Publication of the amended single document following the approval of a minor amendment pursuant to the second subparagraph of Article 53(2) of Regulation (EU) No 1151/2012

(2022/C 420/08)

The European Commission has approved this minor amendment in accordance with the third subparagraph of Article 6(2) of Commission Delegated Regulation (EU) No 664/2014 (1).

The application for approval of this minor amendment can be consulted in the Commission’s eAmbrosia database.

SINGLE DOCUMENT

‘Queso Manchego’

EU No: PDO-ES-0087-AM03 – 25.2.2022

PDO (x) PGI ( )

1. Name

‘Queso Manchego’

2. Member state or third country

Spain

3. Description of the agricultural product or foodstuff

3.1. Type of product

Class 1.3. Cheeses

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

Pressed cheese made from milk of ewes of the ‘Manchega’ breed, aged for a minimum of 30 days for cheeses weighing up to 1,5 kg and from 60 days up to a maximum of 2 years for larger cheeses.

‘Queso Manchego’ can be made with either pasteurised or raw milk. In the latter case, the label may bear the word ‘Artesano’.

‘Queso Manchego’ is a pressed cheese with the following physical properties after ageing:

— shape: cylindrical with smooth sides,

— maximum height: 12 cm,

— maximum diameter: 22 cm,

— diameter/height ratio: between 1,5 and 2,2,

— minimum weight: 0,4 kg,

— maximum weight: 4,0 kg.

The physico-chemical properties of the cheese are:

— pH: 4,8 to 5,8,

— dry matter: minimum 55 %,

— fat content: minimum 50 % of dry matter,

— total protein in dry matter: minimum 30 %,

— sodium chloride: maximum 2,3 %,

— no milk from other animal species.

Characteristics of the paste:

— consistency: firm and compact,

— colour: from white to ivory-yellow,

— aroma: lactic, intensely acidic and persistent, developing spicy notes and long overall persistence in cheeses that have been well aged,

— flavour: slightly acidic, strong and flavoursome, becoming spicy in cheeses that have been well aged. Pleasant and distinctive aftertaste produced by the milk of ewes of the ‘Manchega’ breed,

— appearance: small, unevenly distributed eyes, although these are sometimes not present,

— texture: low elasticity, buttery, slightly floury; can become granular in very well aged cheeses.

The microbiological limits are as follows:

— beta-glucuronidase-positive Escherichia coli: maximum of 1 000 CFU/g,

— coagulase-positive Staphylococcus aureus: maximum of 100 CFU/g,

— Salmonella: absence in 25 grams,

— Listeria monocytogenes: absence in 25 grams.

Slightly acidic, strong and flavoursome, with the flavour becoming spicy in cheeses that have been well aged. Pleasant and distinctive aftertaste produced by the milk of ewes of the ‘Manchega’ breed.

‘Queso Manchego’ may be packaged for marketing in the following forms:

— in portions,

— grated,

— sliced.

When intended for sale in sliced or grated format, ‘Queso Manchego’ may be produced as a parallelepiped measuring 20-45 cm long by 8-12 cm wide, with sides 8-12 cm high, provided that the weight of the block does not exceed 4 kg.

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

3.3.1. Feed (for products of animal origin only)

Manchega sheep graze throughout the year on the natural resources of the area. When in the fold, their diet is supplemented with concentrated feed, hay and by-products.

As regards sheep farming, mention should be made of the pastures that occupy the clearings in the scrub. This annual pasture is composed of Medicago minima, Scorpiurus subvillosus, Astrafalus stella, Astrafalus sesamus, etc.

The so-called ‘madajales’ are the most valuable pasture for sheep. These are composed of bulbous meadow grass and significant quantities of legumes, such as Medicago rigidula, Medicago lupulina, Medicago trunculata, Trigonella polyceratia, Coronilla scorpioides, etc.

Deep, cooler soils can produce ‘fenelares’, dense pasture with a predominance of perennial and biennial plants, the appearance of which is dominated by the grass Brachypodium phoenicoides.

3.3.2. Raw materials (for processed products only)

‘Queso Manchego’ cheese is made from milk of ewes of the ‘Manchega’ breed, natural rennet or other authorised coagulation enzymes, and sodium chloride. The milk must not contain any medicinal products that may have a negative impact on production, maturation and preservation of the cheese. ‘Queso Manchego’ can be made with either pasteurised or raw milk. In the latter case, the label may bear the word ‘Artesano’.

The analytical characteristics of the cheese are as follows:

— fat content: 6,5 % minimum,

— proteins: 4,5 % minimum,

— useable dry matter: 11 % minimum,

— pH: 6,5-7,

— freezing point: ≤ –0,550 oC.

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

—

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

Cheeses protected by the ‘Queso Manchego’ designation of origin may be dispatched and placed into circulation by dairies and registered undertakings only in packaging of a type that does not affect their quality.

‘Queso Manchego’ is always marketed with the rind, which may have been washed.

‘Queso Manchego’ may also be coated in paraffin, covered with legally authorised transparent substances or coated in olive oil, provided that the rind maintains its natural colour and appearance and the casein label can be read.

Under no circumstances may substances be used that turn the rind black.

‘Queso Manchego’ may be marketed in portions, sliced or grated, provided that it is packaged and its origin can be identified. This operation may be carried out outside the area of origin by undertakings that have accepted and comply with the agreed protocol so as to guarantee the operations undergone by ‘Queso Manchego’ and ensure its traceability.

Packaging must comply with current legislation.

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

Labels must bear the following wording: ‘Denominación de Origen “Queso Manchego”’ (‘Queso Manchego’ designation of origin). When the cheese is made with raw milk, this can be indicated on the label by means of the word ‘Artesano’. Similarly, if the cheese is made in a cheese dairy owned by the same operator as the livestock farm that produces the raw material, and the cheese dairy exclusively processes milk from this livestock farm, the label may bear the words ‘queso de granja’ (farmhouse cheese).

The marketed product bears a numbered secondary label issued by the Regulatory Board and affixed in registered undertakings in such a way that it cannot be reused and every piece of ‘Queso Manchego’ has on one of its faces a casein label with a serial number, affixed at the moulding and pressing stage.

4. Concise definition of the geographical area

The following local authority areas are covered by the ‘Queso Manchego’ designation of origin: 45 in the Province of Albacete, 84 in the Province of Ciudad Real, 156 in the Province of Cuenca and 122 in the Province of Toledo.

The following areas have been incorporated: Alcoba de los Montes and El Robledo in the Province of Ciudad Real, Albadalejo del Cuende, Villarejo de la Peñuela, Villarejo-Sobrehuerta and Villar del Horno in the Province of Cuenca.

5. Link with the geographical area

The geographical area of La Mancha is located in the southern part of the central plateau of the peninsula and is characterised by a low relief descending to the Atlantic.

La Mancha is a high plain with lime-clay soils and its pastureland has lime- and loam-rich substrates.

The area has an extreme climate and experiences wide variations characteristic of a continental climate, with very cold winters and hot summers. The temperature occasionally reaches 40 °C, sometimes varying by 20 °C over the course of a day and 50 oC over the year. Precipitation is scant, making the region one of the more arid areas of Spain, its extremely dry environment having a relative humidity of around 65 %.

The Manchega breed is the best adapted to the area’s soil and weather conditions.

A pressed cheese with a hard rind and a firm and compact paste, a colour that varies from white to ivory-yellow, an intense and persistent aroma, a slightly acidic, strong and flavoursome taste and a buttery, slightly floury texture with low elasticity.

The area’s soil and climatic conditions have had a great influence on the processes of natural selection that have made the Manchega breed of sheep the breed best adapted to the area and producing a milk that gives ‘Queso Manchego’ its characteristic colour, aroma, flavour and texture.

Cheese has been made with milk from ewes of the Manchega breed since time immemorial and over the centuries manufacturing techniques have aimed to optimise the qualities of this traditional La Mancha cheese.

Reference to publication of the product specification

http://pagina.jccm.es/agricul/paginas/comercial-industrial/consejos_new/pliegos/Pliego_Condiciones_CC_20201007.pdf

(1) OJ L 179, 19.6.2014, p. 17.