tradition of white wine production with residual sugar and preservation of the wines, which were sometimes consumed a long way from their place of origin (in northern Europe, in particular).

The winegrowers have demonstrated over time that they are able to expertly manage their vineyards and the winemaking techniques for their products so as to obtain, despite the uncertainties of the climate, high-quality medium-sweet or sweet white wines known under the designations ‘Côtes de Montravel’ and ‘Haut-Montravel’.

The date on which the relevant national authority approved the amendment to the demarcated parcel area within the newly defined geographical production area has been added to point IV(2) of Chapter 1.

This point does not affect the Single Document.

2.2. Editorial amendment

Under point VI(1)(b) of Chapter 1, the word ‘buds’ has been replaced by the words ‘fruit-bearing buds’: this is an editorial improvement and does not alter the sense of the original text.

Point 6(a) of the Single Document has been amended in this respect: the expression ‘10 buds’ has been replaced by ‘10 fruit-bearing buds’.

2.3. Analytical parameters

In point VII(2) of Chapter 1 on the ripeness of the grapes, the minimum natural and actual alcoholic strengths by volume have been adjusted, decreasing from 12,5 % to 12 % and increasing from 10,5 % to 11 %, respectively.

Under point IX(1)(b) on the analytical standards, the fermentable sugar content has been increased from 51 g/l to 54 g/l. This point does not affect the Single Document.

These amendments are part of the characterisation of the wines of the ‘Côtes de Montravel’ PDO and the emphasis on the semi-sweet nature of the wines produced.

2.4. Vine varieties and blending

Point V(2) of Chapter 1 on the rules on the proportions of the various vine varieties to be planted has been clarified: the proportion of the Sémillon B variety must be greater than or equal to 30 %. This variety, which accounts for the large majority of vines in the production area, is highly suited to over-ripening in the oceanic climate prevailing in the production area.

In point IX(1)(a) of Chapter 1 on the blending of varieties, the minimum proportion of the main varieties used in blending has increased from 50 % to 80 %. It has also been specified, as in the provision on the vine varieties to be planted, that the proportion of the Semillon B variety must be greater than or equal to 30 %.

These amendments are part of the characterisation of the wines of the ‘Côtes de Montravel’ PDO and the emphasis on the semi-sweet nature of the wines produced.

2.5. Link to the origin

Point X of Chapter 1 on the link with the geographical area has been included in conjunction with the extension of the geographical production area.

SINGLE DOCUMENT

1. Name(s)

Côtes de Montravel

2. Type of geographical indication

PDO — Protected Designation of Origin

3. Categories of grapevine products

1. Wine

4. Description of the wine(s)

The wines are semi-sweet, still white wines that are elegant, smooth and mellow and where the fermentable sugars present never mask the fine tonic nature of the wine. The grapes are harvested overripe after a low concentration in stock. In order to obtain this type of wine, which is both fresh and fruity, the wines must come from a blending where the main varieties predominate. After fermentation, the wines have a fermentable sugar content of between 25 g/l and 54 g/l. After enrichment, the wines' total alcoholic strength by volume does not exceed 14,5 %. The wines have a minimum natural alcoholic strength by volume of 12 %.

General analytical characteristics

Maximum total alcoholic strength (in % volume) Minimum actual alcoholic strength (in % volume) 11 Minimum total acidity Maximum volatile acidity (in milliequivalents per litre) Maximum total sulphur dioxide (in milligrams per litre)

The standards provided for in general regulations apply to the maximum total alcoholic strength, the minimum total acidity, the maximum volatile acidity and the maximum total sulphur dioxide content.

5. Winemaking practices

a. Specific oenological practices

Specific oenological practice

Any heat treatment of the wine harvest where the temperature falls below – 5 °C and any use of drying tunnels or chambers are prohibited. The use of wood chips and the addition of tannins are prohibited. After enrichment, the wines' total alcoholic strength by volume does not exceed 14,5 %. In addition to the above provisions, the oenological practices concerning these wines must meet the requirements laid down at EU level and in the Rural and Maritime Fishing Code.

Cultivation method

The minimum planting density of the vines is 5 000 plants per hectare. The spacing between the rows may not exceed 2 metres, and the spacing between plants in the same row may not be less than 0,80 metres.

The vines are pruned according to the following techniques: ‘Guyot’ pruning method, ‘Cordon de Royat’ pruning method, or using short pruning.

Each vine must have a maximum of 10 fruit-bearing buds.

Irrigation is prohibited.

b. Maximum yields

60 hectolitres per hectare

6. Demarcated area

The grapes are harvested and the wines made and developed in the following municipalities in the department of Dordogne: Bonneville-et-Saint-Avit-de-Fumadières, Fougueyrolles, Lamothe-Montravel, Montcaret, Montazeau, Montpeyroux, Nastringues, Port-Sainte-Foy-et- Ponchapt, Saint-Antoine-de-Breuilh, Saint-Méard-de-Gurçon, Saint-Michel-de-Montaigne, Saint-Vivien and Vélines

7. Main wine grapes

Sauvignon B, Muscadelle B, Sauvignon G, Semillon B

8. Description of the link(s)

The demarcated parcel area is mostly composed of well-drained clay-limestone plots on the plateau and fully south-facing slopes. In addition, these vineyard parcels have thin, leached soils but with sufficient clay content not to suffer the effects of drought in the summer. They are also carefully selected to obtain optimal grape quality for the production of ‘Côtes de Montravel’.

The production rules for the designation consists of a minimum planting density of 5 000 plants per hectare and a low harvest rate per vine. This careful management ensures sufficient and early maturity of the grapes in order to enable a good concentration, in particular for the local varieties from the region such as the Muscadelle B, Sauvignon B and Sauvignon gris G, the Ondenc B to a lesser extent, and in particular the Sémillon B, which is often the predominant variety and is highly suited to over-ripening in the oceanic climate. In order to qualify for the ‘Côtes de Montravel’ PDO, the grapes are harvested when fully ripe, when the sugar content is greater than 198 grams per litre of must. Concentration techniques using low temperatures or drying tunnels are prohibited. Likewise, in order to preserve the grapes before pressing, any use of continuous presses or auto-draining trailers with vane pumps is prohibited.

In this region the winegrowers' expertise comes from a long tradition of wine production with residual sugar, skilfully managed to obtain high-quality semi-sweet or sweet white wines known under the designations ‘Côtes de Montravel’ and ‘Haut-Montravel’.

The ‘Côtes de Montravel’ wines are generally semi-sweet, occasionally sweet, white wines that are elegant, smooth and mellow and where the fermentable sugars present never mask the fine tonic nature of the wine. In order to obtain this type of wine, which is both fresh and fruity, the ‘Côtes de Montravel’ wines must come from a blending where the main varieties predominate. The fermentable sugar content between 25 g/l and 54 g/l emphasises the sweetness of these wines, which are both velvety and smooth. Thus they differ from white wines with the ‘Haut-Montravel’ designation, which is reserved for wines that have a higher fermentable sugar content (above 85 g/l) and come from grapes harvested when overripe with or without the effect of noble rot (Botrytis cynerea).

Before the arrival of phylloxera, there is little record of the ‘Haut-Montravel’ wines, with reference only being made to the ‘Montravel’ wines in general without specifying whether dry wines or wines with fermentable sugars were meant. In 1903, Edouard Feret made a full inventory of the viticulture of Bergerac in the work ‘Bergerac et ses vins’ (‘Bergerac and its wines’). He noted that: ‘in the canton of Vélines, white wines have a particular taste and bouquet on the basis of which they have been classified under the name “Côtes de Montravel”. The wines are very white in colour, with great smoothness and mellowness, sweetness and often a pleasant bouquet’. Edouard Feret also noted that Montcaret white wines are the best ‘Côtes de Montravel’ white wines and they stand out for their fine taste and pleasant quality.

9. Essential further conditions

Broader geographical unit

Legal framework:

National legislation

Type of further condition:

Additional provisions relating to labelling

Description of the condition:

Wines with the controlled designation of origin ‘Montravel’ may specify on their labels the broader geographical unit ‘Sud-Ouest’ (‘South-west’). This broader geographical unit may also feature on any leaflets and containers. The size of the letters for the broader geographical unit must not be larger, either in height or width, than the size of the letters forming the name of the controlled designation of origin.

Area in immediate proximity

Legal framework:

National legislation

Type of further condition:

Derogation concerning production in the demarcated geographical area

Description of the condition:

The area in immediate proximity, defined by derogation for the making and development of the wines, comprises the territory of the following municipalities:

— Department of Dordogne: Bergerac, Le Fleix, Monfaucon, Saint-Laurent-des-Vignes,

— Department of Gironde: Gardegan-et-Tourtirac, Gensac, Landerrouat, Les Lèves-et-Thoumeyragues, Pineuilh, Saint-Avit-Saint-Nazaire and Saint-Emilion.

Reference to publication of the specification

https://info.agriculture.gouv.fr/gedei/site/bo-agri/historique/annee-2014/semaine-26