EN Official Journal of the European Union C 235/13

Publication of an application pursuant to Article 50(2)(a) of Regulation (EU) No 1151/2012 of the European Parliament and of the Council on quality schemes for agricultural products and foodstuffs

2013/C 235/06

This publication confers the right to oppose the application pursuant to Article 51 of Regulation (EU) No 1151/2012 of the European Parliament and of the Council (1).

SINGLE DOCUMENT

COUNCIL REGULATION (EC) No 510/2006

on the protection of geographical indications and designations of origin for agricultural products and foodstuffs (2)

‘CHÂTAIGNE D’ARDÈCHE’

EC No: FR-PDO-0005-0874-12.04.2011

PGI ( ) PDO ( X )

1. Name

‘Châtaigne d’Ardèche’

2. Member State or Third Country

France

3. Description of the agricultural product or foodstuff

3.1. Type of product

Class 1.6. Fruit, vegetables and cereals, fresh or processed

3.2. Description of product to which the name in (1) applies

The designation of origin ‘Châtaigne d’Ardèche’ is reserved for fruit of ancient local varieties of Castanea sativa Miller belonging to a population adapted to the local environmental conditions of the Ardèche region (ecotype) and displaying the following common characteristics:

the fruit is elliptical in shape, with a pointed apex, terminating with a style. They are light chestnut brown to dark brown in colour and are marked by vertical grooves. They have a small hilum. After peeling, their kernel is creamy white to pale yellow in colour and has a ribbed surface. The pellicle (or inner skin) can penetrate the kernel to the point of dividing it in two.

Chestnuts with the designation of origin ‘Châtaigne d’Ardèche’ may come in the form of fresh unpeeled chestnuts, peeled whole dry chestnuts, or chestnut flour.

The ‘Châtaigne d’Ardèche’ displays typical aromas, characterised by light notes of pastry, pain au lait, onion squash, sweet potato and honey. In its dried forms (dried chestnut and chestnut flour), it also has the underlying scent of nuts such as almonds and hazelnuts, and cake. It has a distinctly perceptible sweet taste, which may be accompanied by a slightly bitter taste. These two flavours may be more pronounced in its dried preserved forms.

In analytical terms, 100 g of fresh chestnut kernels give the following values:

— percentage of dry matter: more than 37 %,

— total carbohydrates: at least 34 %.

The fruit intended to be sold fresh to the consumer is put up in batches of equal size containing at most 100 fruit per kg. The rest of the fruit may be put up in batches containing up to 200 fruit per kg.

The fruit is presented as follows:

— fresh chestnuts have a shiny pericarp and turgescent kernel. At most 10 % of the chestnuts in each container exhibit traces of internal attack by a fungus or an insect,

— whole dried and peeled chestnuts are off-white to pale yellow in colour. The kernel’s vertical ribs are clearly visible and can exhibit residual traces of pellicle. The proportion of dried chestnuts with defects does not exceed 5 %. Each fruit contains 10 % moisture at most,

— chestnut flour is off-white to pale yellow in colour. It contains 10 % moisture at most. Its granular composition, with the granules being less than or equal to 800 μm (and for at least 80 % less than or equal to 300 μm) in size, gives it a texture which is fine to the touch.

3.3. Raw materials (for processed products only)

—

3.4. Feed (for products of animal origin only)

—

3.5. Specific steps in production that must take place in the identified geographical area

All operations, from harvesting until the final product is obtained, must take place in the geographical area.

3.6. Specific rules on slicing, grating, packaging, etc.

—

3.7. Specific rules concerning labelling

The labelling on unit packages contains the following indications in the same field of view on the front of the packaging, in the following order:

— the name of the designation of origin ‘Châtaigne d’Ardèche’ in a font at least as large as the largest font on the label,

— where applicable, either one of the indications ‘Farine de châtaignes’ or ‘Châtaignes sèches entières’ immediately afterwards, without any indication in between,

— the European Union PDO logo, and

— the crop year (except for fresh chestnuts).

4. Definition of the geographical area

The geographical area of the ‘Châtaigne d’Ardèche’ is located to the west of the Rhône valley, on the edge of the Massif Central, and mainly covers the department of Ardèche.

This geographical area has been defined using criteria associated with natural factors (such as undulating landscape, poor and acidic soils, sloping terrain) and human factors (presence of old chestnut groves, presence of a developed site associated with chestnut cultivation, existence of a customary practice of producing the ‘Châtaigne d’Ardèche’) typical of the area in which the ‘Châtaigne d’Ardèche’ grows.

This area comprises 197 municipalities, 188 of which are in the department of Ardèche, 7 in the department of Gard and 2 in the department of Drôme. This geographical area covers the following territory:

department of Ardèche: — the following cantons in their entirety: Lamastre, Vernoux-en-Vivarais, Saint-Pierreville, Thueyts, Privas, Vals-les-Bains, Aubenas and Valgorge, — the canton of Antraigues-sur-Volane, except for the municipality of Lachamp-Raphaël, — the canton of Cheylard, except for the municipalities of (Le) Chambon and Saint-Andéol-de-Fourchades, — the canton of Joyeuse, except for the municipalities of Beaulieu, Chandolas, Grospierres, Labeaume and Saint-Alban-Auriolles, — the canton of Largentière, except for the municipalities of Chauzon, Uzer and Vinezac, — the canton of Saint-Félicien, except for the municipality of Lafarre, — the canton of (Les) Vans, except for the municipalities of Banne, Berrias-et-Casteljau, Saint-André-de-Cruzières and Saint-Sauveur-de-Cruzières, — the canton of (La) Voulte-sur-Rhône, except for the municipalities of Charmes-sur-Rhône and (La) Voulte-sur-Rhône, — the municipalities of Burzet, Pereyres, Saint-Pierre-de-Colombier, Rochessauve, Saint-Julien-en-Saint-Alban, Montpezat-sous-Bauzon, (Le) Roux, Saint-Martin-sur-Lavezon, Saint-Pierre-la-Roche, Sceautres, Labatie-d’Andaure, Saint-Agrève, Saint-Jeure-d’Andaure, Borne, Laval-d’Aurelle, Saint-Laurent-les-Bains, Lachapelle-sous-Chanéac, Intres, Saint-Jean-Roure, Saint-Julien-Boutières, Saint-Martin-de-Valamas, Alboussière, Champis, Saint-Romain-de-Lerps, Saint-Sylvestre, Toulaud, Boucieu-le-Roi, Colombier-le-Jeune, Saint-Barthélémy-le-Plain, Saint-Jean-de-Muzols, Aubignas, Berzème, Darbres, Lussas, Mirabel, Saint-Gineis-en-Coiron, Saint-Jean-le-Centenier, Saint-Laurent-sous-Coiron and Saint-Pons;

department of Gard: — the municipalities of Bordezac, Gagnières, Peyremale, Aujac, Courry, Meyrannes and Saint-Brès;

department of Drôme: — the municipalities of Tain-l’Hermitage and Gervans.

5. Link with the geographical area

5.1. Specificity of the geographical area

Natural factors

The geographical area is located on the south-east edge of the Massif Central. The chestnut trees have become established in soils which are mainly plutonic or metamorphic rock in origin. The common characteristics of these soils are their acidity (a pH of between 4,8 and 5,5), lack of nutrients, and being well-drained. The chestnut trees prefer steep slopes where they are exposed to a maximum number of hours of sunshine and intensive or more demanding cultivation is not possible. Furthermore, the chestnut groves of the Ardèche region characteristically grow at an altitude of between 300 m and 900 m, and experience an average of 700 mm to 800 mm of rain a year, with at most two dry months. The climate of the area is mesothermic, with long temperate summers and cold winters.

Human factors

Chestnuts have been a significant crop in the Ardèche region since the Middle Ages.

Since the 18th century, in tandem with a significant increase in the area of land under chestnut trees in the Ardèche region, local producers have been empirically selecting ancient local varieties of Castanea sativa Miller adapted to the local climate and soils and making grafts of the best ones. Therefore, since very early on, the production of chestnuts in the Ardèche region has been based on those varieties which are best adapted to local conditions and therefore display superior and specific common qualities of taste. Furthermore, chestnuts from these varieties are produced solely in the Ardèche region.

The ‘Châtaigne d’Ardèche’ is grown in extensive traditional orchards, on areas of sloping, often terraced ground, with a restricted density of 100 chestnut trees per hectare. Scions of the trees are grafted onto Castanea stock. In addition to maintaining chestnut groves in such a way as to respect their multifunctionality and preserve traditional landscapes and local practices (by maintaining grass cover between the trees or cultivating authorised bilberry bushes), natural cultivation methods have been favoured: fertilisers and chemical additives are prohibited, and currently nearly no treatments are applied while the chestnuts are growing. No chestnut tree produces more than 100 kg of fresh chestnuts annually, and no chestnut grove produces more than an average of 5 tonnes of fresh chestnuts per hectare annually anywhere on the farm.

The chestnuts are harvested when they are fully mature, after fruit fall. The use of any vibration equipment or chemical to hasten fruit fall is prohibited. The fruit must be collected rapidly after falling, so that fruit processing stations receive healthy specimens. Before being processed or placed in cold storage, the fruit is kept in aerated packaging in a dark, dry, well-ventilated place.

Conservation techniques to prolong the life of this fresh but fragile fruit have long been sought after. The oldest of these is, without a doubt, hot-air drying. In the 18th century, chestnuts could be dried on racks in a chimney stack, in specially adapted ovens, or in clèdes (dry-stone structures with a drying floor). Currently, drying takes place over a minimum of seven days. The chestnuts are dried moderately and gradually by circulating hot air of at most 50 °C around them to avoid sudden dehydration which could change the nature of the fruit completely, until a moisture content of at most 10 % is attained. This ensures that the chestnuts keep well. Drying takes place at the latest on the 31 January following harvest. Once dry, the chestnuts are peeled with the help of chestnut peelers, then sorted to remove defective fruit (at most 5 % of the fruit is attacked by fungi or insects). The remaining fruit may then be marketed as dried chestnuts or ground in a mill to obtain chestnut flour of the requisite fineness.

5.2. Specificity of the product

The designation ‘Châtaigne d’Ardèche’ comes exclusively from ancient local varieties of Castanea sativa Miller selected and produced in their area of origin.

Different names have been given to the ancient local varieties originating from this population depending on the location, but they all exhibit common specific characteristics.

The ‘Châtaigne d’Ardèche’ is distinguishable from other chestnuts commonly found on the market by the following characteristics:

— small- to medium-sized fruit. The harvested fruit generally ranges from small to medium in diameter: — 30 % of the fruit is of medium diameter (65 to 85 fruit/kg), — 50 % of the fruit is of small diameter (86 to 100 fruit/kg), — 20 % of the fruit is of very small diameter (more than 100-200 fruit/kg),

— a small, rectangular hilum which does not extend to the lateral sides of the chestnut,

— a richness of aromas and, in the case of the fresh form of the chestnut, a melt-in-the-mouth texture after roasting. The organoleptic analyses carried out on the fruit after roasting reveal the following specific sensory characteristics: — a relatively firm texture which develops progressively towards a very noticeable smooth, melt-in-the-mouth texture, — an only slightly bitter taste, — typical aromas: light notes of pastry, pain au lait, onion squash, sweet potato and honey,

— a markedly sweet taste: analyses of the carbohydrate composition of the ‘Châtaigne d’Ardèche’ reveal that a significant percentage of the chestnut (generally more than 14 % (of dry matter)) is composed of monosaccharides and disaccharides, which exceeds the values commonly observed and explains why it tastes so sweet.

The dry forms of the ‘Châtaigne d'Ardèche’ (dried chestnuts and chestnut flour) are characterised more specifically by the following:

— in addition to the aforementioned aromatic characteristics, there are also aromas of nuts, such as almonds and hazelnuts, and an aroma of cake,

— the sweetness and bitterness are more noticeable than in the fresh chestnut,

— a light colour, from off-white to pale yellow,

— a moisture content of at most 10 %,

— flour of a texture which is fine to the touch.

5.3. Causal link between the geographical area and the quality or characteristics of the product

The land of the Ardèche region has become remarkably well-adapted to the production of chestnuts. Chestnut trees established themselves there very early on, first of all as wild trees (as early as the Tertiary period), and then as cultivated trees (written sources testify to this having taking place since the Middle Ages). This adaptation can be seen to this day in the sloping landscapes of the Ardèche, marked as they are by low walls and terraces, the supporting elements of traditional chestnut groves.

The specific characteristics of the ‘Châtaigne d’Ardèche’ stem from:

— light, well-drained and acidic soils, which allow the varieties of chestnut trees selected to establish themselves and develop well,

— the climate which, owing to long hours of sunshine and rainfall at the start of autumn, favours fruit development,

— the adaptation of ancient local varieties of Castanea sativa Miller to local natural conditions and traditional production techniques, which gives the chestnuts their aromatic richness and melt-in-the-mouth texture,

— the location of the chestnut trees on areas of sloping ground, which affords them optimal exposure to sunlight and contributes towards a significant amount of sugar being stored in the fruit,

— the low density of the orchards and the low intensity of the crop favour the production of fruit which expresses its full aromatic potential,

— the following local practices, which are applied from the time of harvest until the final product is obtained, and which serve to preserve this potential: — harvesting of the fruit when it is fully mature, which allows its characteristic aromatic richness and sweetness to be preserved, — sorting of the chestnuts in a way appropriate for the local varieties, and controlled storage and processing conditions, which allow these characteristics to be preserved until the final product is obtained, — sorting of the dried chestnuts before milling, which helps the flour’s characteristic light colour to be obtained, — gradual and moderate drying, which favours the organoleptic expression of the ‘Châtaigne d'Ardèche’ without a biscuit-like taste being obtained and enables the dried chestnuts and chestnut flour to develop a light colour, — the care taken when milling, so as to obtain the requisite fineness, — and, finally, the low moisture content of the dried chestnuts and chestnut flour, which helps strengthen their sweet taste and the developed aromas.

These specific characteristics have allowed the ‘Châtaigne d’Ardèche’, whether fresh, dried or in the form of flour, to change from an essential food for the local population up until the 19th century to becoming a key ingredient in local cooking in the present day.

Since the end of the 19th century, several renowned local hundred-year-old enterprises have developed products of some repute, such as glacé chestnuts and sweetened chestnut purée, using the ‘Châtaigne d’Ardèche’ as the main ingredient.

The ‘Châtaigne d’Ardèche’ appears on the menus of the great chefs. The inventory of France’s culinary heritage, produced by the Conseil National des Arts Culinaires, lists the ‘Châtaigne d’Ardèche’, in the various ways it is used, as a flagship product.

Reference to publication of the specification

(Article 5(7), paragraph 7 of Regulation (EC) No 510/2006 (3))

https://www.inao.gouv.fr/fichier/CDCChataigneDArdeche2013.pdf

(1) OJ L 343, 14.12.2012, p. 1.

(2) Replaced by Regulation (EU) No 1151/2012.

(3) See footnote 2.