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 373/08)

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

‘Matera’

Reference number: PDO-IT-A0533-AM03

Date of communication: 31.7.2019

DESCRIPTION OF AND REASONS FOR THE APPROVED AMENDMENT

1. Characteristics of wine for consumption

Description and reasons

Description: For the Matera ‘Primitivo’ category, the upper limit of the sugar content has been raised with regard to its taste: instead of ‘dry’, it now reads ‘from dry to medium-dry with a maximum residual sugar content of 14 g/l’.

Reasons: Being able to slightly raise the upper limit of the sugar content enables producing this category of wine to be better managed because its technical-qualitative characteristics can be more fully expressed. The grape variety used produces fruit early in the season, i.e. it crops early as it has a faster growth cycle and an advanced physiological state, such that climate change and rising temperatures will provide ideal conditions conducive to grapes with a higher sugar content, which will in turn be able to produce wine with a higher sugar content. The amendment request offers operators covered by the designation of origin more potential in terms of products that can meet consumer demand and access to different sales outlets.

Description: For the Matera ‘Passito Bianco’ category of wine, the range of the sugar content has been extended with regard to its taste: instead of ‘dry’, it now reads ‘from dry to sweet’.

Reasons: The amendment is actually intended to correct an error in the description of this wine category which, on account of its intrinsic characteristics, can also be produced with sugar contents that range to sweet, as has traditionally been the case in the area.

This amendment concerns point 1.4 of the Single Document and Article 6 of the specification.

2. Link with the geographical area

Description and reasons

Description: The link with the geographical area has been reworded to include a reference to the wine product categories Wine (1) and Sparkling Wine (4).

Reasons: the aspects that prove the link have been sufficiently demonstrated for each product category. The reworded version, which summarises the content of Article 8 of the specification, does not entail any change to the link but is intended solely to demonstrate it further by including more aspects.

The amendment concerns point 1.8 of the Single Document.

SINGLE DOCUMENT

1. Name of the product

Matera

2. Geographical indication type

PDO — Protected Designation of Origin

3. Categories of grapevine product

1. Wine

4. Sparkling wine

4. Description of the wine(s):

‘Matera’Rosso

colour: ruby red;

aroma: complex, fruity;

taste: harmonious, characteristic.

Minimum total alcoholic strength by volume: 12 % vol.;

Minimum sugar-free extract: 23 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)

‘Matera’Primitivo

colour: ruby red tending to purple and garnet with age;

aroma: intense, long-lasting, distinctive;

taste: full-bodied, harmonious tending to velvety, from dry to medium-dry with a maximum sugar content of 14 g/l;

Minimum total alcoholic strength by volume: 13 % vol.;

minimum total acidity: 4,5 g/l

Minimum sugar-free extract: 23 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) 13 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)

Matera ‘Primitivo Passito’

colour: red of varying intensity tending to garnet;

aroma: distinctive and intense;

taste: sweet, harmonious and velvety;

Minimum total alcoholic strength by volume: 14,5 % vol.; effectively at least 13 % vol.;

minimum total acidity: 4 g/l

Minimum sugar-free extract: 25 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) 13 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)

‘Matera’Rosato

colour: cherry pink;

aroma: intense, long-lasting, distinctive;

taste: dry, full, harmonious.

Minimum total alcoholic strength by volume: 12 % vol.;

Minimum sugar-free extract: 19 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 5 grams per litre expressed as tartaric acid Maximum volatile acidity (in milliequivalents per litre) Maximum total sulphur dioxide (in milligrams per litre)

‘Matera’Moro and Moro Riserva

colour: intense ruby red; tending to garnet in the case of the ‘Riserva’ version

aroma: intense, long-lasting;

taste: dry, full-bodied, harmonious tending to velvety;

Minimum total alcoholic strength by volume: 12 % vol.; 13 % vol. in the case of the ‘Riserva’ version;

Minimum sugar-free extract: 23 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)

Matera ‘Greco’

colour: straw yellow;

aroma: distinctive, intense, long-lasting;

taste: typical, distinctive.

Minimum total alcoholic strength by volume: 11 % vol.;

Minimum sugar-free extract: 19 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 5 grams per litre expressed as tartaric acid Maximum volatile acidity (in milliequivalents per litre) Maximum total sulphur dioxide (in milligrams per litre)

Matera ‘Bianco’

colour: straw yellow;

aroma: intense, fruity;

taste: typical, dry, flavourful;

Minimum total alcoholic strength by volume: 11 % vol.;

minimum total acidity: 5 g/l

Minimum sugar-free extract: 19 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 5 grams per litre expressed as tartaric acid Maximum volatile acidity (in milliequivalents per litre) Maximum total sulphur dioxide (in milligrams per litre)

Matera ‘Bianco Passito’

colour: from straw yellow to amber depending on ageing;

aroma: intense, fruity;

taste: distinctive, from dry to sweet, flavourful;

Minimum total alcoholic strength by volume: 13 % vol.; effectively at least 12 % vol.;

minimum total acidity: 4 g/l

Minimum sugar-free extract: 28 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) 12 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)

Matera ‘Spumante’

foam: fine, long-lasting;

colour: straw yellow;

aroma: fruity, distinctive, pleasant;

taste: typical, distinctive.

Minimum total alcoholic strength by volume: 12,5 % vol.;

Minimum sugar-free extract: 18 g/l.

Any analytical parameters not shown in the table below comply with the limits laid down in the applicable legislation

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

Matera ‘Spumante Rosé’

foam: fine, long-lasting;

colour: cherry pink;

aroma: fruity, distinctive, pleasant;

taste: distinctive.

Minimum total alcoholic strength by volume: 12 % vol.;

Minimum sugar-free extract: 18 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 5 grams per litre expressed as tartaric acid Maximum volatile acidity (in milliequivalents per litre) Maximum total sulphur dioxide (in milligrams per litre)

5. Winemaking practices:

a. Essential oenological practices

None

b. Maximum yields

Matera ‘Rosso’

10 000 kg of grapes per hectare

Matera ‘Primitivo’ and ‘Primitivo Passito’

10 000 kg of grapes per hectare

Matera ‘Rosato’

10 000 kg of grapes per hectare

Matera ‘Moro’ and ‘Moro Riserva’

10 000 kg of grapes per hectare

Matera ‘Greco’

10 000 kg of grapes per hectare

Matera ‘Bianco’ and ‘Bianco Passito’

10 000 kg of grapes per hectare

Matera ‘Spumante’

10 000 kg of grapes per hectare

Matera ‘Spumante Rosé’

10 000 kg of grapes per hectare

6. Demarcated geographical area

The production area for the ‘Matera’ registered designation of origin is the entire administrative territory of the province of Matera.

7. Main wine grape variety(ies)

Sangiovese R.

Greco bianco W. - Greco

Malvasia bianca di Basilicata W. - Malvasia

Merlot R.

Primitivo R.

Cabernet sauvignon R. - Cabernet

8. Description of the link(s)

Characteristics of the geographical area

The area where Matera PDO wine is produced contains distinct kinds of relief that result in three different environments:

— the Coastal Plain environment, which consists of more recent geological surfaces with plains and/or rolling terrain and a highly varied lithological substrate;

— the environment of the coastal terraces above the coastal plain where various different coastal terraces start, which are linked to hilly terrain with characteristically deep, well-developed and well to moderately drained soils in a deep red range of colours (resulting from the high iron content and the breakdown of the pebbles);

— the Fossa Bradanica environment, which accounts for most of the hilly Matera region, spanning north (Irsina), south (Pistici), east (Matera, with the exception of the area of the town and the south-east) and west (Stigliano) and is characterised by varied terrain ranging from rolling to rough with a sandy-conglomerate lithological substrate: the soils consist of coarse sediment or sand, with textures varying from moderately coarse at the surface to sandy below. They are markedly calcareous and highly permeable. The high quality of this wine-growing culture is linked to the choice of bright, well-ventilated areas and the naturally fertile soils which are particularly suitable for vine-growing.

‘Wine’ category (1):

The wines covered by the Matera DOC are made using both native and international grape varieties with good acidity and flavour due to the range in temperature and the sandy soils, particularly in the case of wine wines, which are fresh, pale in colour and with varying degrees of alcohol content.

Soils with a higher clay content lead to wines with greater intensity of colour, whereas calcareous soils produce more sophisticated aromas.

These characteristics are heightened in raisin wines (‘Wine’ category) because of the accumulation of sugars and the concentration of extracts due to the raisining of the grapes. This is accentuated by the climate and the aspect at which the vines are grown, mostly south-southeast for optimal ripening. This in turn encourages the production of healthy grapes better suited for raisining and enables the characteristics of the grape varieties to be fully expressed. The various types of wines present mostly fruity aromas (berries and stone fruit) but also floral notes typical of the grape varieties from which they are made. All of the wines show signs of good acidity and structure, with well-balanced taste. This is particularly true of the types based on grapes of the Primitivo or Cabernet Sauvignon varieties, which are well-suited to ageing on account of their longevity.

‘Sparkling wine’ category (4):

The native grape varieties Malvasia bianca di Basilicata and Primitivo are used to produce the sparkling wines covered by the ‘Matera’ DOC.

The Matera hills area is the ideal habitat for both Malvasia and Primitivo. In fact, the two grape varieties complement one another. Malvasia is grown at a higher altitude where the climate is slightly cooler and the soils are mostly white and derived from marl, clayey marl and fossil limestone. The areas at a lower altitude have characteristically brown soils suited to the Primitivo variety, leading to sparkling wines with excellent structure and alcohol content. The production of sparkling wines is a form of specialised production in this area and makes a significant contribution to the local wine-growing economy. The first sparkling wines were produced in the early 1900s and it was in the 1950s and 1960s that many vineyards (some of which are still in operation today) decided to specialise in this sector. In fact, it was traditional for the wine producers of Matera province to sell large quantities of sparkling wines for weddings, patron saint festivities and religious holidays, including outside the region.

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

None

Link to the product specification

https://www.politicheagricole.it/flex/cm/pages/ServeBLOB.php/L/IT/IDPagina/14101

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