Publication of a communication of approval of a standard amendment to the product specification for a name in the wine sector referred to in Article 17(2) and (3) of Commission Delegated Regulation (EU) 2019/33

(2020/C 73/09)

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

COMMUNICATION OF APPROVAL OF A STANDARD AMENDMENT

‘Cornas’

PDO-FR-A0697-AM01

Date of communication: 20 December 2019

DESCRIPTION OF AND REASONS FOR THE APPROVED AMENDMENT

1. Definition of the geographical area and the area in immediate proximity

A reference to the 2019 Official Geographical Code has been inserted in section IV of the product specification so as to clearly define the municipalities that make up the geographical area and the area in immediate proximity.

Based on this reference it was established, with regard to the area in immediate proximity, that the municipalities of ‘Mercurol’ and ‘Veaunes’ in the department of Drôme had been merged under the name ‘Mercurol-Veaunes’.

The ‘Further conditions’ section of the single document has been updated accordingly.

2. Growing methods

A requirement that all plant material used must be free of flavescence dorée has been added in section VI – ‘Vineyard layout’ of the specification. The provision in question, which has also been added in the single document under ‘Winemaking practices – growing methods’, is worded as follows:

‘As of 1 January 2020, all plant material used for vine plantings and replantings must have undergone hot water treatment or any other treatment against flavescence dorée recognised by the Ministry of Agriculture’.

SINGLE DOCUMENT

1. Name of product

Cornas

2. Geographical indication type

PDO – Protected Designation of Origin

3. Categories of grapevine products

1. Wine

4. Description of the wine(s)

The ‘Cornas’ designation of origin can only be used for still red wines.

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

At the packing stage, the wines have a malic acid content not exceeding 0,4 grams per litre.

The wines’ fermentable sugar (glucose and fructose) content at the packing stage must not exceed:

— 3 grams per litre for wines whose natural alcoholic strength by volume is less than or equal to 13,5 %;

— 4 grams per litre for wines whose natural alcoholic strength by volume is greater than 13,5 %.

After enrichment, the wines’ total alcoholic strength by volume must not exceed 13,5 %.

Their total acidity, volatile acidity where not specified and total sulphur dioxide content are those laid down in EU legislation.

The wines are exclusively red wines. Among all the wines with a protected designation from the northern Rhône Valley, known as ‘Côtes du Rhône septentrionales’, ‘Cornas’ is the only one produced exclusively from the Syrah N grape variety.

The wines have a very dark colour ranging from garnet red to nearly black, tending towards amber tints with ageing. Vigorous and full-bodied, the wines reach their peak after a long period of ageing. Due to their robust structure they are often referred to as ‘virile’.

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 content (in milligrams per litre)

5. Winemaking practices

a. Essential oenological practices

Growing method

— The minimum vine planting density is 4 400 plants per hectare.

— The maximum area available for each plant is 2,30 m2. This area is calculated by multiplying the distance between rows and the space between plants in the same row.

— The spacing between rows must not exceed 2,50 metres.

The vines are pruned with a maximum of eight buds per plant, using the following techniques:

— short pruning (goblet, Royat with one or two arms);

— single or double Guyot.

The maximum height of the cordon is 0,60 metres, measured from the ground up to the lower part of the wooden frame.

— The wines are made from grapes harvested manually. The grape bunches are transported whole to the winemaking location.

As of 1 January 2020, all plant material used for vine plantings and replantings must have undergone hot water treatment or any other treatment against flavescence dorée recognised by the Ministry of Agriculture.

Specific oenological practice

— Any heat treatment of the grape harvest at a temperature above 40 °C is prohibited.

— The use of wood chips is prohibited.

In addition to the above provisions, the oenological practices concerning these wines must meet the requirements laid down at EU level and in the Rural and Maritime Fishing Code.

b. Maximum yields

46 hectolitres per hectare

6. Demarcated geographical area

The grapes are harvested and the wines are made and processed on the territory of the municipality of Cornas in the department of Ardèche.

7. Main wine grape varieties

Syrah N - Shiraz

8. Description of the link(s)

In the system of Rhône valley registered designations of origin, ‘Cornas’ belongs to the ‘Crus des Côtes du Rhône’ class of wines.

A registered designation of origin from the northern Rhône valley, ‘Cornas’ is the southernmost designation in the ‘Côtes du Rhône’ area for the production of red wines.

The vineyards are located on the right bank of the Rhône river, facing the city of Valence, between the geographical areas of the ‘Saint-Péray’ and ‘Saint-Joseph’ designations.

The municipality of Cornas in the department of Ardèche makes up the entire geographical area.

The ‘Cornas’ geographical area is an amphitheatre-shaped valley with essentially granitic soils. It is well exposed, warm and protected from the winds, with terraced slopes supported by low walls patiently built over the years by a winegrowing community that continues to maintain them in order to preserve both the production potential of their vineyards and the vine landscape itself.

The tradition of harvesting grapes by hand, still upheld by ‘Cornas’ winegrowers today, helps preserve the originality and characteristics of these hillside vineyards.

‘Cornas’, the name of the municipality as well as of the wine, means ‘burnt land’ in Celtic and may be linked to its mesoclimate. The climate conditions are clement, allowing the grapes to mature early. This explains why the ‘Cornas’ grape harvest often starts 1 week earlier than for the ‘Hermitage’ designation of origin although it is situated just 12 kilometres further south.

These natural conditions, taken together, have allowed the Syrah N variety to thrive here and to become emblematic of this territory, even though it has spread into other regions. The grapes, which are grown on well-defined parcels, ripen early and produce virile wines characterised by their black colour, abundant but soft tannins, powerful aromas and a structure making them suited to ageing. Their quality is recognised worldwide and has earned them praise over the centuries, as evidenced by numerous historical documents.

The ‘Cornas’ registered designation of origin has built its reputation solely on red wine, in parallel with ‘Saint-Péray’, a neighbouring designation of origin that covers white wine only.

Apart from its organoleptic characteristics, the small size of the winegrowing area and the climate, ‘Cornas’ wine also owes its identity and originality to a certain uniformity (a single municipality, a single vine variety growing on essentially granitic soils).

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

Legal framework:

National legislation

Type of further condition:

Additional provisions relating to labelling

Description of the condition:

(a) The labelling of wines with the ‘Cornas’ designation of origin may specify a smaller geographical entity, provided that: — it is a registered location; — it appears on the harvest declaration.

(b) The labelling of wines with the ‘Cornas’ 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 set out in the agreement signed between the various protection and management bodies concerned.

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 making the wines comprises the territory of the following municipalities, based on the Official Geographic Code as at 1 January 2019:

— Department of Ardèche: Alboussière, Andance, Ardoix, Arlebosc, Arras-sur-Rhône, Boffres, Bogy, Champagne, Champis, Charmes-sur-Rhône, Charnas, Châteaubourg, Cheminas, Colombier-le-Cardinal, 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, Vion;

— Department of Drôme: Albon, Andancette, Beaumont-Monteux, Beausemblant, Bourg-lès-Valence, Chanos-Curson, Chantemerle-les-Blés, Châteauneuf-sur-Isère, Chavannes, Clérieux, Crozes-Hermitage, Erôme, Gervans, Granges-les-Beaumont, Larnage, Laveyron, Mercurol-Veaunes, La Motte-de-Galaure, Ponsas, Pont-de-l’Isère, La Roche-de-Glun, Saint-Barthélemy-de-Vals, Saint-Donat-sur-l’Herbasse, Saint-Rambert-d’Albon, Saint-Uze, Saint-Vallier, Serves-sur-Rhône, Tain-l’Hermitage, Triors, Valence;

— 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, Vienne;

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

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

Link to the product specification

https://info.agriculture.gouv.fr/gedei/site/bo-agri/document_administratif-352971f9-f819-4a53-8429-9ee9238c98c4