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

(2020/C 38/04)

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

COMMUNICATION OF APPROVAL OF A STANDARD AMENDMENT

‘Anjou-Coteaux de la Loire’

PDO-FR-A0405-AM02

Date of communication: 18/11/2019

DESCRIPTION OF AND REASONS FOR THE APPROVED AMENDMENT

1. Geographical area

The geographical area is amended as follows: ‘All stages of production take place in the geographical area, which encompasses the municipalities of the Maine-et-Loire department named below, on the basis of the Official Geographic Code of 2018: Bouchemaine, Chalonnes-sur-Loire, Champtocé-sur-Loire, Ingrandes-Le Fresne-sur-Loire (former territory of the delegated municipality of Ingrandes), Mauges-sur-Loire (former territory of the delegated municipalities of Mesnil-en-Vallée, Montjean-sur-Loire and La Pommeraye), La Possonnière, Saint-Georges-sur-Loire, Saint-Germain-des-Prés.

Maps showing the geographical area can be viewed on the website of the National Institute of Origin and Quality.’

Editorial amendment: the new list of administrative entities takes account of mergers of, or other changes to, administrative divisions since approval of the specification. For greater legal certainty, the list follows the current version of the Official Geographic Code, updated annually by INSEE (the French National Institute of Statistics and Economic Studies). The boundaries of the geographical area remain exactly the same.

Lastly, to keep the public better informed, reference is made to the availability of maps of the geographical area on the website of the INAO (National Institute of Origin and Quality).

Point 6 of the Single Document, on the geographical area, has been amended accordingly.

2. Area in immediate proximity

In point IV(3) of Chapter 1, the list of municipalities has been replaced by:

— department of Loire-Atlantique: Vair-sur-Loire (former territory of the delegated municipality of Anetz);

— department of Maine-et-Loire: Chaudefonds-sur-Layon, Denée, Mauges-sur-Loire (former territory of the delegated municipalities of La Chapelle-Saint-Florent, Le Marillais, Saint-Florent-le-Vieil and Saint-Laurent-du-Mottay), Rochefort-sur-Loire, Savennières, Val-du-Layon (former territory of the delegated municipality of Saint-Aubin-de-Luigné).

This change takes into account the various mergers of municipalities that have occurred since the last version of the specification. The boundaries of the area in immediate proximity remain exactly the same.

Point 9 of the Single Document, on additional conditions, has been amended accordingly.

3. Agri-environmental provision

The following has been added to point VI(2) of Chapter 1: ‘Managed plant cover, either natural or planted, is compulsory between rows. Where there is no such plant cover, operators must tend the soil to ensure that naturally occurring plant growth is managed. Otherwise, operators must provide justification for using bio-control products approved by the wine-growing authorities. Where bio-control herbicides are used on a land parcel, use of other herbicides is not permitted.’

This amendment reflects current developments in practice among operators in favour of conservation agriculture throughout the vineyards of Anjou. It takes into account growing environmental concern as part of technical procedures. By encouraging plant cover, the use of mechanical methods for weeding, or the use of bio-control products, the amendment aims to reduce the use of chemical herbicides. This reduction in herbicides should increase the protection of wine-growing soils and guard their natural properties, such as fertility, bio-diversity and self-cleaning. In this way, it will contribute to the quality and authenticity of the wines and strengthen the sense of terroir.

The Single Document is not affected by this amendment.

4. Harvest proclamation

Under point VII(1)(a) of Chapter 1 of the specification, the following sentence has been deleted: ‘The start date of the harvests is set in accordance with Article D. 645-6 of the Rural and Maritime Fishing Code.’

It is no longer necessary to set a start date for harvests, since operators have a larger selection of tools at their disposal that allow them to gauge the ripeness of the grapes as accurately as possible. All operators have access to a number of individual and collective machines and equipment that enable them to accurately determine the ideal start date for harvesting each parcel based on production objectives.

The Single Document is not affected by this amendment.

5. Fermenting room capacity

Under point IX(1)(c) of Chapter 1, the sentence: ‘All operators have a fermenting room capacity for producing wine equal to at least 1,4 times the holding’s average yield over the past five years.’ is replaced by: ‘All operators have a fermenting room capacity for producing wine equal to at least 1,4 times the average volume of wine produced over the past five years.’

The specification made reference not to volume capacity (expressed in hectolitres or cubic metres) but to yield, which is the harvest volume divided by the production area (expressed for example in hectolitres per hectare). The proposed amendment rectifies this incongruity concerning measurements without making any substantial changes (the minimum is still set at 1,4 times the average volume of wine produced by a holding over the previous years).

The Single Document is not affected by this amendment.

6. Circulation of wines

Point IX(5)(b) of Chapter 1, on the date of entry into circulation of the wines between authorised warehouses, has been deleted.

The Single Document is not affected by this amendment.

7. Link with the geographical area

The link has been revised in order to update the number of municipalities involved: 8 instead of 10.

Point 8 of the Single Document, on the link with the geographical area, has been amended accordingly.

8. Record-keeping

Under point II(3) of Chapter 2, the word ‘potential’ is replaced by the word ‘natural’.

In order to ensure consistency in the drafting method across all specifications from the Anjou Saumur area, the words ‘natural alcoholic strength by volume’ replace the words ‘potential strength’ or ‘degree’. These amendments improve the readability of the specifications. The harmonisation of the record-keeping provisions is intended to make it easier to draw up inspection plans and check records.

The Single Document is not affected by this amendment.

9. Main points for checking

Chapter 3 has been updated to harmonise the drafting of the main points to be checked in specifications from the Anjou Saumur area.

The Single Document is not affected by this amendment.

SINGLE DOCUMENT

1. Name of the product

Anjou-Coteaux de la Loire

2. Geographical indication type

PDO – Protected Designation of Origin

3. Categories of grapevine product

1. Wine

4. Description of the wine(s)

These are still white wines made from grapes harvested when overripe (natural concentration on the vine, with or without noble rot). They are elegant wines, with highly complex aromas (of flowers, fresh or even dried or candied fruit), combining smoothness and freshness on the palate.

They have:

a minimum natural alcoholic strength by volume of 14 %;

fermentable sugar (glucose and fructose) content after fermentation greater than or equal to 34 g/l.

The minimum actual alcoholic strength is 10 %, or 11 % for wines with a natural alcoholic strength by volume below 18 %.

The total acid and total sulphur dioxide content are those set out in EU legislation.

General analytical characteristics Maximum total alcoholic strength (in % volume) 18 Minimum actual alcoholic strength (in % volume) Minimum total acidity Maximum volatile acidity (in milliequivalents per litre) 25 Maximum total sulphur dioxide (in milligrams per litre)

5. Wine-making practices

a. Essential oenological practices

Enrichment

Specific oenological practice

Enrichment is permitted according to the rules set out in the specification.

Use of wood chips

Specific oenological practice

The use of wood chips is forbidden. 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.

Density

Growing method

Minimum planting density: 4 000 plants per hectare.

The spacing between the rows of these vines must not exceed 2,5 m, and the spacing between plants in the same row must be at least 1 m. In the case of vineyard parcels where the planting density is between 3 300 and 4 000 plants per hectare, the designation of controlled origin can be applied to their harvest, provided that they comply with the rules on trellising and foliage height laid down in the specification. The spacing between the rows of these vineyard parcels must not exceed 3 m, and the spacing between plants in the same row must be at least 1 m.

Size

Growing method

The vines are pruned by 30 April at the latest; using the mixed pruning method, with a maximum of 12 buds per plant and a maximum of four buds on the rod.

Harvesting

Growing method

The grapes are harvested by hand in multiple passes.

Irrigation

Growing method

Irrigation is prohibited.

b. Maximum yields

40 hectolitres per hectare

6. Demarcated geographical area

All stages of production take place in the geographical area, which encompasses the municipalities of the Maine-et-Loire department named below, on the basis of the Official Geographic Code of 2018: Bouchemaine, Chalonnes-sur-Loire, Champtocé-sur-Loire, Ingrandes-Le Fresne-sur-Loire (former territory of the delegated municipality of Ingrandes), Mauges-sur-Loire (former territory of the delegated municipalities of Mesnil-en-Vallée, Montjean-sur-Loire and La Pommeraye), La Possonnière, Saint-Georges-sur-Loire, Saint-Germain-des-Prés.

Maps showing the geographical area can be viewed on the website of the National Institute of Origin and Quality.

7. Main wine grapes

Chenin B

8. Description of the link(s)

1. Information on the geographical area

a) Description of the natural factors relevant to the link

The geographical area corresponds to the shale slopes lining the banks of the River Loire. It is the most westerly part of the vineyards to which the ‘Anjou’ controlled designation of origin applies. In 2018, it covered eight western municipalities of the Maine-et-Loire department. It begins on the outskirts of Angers, in the municipality of Bouchemaine, where the Loire and Maine rivers meet, before continuing either side of the river, as far as Ingrandes-sur-Loire and Le Mesnil-en-Vallée, towards Nantes.

The mesoclimate is greatly influenced by the river. The vineyards are located on the slopes closest to the river bank and do not extend beyond 3 kilometres. Beyond that, to the north and the south, the landscape mainly consists of meadows and woodland. The name ‘Coteaux de la Loire’ [coteaux = slopes] evokes the topography of the vineyards, with their varied inclinations. The very steep slopes of the municipality of Bouchemaine contrast with the much more gentle slopes of the municipalities of Ingrandes-sur-Loire and Saint-Georges-sur-Loire.

The soils of parcels specifically demarcated for harvesting grapes are derived from the various primary formations of the Armorican Massif. These are poorly developed shale or shale/sandstone soils. Some developed soils derived from volcanic rock and some Devonian brown limestone soils can also be found here. These are very shallow soils, the bedrock usually lying at a depth of less than 0,40 m. They are devoid of any sign of hydromorphy and have very low water reserves.

The climate is oceanic. The oceanic nature of the climate is moderated by the Foehn effect of the Mauges uplands to the west of the vineyards. Mean annual precipitation is 650 millimetres, the geographical area as a whole being sheltered from humid winds; it exceeds 800 millimetres over the Mauges uplands. The Loire also plays a role in regulating temperatures throughout the year.

Alongside topography, the exposure of the slopes is also a key factor. On the right bank, the south-facing vineyards are well positioned, as they are sheltered from the cold northerly winds. On the left bank, the draining effect of the river on the cold air plays a prominent role in warming the north-facing slopes. Some valley locations are protected from the wind and enjoy a heat gain. Finally, the Loire plays a key role during the harvesting period by helping to form morning mists, which are essential for the development of ‘noble rot’.

b) Description of the human factors relevant to the geographical link

The history of the Anjou vineyards dates as far back as the 9th century, although the first exact reference to the ‘Coteaux de la Loire’ vineyards appears in 1749 in Traité sur la nature et la culture de la vigne, a treatise by Messrs Bidet and Duhamel de Monceau, which states that in these vineyards ‘The land, which is very difficult to clear, has now been fully developed and planted with vines [...]’.

A bill before the Council of State on administrative measures taken in 1804 reveals that the region produces only white wines: ‘The slopes of the Loire are suited only to the production of white wines, and these wines form a significant branch of the local economy [...]’. The bill also refers to Belgium, which at that time was partial to ‘Coteaux de la Loire’ wines.

More specifically, in 1842, Mr Auguste Petit-Lafitte wrote that ‘Gros Pineau, or Chenin, is the most highly prized grape variety.’ The Anjou vineyards are the cradle of the Chenin B grape variety. A hardy variety, its potential varies greatly according to the type of soil or, more generally, where it is planted. Producers were very quick to understand that this variety should be harvested at an advanced stage of ripeness, using specific techniques. Count Odart wrote the following in his 1845 Traité des cépages treatise: ‘We should also add the condition of not harvesting the grapes until around All Saints Day, when the grapes are overripe and their skin sphacelous after being softened by the rains.’

Overripeness forms an integral part of the harvest. In his 1816 work Topographie de tous les vignobles connus, Jullien noted that ‘In good vintages, the grapes are harvested several times; the first two times, only the ripest of grapes are harvested, to produce wines for export; the third harvest produces wines for domestic French consumption [...]’.

Nonetheless, vine-growing in these vineyards would evolve the same way as in the rest of the Anjou. The arrival of Dutch merchants in the 16th century led to the growth of a market in ‘wines for the sea’, i.e. for export, produced from short‐pruned vines (one or two knots). This period also saw the growth of the domestic French – mainly Parisian – market, with wines of a lesser reputation produced from long-pruned vines (six or seven knots).

At the end of the Second World War, production shifted mainly towards ‘semi-dry’ wines, similar to the ‘wines for Paris’ of old. Efforts to produce wines with a strong identity, and a high sugar concentration, re-emerged during the 1980s.

Wines bearing the controlled designation of origin ‘Anjou-Coteaux de la Loire’ are considered to be great ‘sweet’ (known locally as ‘syrupy’) wines of the Anjou.

2. Information on the quality and characteristics of the product

These wines are mainly characterised by their elegance. With their highly complex aromas, mostly of flowers, fresh or even dried or candied fruit, these wines recall the douceur angevine – the gentleness of the Anjou region. On the palate, they combine smoothness and freshness. Docile like the Loire in summer, or pervasive like when it floods in winter, wines with the controlled designation of origin ‘Anjou-Coteaux de la Loire’ reveal their charm over time.

3. Causal interactions

The combination of shallow soils and a topography that provides outstanding exposure, ensuring a regular water supply, allows the Chenin B variety to reach its full potential.

The position of the vineyards – in immediate proximity to the Loire, which regulates temperatures throughout the growing cycle – aided by suitable management, allows the grapes to reach their optimum ripeness level. The presence of the Loire also allows the grapes to reach overripeness, through the winds channelled by the river, mechanically favouring the drying of the grapes through the formation of morning mists, which are key to the development of Botrytis cinerea and, therefore, ‘noble rot’.

Waiting for the grapes to become overripe; leaving the harvest until well into the autumn; and harvesting by hand in multiple passes within a single parcel in order to select berries that are naturally concentrated or affected by ‘noble rot’ (‘roasted’): these practices reveal both the know-how of producers and the particular aptitude of the Chenin B variety. This aptitude was described by Guillory senior in 1861: ‘With very few exceptions, harvesting takes place in October, once the grapes are deemed perfectly ripe and at least a quarter of them are affected by noble rot.’

The combination of such a specific environment, a grape variety perfectly suited to it, and local expertise in exploiting all the qualities it has to offer, helps produce especially original wines. There are numerous references to the reputation of these wines, including one by Mr Petit-Lafitte, who writes that ‘When these vines are trained into one or two knots, they produce syrupy, delicate wines destined for Belgium.’

As for Guillory senior, in 1861, he wrote the following in an Angers Agricultural and Industrial Company Bulletin: ‘The land here is not well suited to other crops without incurring considerable expense, as it is not very fertile; for that very reason, it does not produce an abundance of wine; thus, were it not for the quality of the wine, which keeps the price rather high, vine-growing itself would have had to be abandoned here.’

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 production and ageing of wines, comprises the territory of the following municipalities, on the basis of the Official Geographic Code of 2018:

— department of Loire-Atlantique: Vair-sur-Loire (former territory of the delegated municipality of Anetz);

— department of Maine-et-Loire: Chaudefonds-sur-Layon, Denée, Mauges-sur-Loire (former territory of the delegated municipalities of La Chapelle-Saint-Florent, Le Marillais, Saint-Florent-le-Vieil and Saint-Laurent-du-Mottay), Rochefort-sur-Loire, Savennières, Val-du-Layon (former territory of the delegated municipality of Saint-Aubin-de-Luigné).

Legal framework:

National legislation

Type of further condition:

Additional provisions relating to labelling

Description of the condition:

All the voluntary indications are marked on the labels in letters that may not be larger, either in height or width, than double the size of the letters forming the name of the controlled designation of origin.

Specificity of the name ‘Val de Loire’

Legal framework:

National legislation

Type of further condition:

Additional provisions relating to labelling

Description of the condition:

The size of the letters of the 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.

Labelling: Smaller geographical unit

Legal framework:

National legislation

Type of further condition:

Additional provisions relating to labelling

Description of the condition:

Wines with the controlled designation of origin may specify a smaller geographical unit on their label, provided that: - it is a registered location; - it appears on the harvest declaration. The place name must be printed in letters no larger, either in height or in width, than half the size of the letters forming the name of the controlled designation of origin.

Link to the product specification

https://info.agriculture.gouv.fr/gedei/site/bo-agri/document_administratif-09e61465-fad3-4eb8-8337-2500536afdcd

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