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

(2022/C 466/12)

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

‘Pouilly-sur-Loire’

PDO-FR-A0825-AM01

Date of communication: 23.9.2022

DESCRIPTION OF AND REASONS FOR THE APPROVED AMENDMENT

1. Official Geographic Code

The municipalities making up the geographical area and the area in immediate proximity have been updated in line with the Code officiel géographique [Official Geographical Code].

The boundary of the area remains the same.

Points 6 and 9 of the single document have been amended.

2. Pruning

In the specification it has been clarified that the vines are pruned before the phenological stage corresponding to 2 or 3 unfolded leaves or stage 9 on the Eichhorn and Lorenz scale.

The amendment has been made to define more clearly the checks to be carried out. Specifying the stage at which pruning must be completed ensures that all operators share precise expectations and that the checks can be carried out under the best possible conditions.

Point 5 of the single document has been amended.

3. Trellising

In the specification it has been clarified that trellising is done before the phenological stage corresponding to the closure of the bunch, or stage 32 on the Eichhorn and Lorenz scale. The trellising method is specified:

‘— It consists of at least two lifting wires and a load-bearing wire for vines pruned to single Guyot or cordon de Royat or two lifting wires for vines pruned to goblet or fan.

— The lifting wires will be lifted above the level of the bunches.

— The trellised foliage must reach a height of at least 0,6 times the distance between the rows, with the height being measured from a point 0,10 m below the trellising wire to the vegetation height.’

The amendment has been made to define more clearly the checks to be carried out. Operators are finding it increasingly difficult to recruit permanent staff in the vineyards and instead use service providers who are not necessarily specialised in wine-growing. The detailed information on trellising provided in the specification is also intended to be educational and to explain what is expected. It also makes it possible to specify the conditions that will enable the production of quality grapes, which are the guarantee of the raw material’s quality basis.

The single document has not been amended.

4. Agro-ecological provisions

A statement that the producer pays particular attention to erosion problems has been added.

Climate-related hazards (in particular heavy rainfall) can cause erosion or create gullies in these vineyards partly situated on steep slopes. This addition makes it possible to raise producers’ awareness of this risk while at the same time facilitating checks in the event of failure to take it into account.

The following agro-ecological provisions are added:

‘— Any substantial alteration of the morphology of the subsoil, topsoil or elements guaranteeing the integrity and sustainability of the soils of a parcel intended for the production of the protected designation of origin is prohibited, with the exception of ordinary trench ploughing. Permanent grass cover is required along parcel boundaries: headlands and areas between parcels not planted or cultivated. This requirement does not apply to headlands being restored, in particular following erosion or exceptional climatic events.

— Chemical weed control of the parcel is prohibited on a minimum of 25 % of the area between the rows.

— Chemical weed control of the parcel is prohibited between the phenological stage corresponding to the onset of ripening, or stage 36 on the Eichhorn and Lorenz scale, and 1 February of the year following the harvest.’

These changes are made in order to take better account of the environment.

Grass cover on the headlands was included in the specification. The wording has been amended in order to harmonise the specifications.

In order to limit the use of herbicides, two provisions are included: the prohibition of full weed control on a minimum part of the area between rows that has not been subjected to chemical weed control, and the prohibition of chemical weed control in autumn or winter.

The single document has not been amended.

5. Irrigation

The irrigation ban is lifted.

Irrigation remains prohibited between 1 May and the time of the harvest.

The single document has not been amended.

6. Analytical standards

It has been specified that batches ready to be marketed in bulk or at the packaging stage have a volatile acid content not exceeding 14,5 milliequivalents per litre.

This limit follows the multiannual study of the values of PDO wines. It ensures the quality of the wines produced and safeguards the typical characteristics of the PDO.

Batches ready to be marketed in bulk or at the packaging stage have a total SO2 content not exceeding 150 mg per litre.

This provision aims to reduce inputs while preserving the quality of the wines.

Point 4 of the single document has been amended.

7. Thermal regulation of vats

A requirement for winemaking tanks of more than 30 hl to have a thermal regulation system has been introduced.

This formalises the customs and quality practices associated with the thermal regulation of white wines.

The single document has not been amended.

8. Prohibited equipment

To safeguard quality, the following materials have been prohibited:

— horizontal basket presses with chains and plates;

— self-emptying trailers with centrifugal vane pumps.

Better quality materials are already used within the PDO. The amended product specification helps ensure these practices are followed.

The single document has not been amended.

9. Fermenting room capacity

The fermenting room capacity is increased from 1,4 to 1,6 times the volume of wine produced from the basic yield.

This provision makes it possible to regulate the volume of wine taken from the winery and placed on the market in order to limit the risk of price decreases, in particular before the harvest.

The single document has not been amended.

10. Circulation between authorised warehouses

Point IX(4)(b) of Chapter 1 concerning the date from which wines can be circulated between authorised warehouses has been deleted.

The single document has not been amended.

11. Declaration requirements

A production waiver declaration and a declaration of dead and lost vines have been added.

Both declarations will facilitate checks on production conditions.

The deadline for submitting the claim declaration has been changed from 25 November to 10 December.

The deadline for submitting the claim declaration is thus the same as the deadline for submitting the harvest declaration.

The single document has not been amended.

12. Main points for checking

Chapter 3 has been updated to harmonise the wording of the main points to be checked in specifications for products from the Val de Loire area.

The single document has not been amended.

13. Reference to the inspection body

The reference to the inspection body has been reworded to align it with the wording of other product specifications. This is a purely editorial amendment.

The single document has not been amended.

SINGLE DOCUMENT

1. Name(s)

Pouilly-sur-Loire

2. Geographical indication type

PDO – Protected Designation of Origin

3. Categories of grapevine products

1. Wine

4. Description of the wine(s)

BRIEF WRITTEN DESCRIPTION

These are still white wines with the following characteristics: Minimum natural alcoholic strength by volume: 9,5 % – for batches ready to be marketed in bulk or at the packaging stage: a fermentable sugar (glucose and fructose) content not exceeding 4 g/l. After enrichment, the wines’ total alcoholic strength by volume must not exceed 12 %. The total acidity levels are as laid down in EU legislation.

Batches ready to be marketed in bulk or at the packaging stage have a volatile acid content not exceeding 14,5 milliequivalents per litre.

Batches ready to be marketed in bulk or at the packaging stage have a total SO2 content not exceeding 150 mg per litre.

The wines are dry still white wines with a colour ranging from pale yellow to gold. They are lively, bold and refreshing. They often have mineral notes and notes of white flowers and dried fruit, with a certain roundness.

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

5.1. Specific oenological practices

1. Specific oenological practice

Any heat treatment of the grape harvest at a temperature above 40 °C is prohibited if followed by an immediate separation of liquids and solids. Use of wood chips is prohibited. After enrichment, the wines’ total alcoholic strength by volume must not exceed 12 %. Besides the above provisions, the oenological practices adopted for the wines must comply with the obligations laid down by EU legislation and by the Rural and Fisheries Code.

2. Cultivation method

Training systems

a) Planting density. The minimum vine planting density is 6 000 plants per hectare. The distance between the rows of vines is up to 1,30 metres and the spacing between plants in the same row is between 0,80 metres and 1,20 metres.

b) Pruning rules. The vines are pruned before the phenological stage corresponding to 2 or 3 unfolded leaves or stage 9 on the Eichhorn and Lorenz scale, using the following techniques: single Guyot pruning with a maximum of 10 buds per plant, of which no more than 8 on the cane, and 1 or 2 spurs with a maximum of 2 buds each; or spur pruning (cordon de Royat) with a maximum of 14 buds per plant, a single or double frame with a maximum of 2 buds on each spur. The period for establishing the cordon is limited to four years. During this period, pruning to single or double Guyot is permitted with a maximum of 8 buds on each cane. The regeneration of a vineyard parcel pruned using the cordon de Royat method may not account for more than 20 % of existing plants per year. – or by means of spur pruning (gobelet or fan pruning), with a maximum of 12 buds per plant pruned to a maximum of 1 or 2 buds on each spur.

5.2. Maximum yields

75 hectolitres per hectare

6. Demarcated geographical area

The grapes are harvested and the wines made and developed in the following municipalities in the Department of Nièvre: Garchy, Mesves-sur-Loire, Pouilly-sur-Loire, Saint-Andelain, Saint-Laurent-l’Abbaye, Saint-Martin-sur-Nohain, Tracy-sur-Loire (list drawn up on the basis of the Official Geographical Code for 2020).

7. Wine grape variety(-ies)

Chasselas B

8. Description of the link(s)

8.1.

a) Description of the natural factors contributing to the link. Stretching over some 20 kilometres along the right bank of the Loire, the geographical area borders the south-east of the Paris Basin. Peaking at 270 metres, i.e. more than 100 metres above the valley, it offers a highly contrasting landscape with deep parallel depressions running north-east/south-west that open on the lower Loire Valley. The vineyards are located in seven municipalities around the Saint-Andelain hilltop, which is the highest peak of the geographical area. They rest on a variety of geological formations, and the demarcated parcels selected for harvesting the grapes reflect this diversity. Preference is given in particular to: – The kimmeridgian marl, or ‘white soil’, that characterises the central part of the geographical area, in the municipalities of Pouilly-sur-Loire and Saint-Andelain: these are the most widely represented wine-growing soils. – The limestone of the Oxfordian stage, which has produced soils with a high stone content, known locally as ‘caillottes’: they are concentrated in the north-east of the geographical area. – The flint-rich, more or less clayey soils (‘silex’) that formed during the highly erosive phase of the Cretaceous period, which are found mainly in the territory of the municipality of Saint-Andelain. – The siliceous, more or less clayey soils found mainly at the western edge of the geographical area, in the municipality of Tracy-sur-Loire. The geographical area enjoys a semi-maritime climate. The average annual rainfall is 600 mm, and the Loire plays a leading role as a heat regulator by draining the cold air from the perpendicular valleys.

b) Description of the human factors contributing to the link. Early wine-growing can be traced back to the 5th century and the existence of a Gallo-Roman estate by the name of ‘Pauliacum’. In 680, Bishop Vigilius left his estate of Pouilly and its vines to the Abbey of Notre-Dame-d’Auxerre. The Roman road dating back to this time crosses the geographical area, providing evidence of the area’s long history of commercial activity. At the time, the vineyards enjoyed real growth thanks to monastic congregations, in particular the Benedictine monks of Charité-sur-Loire. On one of the slopes overlooking the Loire, a plot of approximately four hectares called ‘Loge aux Moines’ testifies to this period of expansion. From the 16th century on, the Loire and its boats facilitated the distribution of wines, and following the opening of the Briare Canal in 1642, linking the Loire to the Seine, much of this trade was directed toward Paris. ‘Pouilly’ wines then started arriving in England, having been traded at the Foires de Rouen. The Saint Vincent winegrowers’ associations (‘confréries vigneronnes’) were founded at the end of the 17th century. Throughout the 18th century, ‘Pouilly’ wine was shipped to Montargis, Fontainebleau, Paris and Versailles. The vineyards, which covered 2 000 hectares, were planted with various grape varieties: Melon B, Meslier Saint-François B, Sauvignon B and Chasselas B. The second half of the 19th century was marked by a significant shift from wine production to production of table grapes (Chasselas B), shipped by rail to the poorly supplied Paris market, until the phylloxera crisis of 1890. In 1923, a judgment recognised the use of the name ‘Pouilly-sur-Loire’ for wines made from the Chasselas B variety. The producers subsequently organised themselves, establishing the cooperative cellar of Pouilly in 1948, followed by the Confrérie des ‘Baillis’, whose aim was to raise awareness of ‘Pouilly’ wines. Since then, much of the production has been marketed domestically and exported to more than 90 countries. In 2009, production amounted to approximately 1 000 hectolitres from a total of 30 hectares of vineyards operated mainly by family businesses. The wines are dry still white wines with a colour ranging from pale yellow to gold. They are lively, bold and refreshing. They often have mineral notes and notes of white flowers and dried fruit, with a certain roundness. The combination of a semi-maritime climate, a location protected from the westerly winds and proximity to the Loire, which acts as a temperature regulator, gives this geographical area excellent climatic conditions for the cultivation of the Chasselas B variety.

8.2.

The resulting mild temperatures during the growing cycle of the vine ensure that the grapes ripen evenly, while the alternation of hot days and cool nights throughout the ripening period of the grapes develop the aromas of the wines and preserve their freshness.

This region, which has undergone profound changes over the centuries, has always maintained its wine-growing traditions. Areas with high quality potential, where for centuries vines were preferred to other crops, remain devoted to wine-growing.

These customs are reflected in the demarcated parcel area, which is confined to parcels with shallow soils, often on a steep slope. In these conditions, plants and their production potential need to be extremely well managed by means of high planting density, vine training and rigorous pruning. These techniques illustrate the ancestral know-how of a human community committed to its wine-growing traditions and landscape, as indicated by the continued existence of the winegrowers’ associations founded in the 17th century.

This know-how is also reflected in the ability of the winemaker, built up over generations, to bring out the originality and richness of the natural environment: ‘Pouilly-sur-Loire’ wines boasting finesse.

The white wines of ‘Pouilly-sur-Loire’, first mentioned by the monks of Charité-sur-Loire in the 12th century and then by Guy COQUILLE, member of the Third Estate in the 16th century, who noted that the region’s wines were present on the tables of the great and the good of the Kingdom, continued to improve their reputation. The international trade associated with them is an excellent illustration of this.

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

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 production of wines, comprises the territory of the following municipalities, on the basis of the 2020 Official Geographical Code:

— Department of Cher: Bannay, Bué, Crézancy-en-Sancerre, Jalognes, Menetou-Râtel, Ménétreol-sous-Sancerre, Montigny, Neuvy-Deux-Clochers, Saint-Satur, Sainte-Gemme-en-Sancerrois, Sancerre, Sury-en-Vaux, Thauvenay, Veaugues, Verdigny and Vinon.

— Department of Loiret: Beaulieu-sur-Loire, Bonny-sur-Loire, Briare, Gien, Ousson-sur-Loire, Saint-Brisson-sur-Loire and Thou.

— Department of Nièvre: Alligny-Cosne, Bulcy, Cosne-Cours-sur-Loire, La Celle-sur-Loire, Myennes, Neuvy-sur-Loire, Pougny, Saint-Loup and Saint-Père.

Legal framework

National legislation

Type of further condition

Additional provisions relating to labelling

Description of the condition

All optional information is printed on the labels in letters that may not be larger, in height, width or thickness, than double the size of the letters forming the name of the controlled designation of origin.

The size of the letters of the supplementary geographical name ‘Val de Loire’ may not be larger, either in height or width, than two-thirds of the size of the letters forming the name of the controlled designation of origin.

Wines with the registered designation of origin may specify on their labels the name of a smaller geographical unit, provided that: – it is a place name listed in the land registry; – the name appears on the harvest declaration.

Link to the product specification

https://info.agriculture.gouv.fr/gedei/site/bo-agri/document_administratif-c8e782e2-9df9-46eb-b243-3eff89c512ec

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