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

(2020/C 73/11)

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

COMMUNICATION OF APPROVAL OF A STANDARD AMENDMENT

‘Corbières’

PDO-FR-A0671-AM02

Date of communication: 20 December 2019

DESCRIPTION OF AND REASONS FOR THE APPROVED AMENDMENT

1. Geographical area and area in immediate proximity

Points IV(1) and (3) of the specification relating to the geographical area and the area in immediate proximity have been updated in respect of the references to the official geographical code for 2019.

The names of three municipalities, ‘Fraisse-des-Corbières’, ‘Mayronnes’ and ‘Portel-des-Corbières’, have therefore been updated in the list of municipalities that make up the geographical area. This update does not alter the geographical area.

The name of one municipality, ‘Opoul-Perillos’ in the department of Pyrénées-Orientales, has been updated in the list of municipalities that make up the area in immediate proximity. This update does not alter the area in immediate proximity.

The points in the single document relating to ‘Demarcated geographical area’ and ‘Additional conditions – area in immediate proximity’ have been updated.

2. Vine varieties

Under point V of the specification, secondary varieties have been integrated to allow for a better adaptation of plant material to the soil and climate conditions in the geographical area. The profile of the AOC (appellation d’origine contrôlée) wines is maintained and the vine varieties are integrated up to a maximum of 10 %:

— red: addition of Marselan N as an ancillary variety;

— rosé and white: addition of Carignan blanc B and Viognier B;

— rosé: the Piquepoul noir N variety is changed from a main grape variety to a secondary grape variety and the Muscat à petits grains blancs B variety has been removed from the list of secondary grape varieties as it is not used to produce the AOC wines.

The points relating to ‘Main wine grape varieties’ and ‘Secondary wine grape varieties’ in the single document have been amended.

3. Red wine yields

The yield from red wines (point VIII of the specification) has been lowered in relation to that of rosé and white wines to 58 hl/ha instead of 60 hl/ha as had previously been provided for all the wines.

The yield values have been updated in the single document.

In connection with the amendment of the yields for red wines, the average maximum crop load per parcel for red wines in the product specification under point VI relating to ‘Vine training’ has also been lowered to 8 500 kg/ha from 9 000 as had originally been provided for all the wines. This amendment has no impact on the single document.

4. Update to the wording under ‘Labelling’

Under point XII2(b) of the specification, the wording of the special labelling provision has been updated without amendment.

The previous wording was as follows:

‘- The labels of appellation d’origine contrôlée wines may bear the name of the broader geographical unit “Languedoc”. The size of the lettering of this designation must not be larger, either in height or in width, than half the size of the letters in which the name of the registered designation of origin is written.’

The term ‘designation’ has been replaced by ‘geographical unit’.

The term ‘appellation d’origine contrôlée’ has been replaced by ‘appellation d’origine’.

The wording of the point relating to ‘Additional conditions – labelling’ has been updated.

SINGLE DOCUMENT

1. Name of the product

Corbières

2. Geographical indication type

PDO – Protected Designation of Origin

3. Categories of grapevine products

1. Wine

4. Description of the wine(s)

Analytical characteristics

The wines are still, dry white, rosé and red wines.

The white and rosé wines have a minimum natural alcoholic strength by volume of 11,5 %.

The red wines have a minimum natural alcoholic strength by volume of 12 %.

During packaging and when placed on the consumer market, the red wines have a malic acid content not exceeding 0,4 grams per litre.

During packaging and when placed on the consumer market, the red wines with a natural alcoholic strength by volume not exceeding 14 % have a fermentable sugar (glucose + fructose) content not exceeding 3 grams per litre; red wines with an alcoholic strength of more than 14 % have a fermentable sugar (glucose + fructose) content not exceeding 4 grams per litre; white and rosé wines have a fermentable sugar (glucose and fructose) content not exceeding 4 grams per litre.

The total acidity, volatile acidity and total sulphur dioxide contents are those laid down in EU legislation.

General analytical characteristics Maximum total alcoholic strength (in % volume) Minimum actual alcoholic strength (in % volume) Minimum total acidity Maximum volatile acidity (in milliequivalents per litre) Maximum total sulphur dioxide content (in milligrams per litre)

Description of the red wines

The red wine is dry and is produced by blending two or more grape varieties, including the widely used Carignan N variety. This variety contributes to the structure of the wines, while other grape varieties impart roundness and aromatic complexity.

These wines are generally balanced, robust and powerful, often with intense notes of red fruits and spices.

They can be drunk young, but are well suited to ageing.

Description of the rosé wines

The rosé wine is dry with an elegant nose, most often marked by floral and fruity notes. It is fresh on the palate, followed by a pleasant roundness.

Description of the white wines

The white wine is dry and characterised mainly by elegant aromas of white flowers and a balance based on roundness and finesse.

5. Wine-making practices

a. Essential oenological practices

Specific oenological practice

Winemakers are permitted to use oenological charcoal to produce the rosé wines, exclusively for musts and new wines still in fermentation, in a proportion not exceeding 20 % of the volume of rosé wine produced by the winemaker concerned for the harvest in question.

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.

Growing method

The minimum vine planting density is 4 000 plants per hectare.

The distance between the rows of vines must not exceed 2,5 m.

The area available for each plant must not exceed 2,5 m2. This area is obtained by multiplying the distances between rows and the space between plants in the same row.

When trained using the goblet system, the vines are pruned short, with a maximum of six spurs per foot. Each spur has a maximum of two buds.

When trained using the Royat cordon system, the vines are pruned short:

— with a maximum of six spurs per foot, each spur carrying a maximum of two buds; or

— with a maximum of 10 spurs per foot, each spur with a maximum of one bud.

Irrigation may be authorised.

b. Maximum yields

For white and rosé wines

60 hectolitres per hectare

For red wines

58 hectolitres per hectare

6. Demarcated geographical area

The grapes are harvested and the wines are produced and developed in the following municipalities of the department of Aude, as based on the 2019 Official Geographic Code [Code officiel géographique]:

Albas, Arquettes-en-Val, Bages, Barbaira, Bizanet, Boutenac, Camplong-d’Aude, Canet, Capendu, Cascastel-des-Corbières, Caunettes-en-Val, Caves, Comigne, Conilhac-Corbières, Coustouge, Cruscades, Cucugnan, Davejean, Dernacueillette, Douzens, Duilhac-sous-Peyreperthuse, Durban-Corbières, Embres-et-Castelmaure, Escales, Fabrezan, Felines-Termenès, Ferrals-les-Corbières, Feuilla, Fitou, Floure, Fontcouverte, Fontiès-d’Aude, Fontjoncouse, Fraisse-des-Corbières, Gruissan, Jonquières, Labastide-en-Val, Lagrasse, Laroque-de-Fa, Leucate, Lézignan-Corbières, Luc-sur-Orbieu, Mayronnes, Maisons, Montbrun-des-Corbières, Montgaillard, Montirat, Montlaur, Montredon-des-Corbières, Montséret, Monze, Moux, Narbonne, Névian, Ornaisons, Padern, Palairac, La Palme, Paziols, Peyriac-de-Mer, Port-la-Nouvelle, Portel-des-Corbières, Pradelles-en-Val, Quintillan, Ribaute, Rieux-en-Val, Roquefort-des-Corbières, Rouffiac-des-Corbières, Saint-André-de-Roquelongue, Saint-Jean-de-Barrou, Saint-Laurent-de-la-Cabrerisse, Saint-Pierre-des-Champs, Serviès-en-Val, Sigean, Talairan, Taurize, Termes, Thézan-des-Corbières, Tournissan, Treilles, Tuchan, Vignevieille, Villar-en-Val, Villeneuve-les-Corbières, Villerouge-Termenès, Villesèque-des-Corbières, Villetritouls.

7. Main wine grape varieties

Vermentino B – Rolle

Carignan N

Grenache N

Lledoner pelut N

Mourvèdre N – Monastrell

Syrah N – Shiraz

Cinsaut N – Cinsault

Marsanne B

Bourboulenc B – Doucillon blanc

Grenache blanc B

Macabeu B – Macabeo

Roussanne B

8. Description of the link(s)

The uplands of the Corbières massif form a natural, historical and cultural barrier with the Roussillon region, and its vineyards are open to the Mediterranean Sea and the Languedoc plains. After sharing a border with Spain for many years, the Corbières region lost its border status in 1659 with the signing of the Treaty of the Pyrenees, under which ‘northern Catalonia’ was ceded to France.

Spanning a distance of 60 kilometres from the Narbonne coast to the gates of Carcassonne, the Corbières region contains a succession of varied areas divided into four or five clearly distinct geographical units embedded in these unique uplands.

The whole of the massif has a Mediterranean climate and, except for on the summits, Mediterranean vegetation dominates and competes for space with vines at the heart of a very arid region exposed to winds for some 300 days a year.

Successive generations of producers have developed ‘Corbières’ within this compartmentalised, bright but difficult terrain, where the rare autumn and spring rains can be violent at times.

They have succeeded in rationally planting and establishing grape varieties, and have adapted their cultivation and training practices to a variety of situations.

Thus, the Carignan N variety, which is very common, remains, in the most difficult situations, the variety of choice as it is perfectly adapted to the area’s hot, dry and windy climate. Also found are the Grenache N, Mourvèdre N and Syrah N varieties. The latter, which ripens early, is planted in locations with deeper, cooler soils. Its sensitivity to wind means that it is generally trained. The Mourvèdre N variety, which ripens later, is found in the warmer soils, on the coastal fringe and in sheltered locations. Present throughout the area, the Grenache N variety shares the thin and arid slopes with the Carignan N variety.

By matching the designation’s geographical locations with the right grape varieties, the winemakers’ wines reveal the potential of the lean and stony terrain, which gives the red wines their structure and strength, and the potential of the deeper, cooler soils, which give the rosé wines their characteristic fruity aromas, while making the most of the sheltered parcels that allow the red and rosé wines to express the tannic flexibility and the characteristic notes of fruits (chiefly red fruits in the case of the red wines). Finally, the Mediterranean heat allows round and balanced white wines to be produced.

The complementarity of the grape varieties is the strength of the wines under the ‘Corbières’ controlled designation of origin. For a long time these renowned wines were the preserve of a highly developed local trade, which allowed them to be distributed extensively on the French market.

Known as the ‘Five Sons of Carcassonne’, the châteaux of Peyrepertuse, Puylaurens, Quéribus, Termes and Aguilar, from the tops of their limestone ridges, bear witness to the turbulent past of ‘Corbières’, where the tragedy of the Cathars was played out on the mountainsides. The remains of the magnificent abbeys of Lagrasse and Fontfroide are a reminder of the essential role played by monks in establishing the vines, the only plant capable of thriving in the meagre, dry soil left by scrubland, heathland and rocks, instilling in the producers of ‘Corbières’ their pride and dynamism in defending the reputation of their controlled designation of origin.

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

Legal framework:

National legislation

Type of further condition:

Additional provisions relating to labelling

Description of the condition:

The labels of wines eligible for the controlled designation of origin may bear the name of a smaller geographical entity, provided that:

— it is a registered location;

— it appears on the harvest declaration.

The name of the registered location appears immediately after the controlled designation of origin, and is printed in lettering no greater than half the size, in both height and width, of the letters in which the name of the controlled designation of origin is written.

The labels of wines with the controlled designation of origin may bear the name of the broader geographical unit ‘Languedoc’.

The size of the lettering used must not be larger, either in height or in width, than half the size of the letters in which the name of the controlled designation of origin is written.

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 production and development of the wines, comprises the territory of the following municipalities:

— Department of Aude: Argens-Minervois, Armissan, Auriac, Badens, Blomac, Bouilhonnac, Carcassonne, Castelnau-d’Aude, Clermont-sur-Lauquet, Coursan, Cuxac-d’Aude, Fajac-en-Val, Fleury, Greffeil, Ladern-sur-Lauquet, Lairière, Mailhac, Marcorignan, Marseillette, Mas-des-Cours, Massac, Montjoi, Moussan, Mouthoumet, Palaja, Paraza, Puicheric, Raissac-d’Aude, Roquecourbe-Minervois, Roubia, Rustiques, Saint-Couat-d’Aude, Saint-Martin-des-Puits, Soulatgé, Tourouzelle, Trèbes, Villedaigne, Vinassan;

— Department of Pyrénées-Orientales: Le Barcarès, Maury, Opoul-Périllos, Rivesaltes, Saint-Paul-de-Fenouillet, Salses-le-Château, Tautavel, Vingrau.

Link to the product specification

https://info.agriculture.gouv.fr/gedei/site/bo-agri/document_administratif-72919cce-47ac-43c8-bbfd-7524f14d9e66

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