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

(2019/C 420/13)

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 DOOR database.

SINGLE DOCUMENT

‘NOCCIOLA DEL PIEMONTE’/‘NOCCIOLA PIEMONTE’

EU No: PGI-IT-0305-AM03 — 5.4.2019

PDO ( ) PGI (X)

1. Name(s)

‘Nocciola del Piemonte’/‘Nocciola Piemonte’

2. Member State or Third Country

Italy

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

‘Nocciola del Piemonte’/‘Nocciola Piemonte’ Protected Geographical Indication is reserved for hazelnuts of the ‘Tonda Gentile Trilobata’ variety. The shape of the nut is subspherical or partially subspherical and trilobate. Its size is not particularly uniform, ranging from 17 mm to 21 mm. The shell is of average thickness, relatively deep hazel in colour, not particularly glossy, rather tomentous at the tip and with widespread though not particularly evident striation. The kernel varies in shape (subspherical, tetrahedral or sometimes ovoidal), and its size varies more than that of the shell. It is darker than the shell, generally covered in fibres, with a rough surface and grooves of varying size, a perisperm of average thickness but that comes off very easily during roasting, and a solid, crunchy texture. Its flavours and aromas are very fine and persistent and its yield after shelling is between 40 % and 50 %.

‘Nocciola del Piemonte’/‘Nocciola Piemonte’ Protected Geographical Indication must be sold in the following product categories:

Whole, unshelled hazelnuts: nuts as harvested in the field, with the only processing being that aimed at washing and removing foreign bodies through grading, and appropriate drying to ensure extended freshness.

Shelled hazelnuts: whole nuts which are darker in colour than the shell and which, after undergoing physical processing, have been removed from their shells but retain the perisperm covered with fibres.

Roasted hazelnuts: whole or slightly broken nuts which, after undergoing a roasting process, have had the external perisperm totally or partly removed.

Ground hazelnuts: the product obtained from grinding whole or partially fragmented hazelnuts after roasting, with the pieces varying in size depending on the degree of grinding but in any case between 1 mm and 12 mm.

Hazelnut flour: the product obtained from grinding whole or partially fragmented hazelnuts after roasting, with the grains varying in size depending on the degree of grinding but in any case between 250 μm and 1 mm.

Hazelnut paste: the product obtained from grinding whole or partially fragmented hazelnuts after roasting, with the grains varying in size depending on the degree of grinding but in any case less than 250 μm.

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 identified geographical area

The hazelnuts are grown in the area of the protected geographical indication, as defined in Section 4 below. The plantations are entered on a specific list kept by the control body. The planting density on the plantations varies between 200 and 500 plants per hectare, with the plants being grown as single-trunk trees or multi-stem shrubs. For plantations established before the national approval decree of 2 December 1993, a maximum density of 650 plants per hectare is allowed, although it is forbidden to replace plants that die or are grubbed up, and any new planting must have a density of between 200 and 500 plants per hectare.

The maximum yield in any case is 3 500 kg/ha.

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

‘Nocciola del Piemonte’/‘Nocciola Piemonte’ must be sold in the following manner:

(a) When unshelled: in bags made of a fabric suitable for all levels of sale or, as an exception, loose, but only at the first sales stage, i.e. that between the agricultural producer and the first purchaser, namely the owner of a processing and/or packaging plant;

(b) When shelled, roasted, ground and finished: in packaging suitable for food use. The products referred to in (b) must be pre-packaged or packaged at the moment of sale. The unshelled product must be packaged by 31 December of the year following harvesting.

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

Packages must feature the words ‘Nocciola del Piemonte’ or ‘Nocciola Piemonte’ followed by ‘Indicazione geografica protetta’ (‘Protected Geographical Indication’) or ‘IGP’ (‘PGI’). The year of harvest must be indicated on the packaging of unshelled and shelled hazelnuts.

The labels for shelled, roasted and/or ground hazelnuts must bear the EU symbol for the PGI.

When ‘Nocciola del Piemonte’/‘Nocciola Piemonte’ is being used as an ingredient in food products, the following wording must appear on the label: ‘prodotto ottenuto esclusivamente da ‘Nocciola del Piemonte’ o ‘Nocciola Piemonte’ (‘produced exclusively from ‘Nocciola del Piemonte’/‘Nocciola Piemonte’) or ‘solo con ‘Nocciola del Piemonte’ o ‘Nocciola Piemonte’‘IGP’ (‘only with ‘Nocciola del Piemonte’ or ‘Nocciola Piemonte’‘PGI’).

The wording ‘delle Langhe’ may also be indicated on the packaging if the hazelnuts originate exclusively from plantations located in the geographical area of Langhe, which includes the following municipalities in the provinces of Cuneo and Asti:

Province of Cuneo:

Albaretto della Torre, Arguello, Barolo, Belvedere Langhe, Benevello, Bergolo, Bonvicino, Borgomale, Bosia, Bossolasco, Camerana, Camo, Castelletto Uzzone, Castellino Tanaro, Castiglione Falletto, Castiglione Tinella, Castino, Cerretto Langhe, Cigliè, Cissone, Cortemilia, Cossano Belbo, Cravanzana, Diano d’Alba, Dogliani, Feisoglio, Gorzegno, Gottasecca, Grinzane Cavour, Igliano, La Morra, Lequio Berria, Levice, Mango, Marsaglia, Mombarcaro, Monesiglio, Monforte d’Alba, Montelupo Albese, Montezemolo, Murazzano, Neviglie, Niella Belbo, Paroldo, Perletto, Pezzolo Valle Uzzone, Prunetto, Roascio, Rocca Cigliè, Rocchetta Belbo, Roddi, Roddino, Rodello, Sale Langhe, Sale San Giovanni, Saliceto, San Benedetto Belbo, Santo Stefano Belbo, Serralunga d’Alba, Serravalle Langhe, Sinio, Somano, Torre Bormida, Torresina, Treiso, Trezzo Tinella and Verduno;

in the municipalities of Alba, Barbaresco, Bastia Mondovì, Cherasco,Clavesana, Farigliano, Lequio Tanaro, Monchiero, Narzole, Neive, Niella Tanaro and Novello, the geographical area situated on the right bank of the Tanaro river;

in the municipalities of Castelnuovo di Ceva, Ceva and Priero, the geographical area situated on the right bank of the Cevetta river up to its confluence with the Tanaro river, and from there on the right bank of the Tanaro river.

Province of Asti:

Bubbio, Cassinasco, Castagnole delle Lanze, Castel Boglione, Castel Rocchero, Cessole, Coazzolo, Loazzolo, Mombaldone, Monastero Bormida, Montabone, Olmo Gentile, Roccaverano, Rocchetta Palafea, San Giorgio Scarampi, Serole, Sessame and Vesime;

in the municipalities of Canelli and Calamandrana, the geographical area situated on the right bank of the Belbo river.

No other name or additional adjective may be used alongside the name ‘Nocciola del Piemonte’/‘Nocciola Piemonte’, except for the variety name ‘Tonda Gentile Trilobata’.

4. Concise definition of the geographical area

The production area for ‘Nocciola del Piemonte’/‘Nocciola Piemonte’ falls entirely within the Piedmont Region, within the hazelnut producing municipalities in the provinces of Alessandria, Asti, Biella, Cuneo, Novara, Turin and Vercelli.

5. Link with the geographical area

The geographical production area of ‘Nocciola del Piemonte’/‘Nocciola Piemonte’ is hilly or mountainous, including foothill areas lying at an altitude between 150 m and 800 m above sea level. The considerable rainfall (around 900 mm per year) and the generally rather steep slopes mean that the whole area has a low level of fertility in terms of the presence of both organic matter and mineral nutrients. Compared to other areas of Piedmont, these characteristics give a specific and distinctive environment in terms of soil and climate, and one in which the ‘Tonda Gentile Trilobata’ variety can display its best qualities.

From the 19th century until the present day, hazelnut growing in Piedmont has been based exclusively on use of the ‘Tonda Gentile Trilobata’ variety, the qualities of which include a perisperm that is of average thickness but that comes off easily during roasting, a solid, crunchy texture and persistent, very fine flavours and aromas. The main benefits of ‘Nocciola del Piemonte’/‘Nocciola Piemonte’ in the eyes of the confectionery industry are the subspherical or partially trilobate shape of the nut, the almost insignificant percentage of oblong nuts, the good yield after shelling, which can even reach 50 %, the high yield when roasted and the fact that the kernel is so easy to peel.

‘Nocciola del Piemonte’/‘Nocciola Piemonte’ is obtained from the ‘Tonda Gentile Trilobata’ variety, which can achieve the commercial and organoleptic characteristics that underlie its reputation only in this defined geographical area with its soils lacking in fertility and its high levels of rainfall. Given the fame of this variety, attempts were made in the past to introduce it into other Italian hazelnut growing areas. However, these attempts were unsuccessful, as the variety failed to adapt or, in any event, did not display the commercial and organoleptic characteristics of the hazelnuts grown in the area of origin. ‘Nocciola del Piemonte’/‘Nocciola Piemonte’ grown in the defined area has been known since the mid-19th century for its esteemed organoleptic characteristics, which have contributed to the undoubted prestige of the confectionery industry in Piedmont. Indeed, in the second half of the 19th century, with the development of the first industrial confectionery concerns in Italy and abroad, the trade in these hazelnuts began to flourish in Piedmont. At that time, the hazelnuts produced, totalling a few hundred thousand kilos, were purchased unshelled by small local confectionery firms mainly for use in chocolate production, and were shelled by the firms themselves. The excellent organoleptic characteristics of ‘Nocciola del Piemonte’/‘Nocciola Piemonte’ meant that its reputation grew rapidly among the firms concerned, both in Italy and abroad. Indeed, as early as the beginning of the 20th century, the product was being exported to many countries in Europe and beyond, such as Switzerland, Germany, Belgium, the Netherlands, Chile, El Salvador and Japan.

Reference to publication of the specification

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

The full text of the product specification is available on the following website: http://www.politicheagricole.it/flex/cm/pages/ServeBLOB.php/L/IT/IDPagina/3335

or alternatively:

by going directly to the home page of the Ministry of Agricultural, Food and Forestry Policy (www.politicheagricole.it) and clicking on ‘Qualità’ (at the top right of the screen), then on ‘Prodotti DOP IGP STG’ (on the left-hand side of the screen) and finally on ‘Disciplinari di Produzione all’esame dell’UE’.

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