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

(2021/C 83/10)

This notice is published in accordance with Article 17(5) of Commission Delegated Regulation (EU) 2019/33 (1).

COMMUNICATION OF STANDARD AMENDMENT MODIFYING THE SINGLE DOCUMENT

‘CROZES-HERMITAGE / CROZES-ERMITAGE’

PDO-FR-A0389-AM01

Date of communication: 14.12.2020

DESCRIPTION OF AND REASONS FOR THE APPROVED AMENDMENT

1. Geographical area and area in immediate proximity

A drafting change has been made to the name of one of the municipalities making up the area of production of ‘Crozes-Hermitage’ PDO. The name of the municipality of Veaunes in the department of Drôme has been updated and replaced by ‘Mercurol-Veaunes’.

The description of the geographical area has been supplemented by the date of approval of the geographical area by the competent national authority.

A reference to the 2019 national geographic code has been added in order to identify the geographical area with reference to the 2019 Official Geographic Code, which is the national reference edited by the National Institute of Statistics and Economic Studies (INSEE), and to give the definition of the geographical area legal certainty.

2. Link with the geographical area

In Chapter I of the product specification for ‘Crozes-Hermitage’ PDO, point X(1)(b) – Description of the human factors relevant to the geographical link – the figures in the last two subparagraphs have been updated:

‘In the 1990s the context changed and producers became aware of the need to refocus vineyards on higher-quality land. The work took 10 years before a new selection of parcels in which the grapes are produced was approved in June 1989. This reduced the production potential from 4 800 hectares to just 3 200.

In 2019, with an average annual production volume of 80 400 hectolitres for a cultivated area of 1 700 hectares, ‘Crozes-Hermitage’ was the largest controlled designation of origin of the northern ‘Côtes du Rhône’. The wines are produced by 57 private wineries, 2 cooperative wineries and 9 traders.’

These updates are included under the heading ‘Link with the geographical area’.

3. Vineyard management

The following amendments have been made:

— the possibility of single Guyot pruning for the Roussane and Marsanne varieties has been introduced,

— the conditions concerning the prohibition of chemical weed control have been specified,

— it has been specified that all plant material used for vine plantings and replantings must have undergone hot water treatment against flavescence dorée,

— it has been specified that irrigation during the vine growing season may be permitted in cases of persistent drought and if drought is disrupting the sound physiological development of the vines and the ripening of the grapes; any permanent irrigation installation inside the plantations is prohibited.’

This clarification has also been made in the single document, under ‘Wine-making practices’.

4. Volatile acidity standard

The volatile acidity criterion has been modified.

Before 1 December of the year following the harvest, the wines have a volatile acidity content not exceeding 15,3 milliequivalents per litre (corresponding to 0,75 g/l of sulphuric acid). After that, the wines have a volatile acidity content not exceeding 18 milliequivalents per litre (corresponding to 0,88 g/l of sulphuric acid).

The maximum value of 18 meq/l has been included in the single document, under ‘Description of the wine(s)’.

5. Oenological practices

A ban on the use of wood chips has been added.

This amendment has also been included in the single document, under ‘Specific oenological practices’.

6. Transitional measure

The provision on bringing the density rules into line before the 2020 harvest, which has now expired, has been deleted.

This update does not affect the single document.

7. Declaration obligations

The declaration obligations are specified as follows:

— the claim declaration is sent to the protection and management body no later than 5 days after the final date for the submission of harvest declarations and must be drawn up in line with the model defined by the protection and management body,

— it is specified that the packaging declaration is sent to the authorised control body no later than 10 working days after the date of packaging, and no longer before packaging.

‘On-site harvest monitoring’ and ‘on-site packaging monitoring’ have been deleted from the main points to be checked.

These amendments do not affect the single document.

8. Control body

Under point II – References to the control body – of Chapter III of the product specification for ‘Crozes-Hermitage’ PDO, the control body’s details have been updated. Checks are carried out by CERTIPAQ, a control body operating under the authority of the National Institute of Origin and Quality (INAO), which is the authority responsible for control, on the basis of an approved control plan.

This update has also been made in the single document, under ‘Contact details’.

SINGLE DOCUMENT

1. Name of the product

Crozes-Hermitage

Crozes-Ermitage

2. Geographical indication type

PDO – Protected Designation of Origin

3. Categories of grapevine product

1. Wine

4. Description of the wine(s)

Analytical characteristics

The designation of origin ‘Crozes-Hermitage’ or ‘Crozes-Ermitage’ is used only for still red and white wines.

The wines have a minimum natural alcoholic strength per volume of 10,5 %.

The red wines have a malic acid content not exceeding 0,4 grams per litre.

The wines have a fermentable sugar content (glucose and fructose) not exceeding 3 grams per litre for wines with a natural alcoholic strength by volume not exceeding 13,5 %.

The wines have a fermentable sugar content (glucose and fructose) not exceeding 4 grams per litre for wines with a natural alcoholic strength by volume of more than 13,5 %.

The total acidity and total sulphur dioxide content are those set down in EU legislation.

General analytical characteristics Maximum total alcoholic strength (in % volume) 13 Minimum actual alcoholic strength (in % volume) Minimum total acidity Maximum volatile acidity (in milliequivalents per litre) 18 Maximum total sulphur dioxide (in milligrams per litre)

Organoleptic characteristics

The geomorphological variations between the north and the south of the geographical area can also be detected in the wines, since the wine producers have always taken and continue to take advantage of the variations by adapting their vineyard-tending and wine-making practices. Making the most of the natural variations in the environment and their effects on the wines, the controlled designation of origin covers both the red wines produced in the south, which are pleasant, aromatic, well-structured but not excessive and with an average cellaring time, and the wines from the hills in the north, some of which have more structure and age better. All the red wines have a deep garnet colour, which takes on orange hues with ageing.

The white wines, smaller amounts of which are produced, are pale in colour with green highlights, which become more intense and golden with ageing. Depending on the know-how applied, particularly in controlling malolactic fermentation, they may:

— either be lively with intense aromas marked by fresh fruits reminiscent of citrus, in which case they should be drunk young to preserve the freshness of these aromas,

— or be more full-bodied with a more floral and spiced aroma and therefore improve with laying down for an average period. General analytical characteristics Maximum total alcoholic strength (in % volume) Minimum actual alcoholic strength (in % volume) Minimum total acidity Maximum volatile acidity (in milliequivalents per litre) Maximum total sulphur dioxide (in milligrams per litre)

5. Wine-making practices

a. Specific oenological practices

Growing method

— The minimum planting density of the vines is 4 000 plants per hectare.

— The area available for each plant is up to 2,5 m2. This surface area is obtained by multiplying the spacing between the rows by the spacing between the plants.

— The spacing between rows must not exceed 2,5 m.

— The vines are pruned using a short pruning method (gobelet, cordon de Royat with one or two arms), with a maximum of 10 buds per plant.

— The period for establishing the cordon de Royat is limited to 2 years.

— The maximum height of the cordon is 0,6 m, measured from the ground up to the lower part of the wooden frame.

— Roussanne B and Marsanne B varieties may also be pruned according to the single Guyot pruning method, with a maximum of 8 buds on the cane and a maximum of 2 buds on the spur.

Irrigation during the vine growing season may be permitted in cases of persistent drought and if drought is disrupting the sound physiological development of the vines and the ripening of the grapes. Any permanent irrigation installation inside the plantations is prohibited.

All plant material used for vine plantings and replantings must have undergone hot water treatment.

Specific oenological practice

The use of wood chips is prohibited.

All wine-making practices followed must comply with the requirements laid down at EU level and in the Rural and Maritime Fishing Code.

b. Maximum yields

50 hectolitres per hectare

6. Demarcated geographical area

The grapes are harvested and the wines made and developed in the geographical area approved by the National Institute of Origin and Quality at the meeting of the competent national committee on 2 June 1989.

The perimeter of this area, on the date of approval of this specification by the relevant national committee, comprises the territory of the following municipalities, based on the 2019 Official Geographic Code:

Department of Drôme:

Municipalities fully included in the geographical area: Beaumont-Monteux, Chanos-Curson, Crozes-Hermitage, Erôme, Gervans, Larnage, Pont-de-l’Isère, La Roche-de-Glun, Serves-sur-Rhône and Tain-l’Hermitage.

Municipality partially included in the geographical area: Mercurol-Veaunes, only for the territory of the delegated municipality of Mercurol.

7. Main wine grape variety(ies)

Marsanne B

Roussanne B

Syrah N - Shiraz

8. Description of the link(s)

Description of the natural and human factors relevant to the link

The geographical area is located north of the city of Valence, adjacent to the municipality of Tournon on the left bank of the Rhône river, which forms the western boundary.

To the north, the national heritage site of the ‘Cromlech-de-la-Roche-qui-danse’ (sandstone rocks marking the transition between the Secondary and Tertiary periods) marks the edge of the geographical area. The Herbasse and lsère rivers form natural borders to the east and south respectively. The geographical area therefore covers 11 municipalities in the department of Drôme.

Largely open onto the Rhône valley, this vineyard area is one of the southernmost areas grouped under the controlled designations of origin known as the ‘Côtes du Rhône septentrionales’.

In the system of Rhône valley controlled designations of origin, ‘Crozes-Hermitage’ belongs to the ‘Crus des Côtes du Rhône’ class of wines.

Like all the controlled designations of origin that form the northern group of ‘Côtes du Rhône’ designations, ‘Crozes-Hermitage’ belonged to the territory of the Allobroges. Vine cultivation on this territory dates back at least to the time of Roman occupation, that is between 124 BC (submission of the Allobroges) and 61 BC (defeat of the final revolt of the Allobroges). From then on, the Allobroges settled in the town of Vienne.

The controlled designation of origin ‘Crozes-Hermitage’ is of course named after the municipality of the same name. When the controlled designation of origin was recognised by a decree of 4 March 1937, this was the only municipality entitled to use the designation ‘Crozes-Hermitage’. A number of texts attest to the link between the presence of hermits and the change in name of the ‘Saint-Christophe’ hillside to ‘l’Ermitage’, which would later give its name to the controlled designation of origin ‘Hermitage’ and to the municipalities in question. The prosperity of the post-war years, the exchange of know-how and the expansion of the vineyard area led to an enlargement of the geographical area, which from just one municipality went to covering 11 in 1952.

In 2019, with an average annual production volume of 80 400 hectolitres for a cultivated area of 1 700 hectares, ‘Crozes-Hermitage’ was the largest controlled designation of origin of the northern ‘Côtes du Rhône’. The wines are produced by 57 private wineries, 2 cooperative wineries and 9 traders.

Causal interactions

On the left bank of the Rhône, a ‘Lyon’ climate, a latitude close to the 45th parallel with locations that still benefit from a Mediterranean influence and a contrasting topography of hills and expansive flat areas combine with varied geological formations, from crystalline rock to Quaternary terraces, thereby providing optimal growing and ripening conditions for the three varieties that are emblematic to the region (Syrah N, Marsanne B and Roussanne B).

These ripening conditions give an original touch to these wines, which are close cousins of the ‘Hermitage’ controlled designation of origin wines but nonetheless differ from them in particular by the red wines having a more supple structure and the white wines being more varied.

The tasting committee of the 1846 Lyon wine congress (Atlas de la France Vinicole, L. Larmat, 1943) compared ‘Crozes-Hermitage’ to its prestigious neighbour ‘Hermitage’, saying: ‘It is certainly a first cousin, if not a brother’.

In 1943, the official review of Parisian sommeliers, Le Sommelier, referred to the wines of the Hermitage region, showing that both the red and white wines already had a certain reputation. With regard to the red and white wines, the review naturally mentions the municipality of Crozes-Hermitage alongside municipalities and geographical areas such as Château-Larnage or Chassis for red wines or Mercurol for white wines.

Apart from these references, the qualities of ‘Crozes-Hermitage’ wines often seem to have been merged into the phrase ‘Hermitage wines’, which encompasses the ‘Hermitage’ and ‘Crozes-Hermitages’ controlled designations of origin. There are therefore few direct sources that refer explicitly to the reputation or renown of ‘Crozes-Hermitage’ wines.

Through their initiative, the communities have constantly improved the wines by pooling production and marketing tools through a strong cooperative system and by developing a number of private cellars in close cooperation with local trading companies. These people’s organisation around a common product was recognised with a controlled designation of origin as early as 1937, just two years after recognition was first possible.

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

Area in immediate proximity

Legal framework:

National legislation

Type of further condition:

Derogation concerning production in the demarcated geographical area

Description of the condition:

The area in immediate proximity, defined by derogation for the making and development of the wines, comprises the territory of the following municipalities:

— Department of Ardèche: Alboussière, Andance, Ardoix, Arlebosc, Arras-sur-Rhône, Boffres, Bogy, Champagne, Champis, Charmes-sur-Rhône, Charnas, Châteaubourg, Cheminas, Colombier-le-Cardinal, Cornas, Eclassan, Etables, Félines, Gilhac-et-Bruzac, Glun, Guilherand-Granges, Lemps, Limony, Mauves, Ozon, Peaugres, Peyraud, Plats, Quintenas, Saint-Barthélemy-le-Plain, Saint-Cyr, Saint-Georges-les-Bains, Saint-Romain-d’Ay, Saint-Romain-de-Lerps Sarras, Sécheras, Serrières, Saint-Désirat, Saint-Etienne-de-Valoux, Saint-Jean-de-Muzols, Saint-Péray, Soyons, Talencieux, Thorrenc, Toulaud, Tournon-sur-Rhône, Vernosc-lès-Annonay, Vinzieux and Vion,

— Department of Drôme: Albon, Andancette, Beausemblant, Bourg-lès-Valence, Chantemerle-les-Blés, Châteauneuf-sur-Isère, Chavannes, Clérieux, Granges-les-Beaumont, Laveyron, La Motte-de-Galaure, Ponsas, Saint-Barthélemy-de-Vals, Saint-Donat-sur-l’Herbasse, Saint-Rambert-d’Albon, Saint-Uze, Saint-Vallier, Triors, Valence and Mercurol-Veaunes only for the territory of the delegated municipality of Veaunes,

— Department of Isère: Chonas-l’Amballan, Le Péage-de-Roussillon, Reventin-Vaugris, Les Roches-de-Condrieu, Sablons, Saint-Alban-du-Rhône, Saint-Clair-du-Rhône, Saint-Maurice-l’Exil, Salaise-sur-Sanne, Seyssuel and Vienne,

— Department of Loire: Bessey, La Chapelle-Villars, Chavanay, Chuyer, Lupe, Maclas, Malleval, Pélussin, Roisey, Saint-Michel-sur-Rhône, Saint-Pierre-de-Bœuf, Saint-Romain-en-Jarez and Vérin,

— Department of Rhône: Ampuis, Condrieu, Les Haies, Loire-sur-Rhône, Longes, Sainte-Colombe, Saint-Cyr-sur-le-Rhône, Saint-Romain-en-Gal and Tupin-et-Semons.

Legal framework:

National legislation

Type of further condition:

Additional provisions relating to labelling

Description of the condition:

(a) Wines with the controlled designation of origin may display the name of a smaller geographical unit on their labels, provided that: — it is a registered location, — it appears on the harvest declaration.

(b) The labelling of wines with the controlled designation of origin may specify the larger geographical unit ‘Cru des Côtes du Rhône’ or ‘Vignobles de la Vallée du Rhône’. The conditions for using the larger geographical unit ‘Vignobles de la Vallée du Rhône’ are specified in the agreement signed between the protection and management bodies concerned.

Link to the product specification

http://info.agriculture.gouv.fr/gedei/site/bo-agri/document_administratif-3ec388fa-9959-43d8-ba81-8b4d3d9a8288

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