EN Official Journal of the European Union C 143/8

Publication of an amendment 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

(2017/C 143/09)

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).

APPLICATION FOR APPROVAL OF NON-MINOR AMENDMENTS TO THE PRODUCT SPECIFICATION FOR A PROTECTED DESIGNATION OF ORIGIN OR PROTECTED GEOGRAPHICAL INDICATION

Application for approval of amendments in accordance with the first subparagraph of Article 53(2) of Regulation (EU) No 1151/2012

‘CHASSELAS DE MOISSAC’

EU No: PDO-FR-02205 — 21.11.2016

PDO ( X ) PGI ( )

1. Applicant group and legitimate interest

Syndicat de défense du Chasselas de Moissac AOC Address : 1 promenade Sancert 82200 Moissac FRANCE Tel. +33 563040178 Fax +33 563041121 Email: syndicatduchasselas@wanadoo.fr

The applicant group for the ‘Chasselas de Moissac’ PDO is composed of producers and processors of ‘Chasselas de Moissac’ and therefore has a legitimate interest in submitting an amendment application.

2. Member State or Third Country

France

3. Heading in the product specification affected by the amendment(s)

— ☐ Product name — ☒ Description of product — ☐ Geographical area — ☒ Proof of origin — ☒ Method of production — ☒ Link — ☒ Labelling — ☒ Other: geographical area, inspections

4. Type of amendment(s)

— ☒ Amendments to the product specification of a registered PDO or PGI not to be qualified as minor within the meaning of the third subparagraph of Article 53(2) of Regulation (EU) No 1151/2012 — ☐ Amendments to the product specification of a registered PDO or PGI for which a Single Document (or equivalent) has not been published and which cannot be qualified as minor within the meaning of the third subparagraph of Article 53(2) of Regulation (EU) No 1151/2012

5. Amendment(s)

Description of product

The sugar content of the grapes is monitored using a refractometer providing immediate results expressed in degrees Brix. It is proposed that the minimum sugar content be set at 17,2 degrees Brix, which corresponds to 160,4 g/l, instead of at 160 g/l, as is the case at present. This amendment does not alter the intrinsic characteristics of the product, but it does make monitoring easier.

Therefore the provision ‘The sugar content is equal to or above 160 g/l.’ now reads ‘The sugar content is equal to or above 17,2 degrees Brix.’.

The possibility of derogating from the minimum sugar content in the event of exceptional climatic conditions has been removed. The derogation ‘except in exceptional climatic conditions where, for a given harvest, this index can be lowered provided that it is no lower than 150 g/l.’ has therefore been removed. That provision was inappropriate.

The sentence ‘The grapes are perfectly healthy’ has been added, the objective being to guarantee the quality of the product. Grape berries with any deterioration are thus excluded.

The sentence ‘Maturity is considered to have been reached only when the sugar to acidity ratio is above 25.’ has been simplified and now reads ‘The sugar to acidity ratio is above 25.’. Only the analytical element has been kept in the ‘Description of product’ section. The requirement that the grapes be harvested when they are properly ripe has been moved to the ‘Description of the method of production’ section, as follows: ‘The grapes are harvested when properly ripe’, since that provision relates to the method of production.

The sentence ‘It is compulsory for the bunches to be prepared, and for the grapes to be cut from them and packaged.’ has been moved from the ‘Description of product’ section to the ‘Description of the method of production’ section and supplemented as follows: ‘The grapes are cut from the bunches and packaged in a bunch cutting and packaging workshop’, since that provision relates to the method of production and the aim is to supplement the following sentence, which is already contained in the registered specification: ‘The bunches, including those coming out of long-term storage, are prepared in the bunch cutting and packaging workshop.’.

Proof of origin

Owing to developments in national legislation and regulations, the text of the ‘Evidence that the product originates from the defined geographical area’ section has been consolidated to bring together, in particular, provisions on declaration requirements and the keeping of registers for tracing products and monitoring production conditions.

In order to provide a better framework for the procedure for monitoring operators and to simplify it, the ‘annual declaration of suitability’ to be submitted annually by each producer has been replaced by a ‘declaration of non-intent to produce’, which operators must submit if they do not want to use any or part of their production tools for production.

That section has also been supplemented to include several provisions on registers, declaration documents and a specific identification and traceability system making it possible to guarantee the traceability of the products and verify their compliance with the requirements of the specification.

Method of production

As regards the density and the distance of the vines (which remain unchanged), the sentence ‘The methods for implementing the density and distance must follow the requirements contained in Article 5 of the decree concerning “AOC Chasselas de Moissac”’ has been removed, since it is no longer necessary to refer to the national text and these arrangements covered a period of adjustment of the vines that no longer applies.

Similarly, the yield per vine has been added to the sentence ‘the average maximum yield of the designation of origin for the holding is set at 13 t/ha’. This makes it possible to limit the number of bunches per vine in order to obtain a high-quality bunch of grapes. Consequently, holdings with low-density vines compared to the authorised maximum densities must not maximise the yield of their vines, as that would be detrimental to the quality of the grapes. The following yields have been added: ‘4 kg/vine for single trellis systems and 5,2 kg for double trellis systems’.

The possibility of derogating from the maximum total yield in the event of exceptional climatic conditions has been removed, because it was not included in the specification.

The provisions on the long-term storage have been supplemented as follows:

— It has been indicated that the deterioration referred to in the sentence ‘The grapes may be put into long-term storage after the removal of the grapes spoiled in harvesting (…)’ concerns deterioration caused ‘by botrytis’,

— it has been added that the bunches of grapes are arranged in a single layer, placed ‘upright’ (tail upwards), in tray-like, latticed or vented containers,

— the following sentence has been added: ‘The grapes selected on the vine are healthy, ripe and without any moisture.’,

— the sentence ‘These grapes, which are not cut from the bunch, are then cooled rapidly upon their arrival at the place of storage’ has been supplemented by ‘in a cold chamber during a minimum of 12 h at a temperature of between 0 and 1 °C. They must then be protected using sulphur dioxide.’, which replaces the less precise provision ‘, in a cold chamber subject to a controlled atmosphere, temperature and hygrometry’,

— the storage conditions of grapes in long-term storage have been described: ‘The containers are grouped together on a pallet and wrapped in hermetically sealed plastic film before being put in a cold chamber at a temperature varying between 0° and 1 °C and with a moisture content above 90 %.’, which replaces ‘put into long-term storage hermetically sealed’,

— the transport conditions of the grapes between the parcel where they are harvested and the bunch cutting and packaging workshop have been described more clearly: ‘they are transported as rapidly as possible from the vineyard to the packaging workshop. They must be arranged in a single layer, ‘tail upwards’, in latticed or vented containers’,

— the following sentence has been added: ‘the lighting or luminosity measured in the working spaces of bunch cutting and packaging workshops must be at least 500 lux’,

— finally, the following has been added: ‘In order to preserve the characteristics of the product, whenever a package exceeds 800 g, the bunches of grapes are presented in a single layer in trays holding a maximum of 8 kg. However, one to three bunches may be arranged on top of this layer, provided they are placed on a (paper) tissue.’

The purpose of this information is to provide a better framework for the practices and ensure the quality of the product. By stating that the grapes must be protected using sulphur dioxide, more specific information is given on the storage conditions in the cold chamber.

Link

The information on the link has been supplemented in order to better describe the know-how but also to improve the consistency between the different parts of the chapter. This re-writing highlights more clearly the link between the product and its geographical area. This more detailed description of the link has been added to the Single Document.

Labelling

The references to the controlled designation of origin have been removed from this chapter as well as from the other chapters of the specification.

Other

Geographical area:

The parcel identification rules, a procedure already provided for in the specification registered under the ‘Proof of origin’ section, have been moved to the ‘Geographical area’ chapter of the specification and supplemented with the date for submitting the application for identification of the parcels (before the 1st of February preceding the first harvest).

The list of municipalities in the geographical area has been added (list of 76 municipalities in the departments of Lot and Tarn-et-Garonne), without any changes to the geographical area laid down in the registered specification.

Monitoring:

Details of the inspection bodies and the competent authority of the Member State: the name and the contact details of the official bodies have been updated.

In the light of changes to national legislation and rules, the section entitled ‘National requirements’ now contains a table indicating the main points to be checked, their reference values and the evaluation methods to be used.

SINGLE DOCUMENT

‘CHASSELAS DE MOISSAC’

EU No: PDO-FR-02205 — 21.11.2016

PDO ( X ) PGI ( )

1. Name(s)

‘Chasselas de Moissac’

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 the product to which the name in (1) applies

The ‘Chasselas de Moissac’ PDO is reserved for a fresh or long-life table grape that is produced exclusively from the chasselas B variety and has the following characteristics:

— the bunch is supple, homogenous in its density, and golden in colour, with a minimum length of 12 cm and a minimum weight of 100 g. The grapes must not be deformed, insufficiently ripe, rotting or diseased. The bloom of the grapes is preserved, the seeds are discernible against the light, and the stem is turgescent,

— the grapes are perfectly healthy,

— the sugar content is equal to or above 17,2 degrees Brix. The sugar to acidity ratio is above 25.

3.3. Feed (for products of animal origin only) and raw materials (for processed products only)

—

3.4. Specific steps in production that must take place in the defined geographical area

All operations related to grape production take place within the geographical area.

3.5. Specific rules concerning slicing, grating, packaging, etc. of the product the registered name refers to

The long-term storage of the grapes takes place in bunch cutting and packaging workshops in the geographical area so that they can be placed in a cold chamber very rapidly in order to preserve the product and prevent it from deteriorating. The speed with which the temperature is lowered and protection of the grapes using sulphur dioxide are indispensable conditions for long-term storage.

‘Chasselas de Moissac’ is packaged simultaneously with the cutting of the bunches and sorting of the product, which are indispensable steps in obtaining the distinctive product covered by the designation. Therefore the lighting of the working spaces of bunch cutting and packaging workshops must be at least 500 lux to allow the skilled staff to assess the quality of the grapes typical of ‘Chasselas de Moissac’: the colour of the grapes, the presence of the bloom, the transparency of the pulp and the turgescence of the stems.

In order to preserve the quality of this very fragile product, it is packaged manually. In addition, whenever a package exceeds 800 g, the bunches of grapes are presented in a single layer in trays holding a maximum of 8 kg. However, one to three bunches may be arranged on top of this layer, provided they are placed on a (paper) tissue.

Likewise in order to preserve the characteristics of the product, it is packaged immediately after the cutting of the bunches so as to limit the amount of handling.

3.6. Specific rules concerning labelling of the product the registered name refers to

The labelling on individual packages contains:

— the name of the protected designation of origin ‘Chasselas de Moissac’ written in characters of a dimension at least equal to those of the largest characters,

— the name of the producer,

— the identification and traceability system specific to ‘Chasselas de Moissac’.

4. Concise definition of the geographical area

The geographical area is composed of 76 municipalities in the departments of Tarn-et-Garonne and Lot:

Department of Lot (46): Bagat-en-Quercy, Belfort-du-Quercy, Castelnau-Montratier, Flaugnac, Fontanes, Lascabanes, Lebreil, Montcuq, Montdoumerc, Montlauzun, Saint-Cyprien, Saint-Daunès, Saint-Laurent-Lolmie, Saint-Pantaléon, Saint-Paul-de-Loubressac, Sainte-Alauzie, Sainte-Croix, Valprionde.

Department of Tarn-et-Garonne (82): the cantons of Bourg-de-Visa, Lafrançaise, Lauzerte, Moissac, Molières et Montpezat-de-Quercy and the municipalities of Belvèze, Castelsagrat, Caussade, Cayriech, Gasques, Corbarieu, Génébrières, Goudourville, Lamothe-Capdeville, Léojac, Mirabel, Montaigu-de-Quercy, Montauban, Montjoi, Réalville, Roquecor, Saint-Clair, Saint-Nauphary, Saint-Vincent.

5. Link with the geographical area

Specificity of the geographical area

Natural factors:

Within the three geomorphologic units comprising the geographical area, the ‘Chasselas de Moissac’ vines have been established on parcels with relatively infertile soils that lack major elements or trace elements, are fairly deep and well-drained and warm up easily owing to their texture rich in coarse fragments or their exposure.

The climate is Atlantic, with continental and Mediterranean influences. Winters are relatively cold. Temperatures rise markedly in the spring, while summer is characterised by plenty of sunshine and high temperatures. The average annual rainfall is between 600 mm and 800 mm. It is distributed evenly throughout the year, except in spring, when rainfall peaks significantly.

The prevailing winds blow from the west. They are oceanic and bring with them cloud formations and rainfall. The slightly less frequent ‘Autan’ is a warm, dry southeasterly wind. It blows over short periods of a few days, in the spring and autumn.

Human factors:

These natural factors combine with solid human know-how in the training of the vines and the harvesting and preparation of the grapes, which give this product all its originality. The ‘Chasselas de Moissac’ PDO is produced exclusively from the chasselas B variety, which has been defined on the basis of vines from the Moissac region. Clonal selection, started in 1956 by technicians from the French National Institute for Agronomic Research (INRA), was carried out with the help of producers of ‘Chasselas de Moissac’. The clones used currently are derived from this work. Traditional know-how has been preserved despite the development of machines. Therefore there are a number of manual operations, which amount to 600 hours per hectare and require skilled labour. These steps include, first on the parcel, placing the bunches after they have been closed, which consists in freeing each bunch from the foliage and trellis, and harvesting in several stages, and, in the workshops, cutting the bunches and removing any spoiled grapes.

Specificity of the product

‘Chasselas de Moissac’ has a supple bunch, which is homogenous in its density and well-developed. The grapes are golden, a sign of proper ripeness, with a high sugar content above 17,2 degrees Brix and a sugar to acidity ratio above 25. Grapes that are green because insufficiently ripe or copper-coloured because excessively ripe are excluded. Damaged grapes are removed.

The grapes of ‘Chasselas de Moissac’ are exceptionally healthy and the bloom is preserved. Their freshness is also evident in the turgescent stem.

Causal link

The chasselas growers have known how to take advantage of the specific topographic locations combined with a climate subject to diverse influences.

The springtime humidity linked to the oceanic climate ensures good growth of the vines. During the summer and the autumn, the Mediterranean influence produces a dry heat and sunshine that promote the even and optimal ripening of the chasselas, with moderate summer water stress that guarantees the proper ripeness of the grapes. The ‘Autan’ wind affects the behaviour of the chasselas throughout its growing cycle, for example by hastening budding, flowering and ripening. That wind sometimes blows hard at the end of the summer, and this promotes the ripening of the grapes. By drying the vines after the thunderstorms of August, it limits the development of cryptogamic diseases and contributes to obtaining a healthy product. The late onset of cold weather allows the wood to mellow well.

The climatic and soil conditions of the parcels for ‘Chasselas de Moissac’ promote good rooting of the vine and ensure its good development and optimal ripeness for the grapes. In addition, the natural lack of major elements and trace elements in the soils brings out the colour of the grapes and encourages sugar synthesis and bloom formation.

The chasselas growers have taken advantage of these natural conditions favourable to the growth of this local vine variety and developed over time an optimal way of managing the plant and its production potential. Supple, colourful grapes are obtained by training the vine and applying strict size rules, thereby limiting the average number of vines per parcel and enabling the aeration of the foliage and bunches. The manual placing of the bunches makes it possible to obtain supple, homogenous and healthy bunches and also contributes to the colour and proper ripeness of the grapes.

Harvesting is done manually in several stages. The know-how of the chasselas growers allows them to harvest bunches that have reached optimal ripeness. The conditions in place for transporting the bunches enable optimal preservation of the product’s characteristics, in particular, the bloom of the grapes. Manual bunch cutting makes it possible, on the one hand, to preserve the health status of the product through the removal of spoilt grapes and, on the other, to sort the bunches by colour, density and suppleness. The freshness of the bunches and, in particular, the turgescence of the stem are guaranteed by handling the grapes manually and preparing them simultaneously with the cutting of the bunches.

Reference to publication of the specification

(the second subparagraph of Article 6(1) of this Regulation)

https://info.agriculture.gouv.fr/gedei/site/bo-agri/document_administratif-b81f2a83-ee52-498d-8b80-e600206ef64a/telechargement

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