Publication of a communication of approval of a standard amendment to a product specification for a name in the wine sector referred to in Article 17(2) and (3) of Commission Delegated Regulation (EU) 2019/33

(2019/C 412/09)

This communication is published in accordance with Article 17(5) of Commission Delegated Regulation (EU) 2019/33 (1)

COMMUNICATING THE APPROVAL OF A STANDARD AMENDMENT

’Prosecco’

PDO-IT-A0516-AM06

Date of communication: 3.9.2019

DESCRIPTION OF AND REASONS FOR THE APPROVED AMENDMENT

1. ‘Characteristics on consumption’ heading

Description: ‘brut nature’ and ‘extra brut’ are being added as new versions to the complement the ‘brut’, ‘extra dry’, ‘dry’ and ‘demi sec’ versions in the sparkling wine category.

Reasons: this amendment allows using the terms ‘brut nature’ and ‘extra brut’ for sparkling wines traditionally produced with residual sugar within the limits allowed under the current legislation and giving consumers more information on the specificity of the product and its organoleptic characteristics on consumption: from ‘brut nature’ to ‘demi-sec’.

The amendment concerns Articles 5 and 6 of the Product Specification and Section 1.4 (Description of the Wines) of the Single Document.

2. Heading ‘Packaging’

Description: seals with a cork content of at least 51 % (by weight) must be used and the cork content of the part of the seal that comes into contact with the wine must not be lower than 51 %,

Reasons: this amendment is intended to enhance the image of Prosecco PDO sparkling wines: in fact, using seals with a minimum cork content of 51 % by weight (including the part that comes into contact with the wine) and up to 49 % of other materials allowed under the current legislation is intended to protect the prestige and tradition of these products while at the same time guaranteeing better conservation of the characteristics of sparkling wine.

The amendment concerns Article 8 of the Product Specification but it does not affect the Single Document.

SINGLE DOCUMENT

1. Name of the product

Prosecco

2. Geographical indication type

PDO — Protected designation of origin

3. Categories of grapevine product

1. Wine

4. Sparkling wine

5. Quality sparkling wine

6. Quality aromatic sparkling wine

8. Semi-sparkling wine

4. Description of the wine(s)

Prosecco — wine

Colour: straw yellow;

Aroma: elegant, characteristic, typical of the grapes from which it is made;

Taste: dry to medium-sweet, fresh and characteristic;

Minimum total alcoholic strength by volume: 10,50 %;

Minimum sugar-free extract: 14 g/l.

Any analytical parameters not shown in the table below comply with the limits laid down in national and EU legislation.

General analytical characteristics Maximum total alcoholic strength (in % volume) Minimum actual alcoholic strength (in % volume) Minimum total acidity 4,5 grams per litre expressed as tartaric acid Maximum volatile acidity (in milliequivalents per litre) Maximum total sulphur dioxide (in milligrams per litre)

Prosecco — sparkling wine, quality sparkling wine and quality sparkling wine of the aromatic type

Colour: straw yellow of varying intensity, brilliant in appearance, with lasting foam;

Aroma: elegant, characteristic, typical of the grapes from which it is made;

Taste: from brut nature to demi-sec, fresh and characteristic;

Minimum total alcoholic strength by volume: 11 %;

Minimum sugar-free extract: 14 g/l.

Any analytical parameters not shown in the table below comply with the limits laid down in national and EU legislation.

General analytical characteristics Maximum total alcoholic strength (in % volume) Minimum actual alcoholic strength (in % volume) Minimum total acidity 4,5 grams per litre expressed as tartaric acid Maximum volatile acidity (in milliequivalents per litre) Maximum total sulphur dioxide (in milligrams per litre)

Prosecco — semi-sparkling wine

Colour: straw yellow of varying intensity, brilliant in appearance, with visible bubble formation;

Aroma: elegant, characteristic, typical of the grapes from which it is made;

Taste: dry to medium-sweet, fresh and characteristic;

Minimum total alcoholic strength by volume: 10,5 %;

Minimum sugar-free extract: 14 g/l.

In the semi-sparkling type traditionally made by fermentation in the bottle, the organoleptic characteristics on consumption can vary:

Colour: possible presence of haziness;

Aroma: pleasant and characteristic with possible notes of crusty bread and yeast,

Taste: dry, foamy, fruity with possible notes of crusty bread and yeast,

Any analytical parameters not shown in the table below comply with the limits laid down in national and EU legislation.

General analytical characteristics Maximum total alcoholic strength (in % volume) Minimum actual alcoholic strength (in % volume) Minimum total acidity 4 grams per litre expressed as tartaric acid Maximum volatile acidity (in milliequivalents per litre) Maximum total sulphur dioxide (in milligrams per litre)

5. Wine-making practices

a. Essential oenological practices

Oenological practice involving the part of the product intended for the preparation of sparkling wine or quality sparkling wine

Specific oenological practice

For the part of the product intended for the preparation of sparkling wine and quality sparkling wine, it is permitted to add products made from Chardonnay, Pinot Bianco, Pinot Grigio and Pinot Nero grapes (white wine), on their own or in combination, up to a maximum of 15 %, under the condition that the grapes of the ‘Glera’ variety used in the winemaking process are grown in single-variety vineyards or vineyards where the presence of minority grape varieties other than those allowed by this practice does not exceed 15 %.

b. Maximum yields

Prosecco

18 000,0 kg of grapes per hectare

Prosecco

135,0 hectolitres per hectare

6. Demarcated geographical area

The grapes used to produce wine covered by the ‘Prosecco’ controlled designation of origin must be produced in the area formed by the provinces of Belluno, Gorizia, Padua, Pordenone, Treviso, Trieste, Udine, Venice and Vicenza.

7. Main wine grape variety(ies)

Glera lunga W. - Serprino

Glera lunga W. - Glera

Glera W. - Serprino

8. Description of the link(s)

Prosecco PDO — all wine categories

Natural factors relevant to the link

The Prosecco designation area, which is located in the north-east of Italy, is characterised by a flat landscape with some hilly areas. The climate of this area of Veneto and Friuli is temperate. To the north, the Alps serve as a barrier against the cold northerly winds and to the south, the Adriatic Sea provides the main route for the sirocco winds, causing sufficient rainfall in particular during the summer months, mitigating temperatures and providing the necessary amount of water for the vines during the growth phases of the buds and clusters.

At the end of summer, with fewer hours of sunshine and a prevalence of dry bora winds from the east, there are large variations in temperature between day and night and a significant amount of aromatic substances can be detected in the grapes, which are just in the final phase of ripening.

The production area is rich in minerals and trace elements. The soils are mostly of alluvial origin with a predominantly clayey-silty texture and a considerable soil skeleton content resulting from the erosion of the dolomites and fluvial deposits, which enables good soil drainage.

Historical and human factors

The earliest documents in which Prosecco wine is mentioned go as far back as the year 600 A.D. The description is about a delicate white wine originating from the karst landscape around Trieste and in particular from the Prosecco area.

The production of this wine later shifted, developing predominantly in the hilly region of Veneto and Friuli.

The success of Prosecco is essentially owed to the fact that from the early 1900s onwards, skilled operators developed the best vine-training techniques for the very vigorous Glera variety with a view to limiting the productive burden on each plant, ensuring that the grapes would ripen properly and preserving their aromatic potential. They also devised the best winemaking techniques based on natural secondary fermentation, initially in the bottle, and more recently in stainless steel tanks.

Over the previous century, a network of highly skilled scientific and technical professionals developed with expertise in production with the aim of perfecting the Prosecco production and processing method. This helped enhance the features that make the wine recognisable to and appreciated by both domestic and international consumers. A key factor was the ability of producers to experiment with and improve the Prosecco wine-making and secondary fermentation technology thanks to which producers are able to preserve the scents of the grapes in the wine’s aromatic profile.

Causal link between the geographical environment and the products' specific characteristics

The mild climate, with rain and hot sirocco winds in summer, is decisive for the vines to develop correctly during the growing season.

The variation in day and night temperatures and the dry prevailing bora winds during the final grape ripening stage encourage the persistence of ‘acidic’ substances and the production of a significant number of aromatic precursors which define the floral and fruity notes typical of Prosecco wine.

The alluvial soils are clayey-silty in texture and quite fertile. This enables excellent yields in quantitative terms, encouraging moderate sugar accumulation levels and providing the minerals and trace elements needed for the grapes to have a well-balanced chemical and sensory composition. This in turn makes it possible to obtain a base wine for semi-sparkling and sparkling wines with a moderate alcohol content and the fresh, dry and fruity sensory profile and taste characteristic of Prosecco.

The grape type produced — particularly the Glera variety — typically has moderate sugar accumulation and optimal content of acidity and aromatic substances (ripeness). This provides a pleasantly aromatic base wine with a low alcohol content, from which Prosecco can be produced.

The sparkling and semi-sparkling versions of Prosecco wine are typically dry, with a sensory profile characterised by a bright straw yellow colour and a good balance between fine bubbles and lasting foam.

The wine is fine and elegant in the nose, with distinctive floral (white flowers) and fruity (apple, pear, exotic fruit and citrus) notes. In terms of taste, the good balance between the sugary and acidic components and the strong flavour give notes of freshness, smoothness and liveliness on the palate.

To further enhance the characteristics of this particular wine in the sparkling version, the Charmat method is used for natural re-fermentation of the base wine in large containers or tanks, where the Prosecco acquires the brio that makes it lively on the palate.

It is this method which enables Prosecco to achieve its full aromatic potential and the pleasingly fresh and characteristic flavour that make it such a highly sought-after and appreciated wine by consumers in Italy and elsewhere in the world.

Mention should also be made of the limited production of still Prosecco wine, which has a similar sensory profile to the types mentioned above, but with distinctive fruity sensations and a fuller, more flavoursome taste.

‘Prosecco’ PDO wines are recognised by consumers in Italy and elsewhere in the world.

9. Essential further conditions (packaging, labelling, other requirements)

Prosecco PDO

Legal framework:

EU legislation

Type of further condition:

Derogation from production in the demarcated geographical area

Description of the condition:

By way of the derogation provided in Article 5(1)(a) of Commission Delegated Regulation (EU) 2019/33, operations to make all of the types of wines can also be carried out in the administrative territory of municipalities in the province of Verona adjacent to the demarcated production area, as long as the grapes are from vineyards that were actively farmed on 30 November 2011. Moreover, these operations can also be carried out in other provinces adjacent to the demarcated production zone with individual permits granted by the Ministry.

Subject to individual permits granted by the Ministry and taking account of traditional production locations, secondary fermentation of the base wine for the ‘semi-sparkling’ and ‘sparkling’ categories can also be carried out in the immediate proximity of the demarcated geographical area, pursuant to Article 5(2) of Commission Delegated Regulation (EU) 2019/33.

Prosecco PDO — Additional geographical unit

Legal framework:

EU legislation

Type of further condition:

Additional provisions relating to labelling

Description of the condition:

For the Prosecco designation it is permitted to include on the label a reference to the ‘province of Treviso’ or ‘Treviso’, to the ‘province of Trieste’ or ‘Trieste’ or ‘Pokrajina Trst’ or ‘Trst’, if the respective batches consist exclusively of grapes harvested from vineyards located in the relevant provinces or if the product is made and packaged in the same province where the grapes are produced, as provided in Article 55 of Commission Delegated Regulation (EU) 2019/33 and Article 120(1)(g) of Regulation (EU) No 1308/2013.

Prosecco PDO

Legal framework:

EU legislation

Type of further condition:

Bottling within the demarcated geographical area

Description of the condition:

The provisions on bottling within the demarcated area have been laid down in line with EU law (Article 4(2) of Regulation (EU) No 607/2009). In accordance with the aforementioned law, bottling must take place in the demarcated geographical area in order to safeguard the quality and reputation of ‘Prosecco’ PDO wine, and to guarantee its origin and ensure the effectiveness of the relevant checks. The particular characteristics and qualities of ‘Prosecco’ wine, which are linked to the geographical area of origin and the reputation of the designation, are better guaranteed if the wine is bottled in the production area, as the application of and compliance with all the technical rules concerning transport and bottling are entrusted to holdings in the area with the necessary knowledge and know-how as well as an interest in preserving the reputation earned. Moreover, the requirement ensures that wine producers are subject to an efficient system of bottling checks by the competent bodies, as all the potential risks of transporting the product outside the area for bottling are avoided. This provision therefore benefits the wine producers themselves, who are mindful of and responsible for safeguarding the quality and reputation of the designation.

Link to the product specification

https://www.politicheagricole.it/flex/cm/pages/ServeBLOB.php/L/IT/IDPagina/14390

(1) OJ L 9, 11.1.2019, p. 2.