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

(2021/C 87/10)

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

COMMUNICATION OF A STANDARD AMENDMENT TO THE SINGLE DOCUMENT

‘MINERVOIS’

PDO-FR-A0330-AM01

Submitted on: 14.12.2020

DESCRIPTION OF AND REASONS FOR THE APPROVED AMENDMENT

1. Date of approval of the demarcated parcel area

The purpose of this amendment is to add the date on which the competent national authority approved changes to the demarcated parcel area within the geographical area of production. Parcels are demarcated by identifying the parcels within the geographical area of production that are suited to production of the registered designation of origin in question.

2. Vine varieties

Two new vine varieties, Grenache Gris G and Viognier, have been added to the list of varieties authorised for production of the rosé and white wines. Already well established in the production area, these vine varieties have been included as secondary varieties in order to bring the vine varieties of the ‘Minervois’ PDO into line with those of the ‘Languedoc’ region PDO.

As a result, Grenache Gris G has been added to the list of secondary varieties authorised for production of the rosé wines.

Grenache Gris G and Viognier Blanc B have been added to the list of secondary varieties authorised for production of the white wines.

3. Rules on the proportion of varieties to be planted

The rules on the proportion of the Grenache Gris and Viognier varieties to be planted have been clarified as follows:

— for the rosé wines, the following indent has been added as the third indent: ‘— The proportion of the Grenache Gris G variety is less than or equal to 20 % of the vines planted.’,

— for the white wines, the following indent has been added as the third indent: ‘— The proportion of the Viognier Blanc B variety is less than or equal to 10 % of the vines planted.’.

4. Labelling

Wines bearing the registered designation of origin may specify on their label the broader geographical unit ‘Languedoc’ by means of a reference to ‘Grand Vin du Languedoc’.

The name of another, smaller geographical unit may also be added to the name of the PDO, provided it is a registered location and appears on the harvest declaration.

The name of the registered location appears immediately after the name of the PDO, and is printed in letters no greater than half the size, in both height and width, of the letters forming the name of the PDO.

5. Declaration obligations

A document identifying the parcels suitable for irrigation must be attached to the prior declaration for parcels assigned to production of the designation.

6. Reference to the control body

The references to the control body have been updated in the single document.

Point II of Chapter II of the specification for the PDO has been amended to specify that checks are no longer performed by an inspection body, but by a control body, acting on behalf of the authority responsible for performing checks, the National Institute of Origin and Quality (INAO).

SINGLE DOCUMENT

1. Name of the product

Minervois

2. Geographical indication type

PDO – Protected Designation of Origin

3. Categories of grapevine product

1. Wine

4. Description of the wine(s)

Analytical characteristics of the wines

These are still, dry wines that can be red, rosé or white.

The red, rosé and white wines have a minimum natural alcoholic strength by volume of 12 %.

Red wines with a natural alcoholic strength by volume less than or equal to 14 % have a maximum fermentable sugar (glucose + fructose) content of 3 g.

Red wines with a natural alcoholic strength by volume greater than 14 % have a maximum fermentable sugar (glucose + fructose) content of 4 g.

The red wines have a malic acid content less than or equal to 0,4 g per litre.

The white and rosé wines have a maximum fermentable sugar (glucose + fructose) content of 4 g.

Their volatile acidity, sulphur dioxide and total acidity levels are those laid down in EU legislation.

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)

Organoleptic characteristics of the wines

According to customary practice, the red wines are made from a selection of varieties, of which Grenache N, Mourvèdre N and Syrah N account for at least 60 %. They have a purple colour, with tints of violet. They are well balanced, with rich aromas reminiscent of red fruits, which allow them to be consumed as young wines.

Warm and powerful, they develop aromatic notes, often of spice or liquorice, and are well suited to ageing.

The rosé wines have a light, salmon-pink hue, and a range of aromas reminiscent of red fruits. They are at once fresh and powerful, harmonious and persistent.

The white wines have a pale gold colour, with tints of green. Complex and warm, with strong floral hints, they bring sharp notes of fresh fruits such as peach, mango or apricot to the palate.

5. Wine-making practices

a. Specific oenological practices

Growing method

The minimum planting density of the vines is 4 000 plants per hectare. Spacing between rows must not exceed 2,5 m, and spacing between plants in the same row must be at least 0,8 m.

Pruning is carried out before stage E – three leaves spread over the first two buds.

— The vines are pruned using short pruning, with a maximum of 12 buds per plant. Each spur has a maximum of two buds.

— Single Guyot pruning may be used for the Marsanne B, Roussanne B and Syrah N varieties, with a maximum of 10 buds per plant, including no more than six on the cane, and no more than two replacement spurs with a maximum of two buds each.

— Irrigation may be authorised.

Specific oenological practice

The use of oenological charcoal to make the rosé wines is prohibited, whether alone or mixed in preparations.

In addition to the above provision, 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

60 hectolitres per hectare

6. Demarcated geographical area

Geographical area

The harvesting of the grapes, vinification and the production of the wines take place in the following municipalities:

— Department of Aude: Aigues-Vives, Argeliers, Argens-Minervois, Azille, Badens, Bagnoles, Bize-Minervois, Blomac, Bouilhonnac, Cabrespine, Castelnau-d’Aude, Caunes-Minervois, Ginestas, Homps, Laure-Minervois, Limousis, Mailhac, Malves-en-Minervois, Marseillette, Mirepeisset, Paraza, Pépieux, Peyriac-Minervois, Pouzols-Minervois, Puichéric, La Redorte, Rieux-Minervois, Roquecourbe-Minervois, Roubia, Rustiques, Saint-Couat-d’Aude, Saint-Frichoux, Saint-Nazaire-d’Aude, Sainte-Valière, Sallèles-Cabardès, Salsigne, Tourouzelle, Trassanel, Trausse, Trèbes, Ventenac-en-Minervois, Villalier, Villarzel-Cabardès, Villegly, Villeneuve-Minervois,

— Department of Hérault: Agel, Aigne, Aigues-Vives, Azillanet, Beaufort, Cassagnoles, La Caunette, Cesseras, Félines-Minervois, La Livinière, Minerve, Montouliers, Olonzac, Oupia, Saint-Jean-de-Minervois, Siran.

7. Main wine grape variety(-ies)

Bourboulenc B – Doucillon blanc

Carignan N

Cinsaut N – Cinsault

Clairette B

Grenache N

Grenache blanc B

Grenache gris G

Lledoner pelut N

Macabeu B – Macabeo

Marsanne B

Muscat à petits grains blancs B – Muscat, Moscato

Piquepoul blanc B

Piquepoul noir N

Rivairenc N – Aspiran noir

Roussanne B

Syrah N – Shiraz

Terret blanc B

Terret noir N

Vermentino B – Rolle

Viognier B

8. Description of the link(s)

Natural and human factors relevant to the link

The geographical area nestles against the Montagne Noire mountain range, the southernmost part of the Cévennes region, the summit of which is the Pic de Nore (1 210 m).

The vineyard area lies at the heart of a vast amphitheatre, which descends steadily from north to south, sloping gently towards the River Aude at the southern end. Completely south-facing, it is bounded by two sets of hills:

— one close to Carcassonne, to the west, formed of north/south-facing hills from Salsigne to Trèbes, through which the River Clamoux winds its way,

— the other, to the east, known as the Serre d’Oupia, through which the River Cesse runs.

The centre of the geographical area rises some hundred metres above Lake Marseillette, from where it continues towards a large plateau criss-crossed by the Rivers Argent-Double and Ognon, which are tributaries of the Aude.

Crossing hills and plains, the Minervois wine route allows visitors to discover the local vineyards, which blend harmoniously with a natural environment that is dotted with scrubland, pine and oak trees.

The geographical area belongs to a large syncline resting on the Montagne Noire mountain range to the north, filled with tertiary molassic sediment and cut by sandstone banks and conglomerates of lacustrine limestone.

The most characteristic soils developed, therefore, on stony terraces, marl, sandstone, hard limestone alterations (due to weathering) and a few shale lenses at higher altitudes.

The climate is Mediterranean, very mild and relatively dry, with average annual rainfall of 630 mm and an average annual temperature above 14° C, with more than 2 400 hours of sunshine per year.

To the east, the geographical area enjoys the maritime influences of the Mediterranean, with humid south-easterly winds in summer and low levels of rainfall in spring or autumn. At the opposite end, to the west, the geographical area is subject to the effects of a north-westerly wind known as the Cers. Often violent and generally dry, the Cers triggers oceanic rains when it reaches the Montagne Noire, especially in autumn and spring.

The geographical area covers the territory of 45 municipalities in the Department of Aude and 16 municipalities in the Department of Hérault.

Description of the human factors relevant to the geographical link

Vines have been present in the Minervois since Roman times.

The opening of the Canal du Midi in 1680, improvements in the road network in the 18th century and the arrival of the railways all contributed towards the development of the local vineyards, turning winegrowing into a monoculture.

This prosperity was subject to the vagaries of the phylloxera epidemic and to overproduction, culminating in the winemaking crisis of 1907, which forced the entire region to undergo a thorough reorganisation.

To the east of the geographical area is the village of Argeliers, from where, in 1907, the winemaker Marcellin Albert incited other French winemakers to revolt against fraud and the slump in wine sales. This period of serious unrest, which engulfed the entire south of France and a part of the French winemaking industry, would lead to the enactment of a law establishing the ‘appellation d’origine’, or designation of origin.

A winemakers defence association was formed in the Minervois region in 1922. Initially recognised as a wine with the designation of origin ‘Delimited wine of superior quality’ in 1951, ‘Minervois’ was recognised as a registered designation of origin by decree of 15 February 1985, after a varietal conversion favouring the red varieties Grenache N, Syrah N, Mourvèdre N and Cinsaut N, noble plants of old, and the white varieties Grenache B, Maccabeu B, Roussanne B, Marsanne B and Vermentino B, as well as the imposition of strict production conditions.

To achieve greater control over those conditions, producers opted in 1996 for a particular procedure requiring the parcels intended for grape harvesting to be allocated two years before any claim could be made.

In 2009, 124 000 hl were claimed as wine of registered designation of origin by 210 privately owned wineries and 25 wine cooperatives producing 40 % of the volume.

Red wines account for 92 % of production, rosé wines for 6 % of the volume. According to customary practice, the red wines are made from a selection of varieties, of which Grenache N, Mourvèdre N and Syrah N account for at least 60 %. They have a purple colour, with tints of violet. They are well balanced, with rich aromas reminiscent of red fruits, which allow them to be consumed as young wines.

Warm and powerful, they develop aromatic notes, often of spice or liquorice, and are well suited to ageing.

The rosé wines have a light, salmon-pink hue, and a range of aromas reminiscent of red fruits. They are at once fresh and powerful, harmonious and persistent.

The white wines have a pale gold colour, with tints of green. Complex and warm, with strong floral hints, they bring sharp notes of fresh fruits such as peach, mango or apricot to the palate.

Causal interactions

With its combination of Mediterranean climate and south-facing topography swept by prevailing winds that bring little rainfall, the geographical area is well suited to the cultivation of an original vineyard area on predominantly clay-limestone soil.

These specific conditions are conducive to the optimum ripeness of the grape and provide producers with the opportunity to match variety with location, which helps give these wines their particular character.

The Grenache N variety provides warmth and roundness on the palate and favours stony terraces and marl. Syrah N is an early-budding variety that provides sweetness and red-fruit aromas. Two historical varieties, Cinsaut N and Carignan N, are also used. Traditionally reserved for rosé wines, the former variety is also used in red blends to provide finesse, while the latter provides body and tannins and, when aged, distinct aromas of liquorice. The Mourvèdre N variety provides delicate tannins and hints of spice.

Jacques Puisais described the link between the product and its natural environment as follows: ‘Minervois is a wine of the air, and it is the vintage of the wind that counts, especially in the period preceding the harvest, as it determines the speed of evapotranspiration. This “wine of the air” is characterised by the softness and richness of the tannins, and the original respect for the fruit.’

Winemaking has punctuated the history of the Minervois for the past two centuries.

Perched on a rocky outcrop of a limestone plateau, the village of Minerve, with its mythological evocations, has given its name to the registered designation of origin. Once a fortified village, Minerve is famous for its exceptional setting and its resistance to Simon de Montfort during the crusade against the Cathars in 1210. In this emblematic setting, which is so characteristic of the registered designation of origin, the vineyards planted on the hard limestone soil contrast with the intense light of the Mediterranean landscape.

References to the Roman Empire remain to this day. Most of the present-day estates and castles are located on ancient Roman domus, such as Massanier la Mignarde in the municipality of Pépieux, which was once the property of the legionnaire Maximus and whose wine was voted best in the world in 2005 by the International Wine Challenge.

At the western edge of the geographical area, the city of Carcassonne, a medieval fortified town listed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site, forms part of the cultural and historical heritage of the Minervois. A key factor behind the rapid economic growth of the 17th century, the Canal du Midi winds its way through the south of the geographical area, and is also listed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site.

Through its historical capital and privileged setting, the registered designation of origin ‘Minervois’ demonstrates the region’s deep ties to winegrowing, which is firmly rooted there.

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

Labelling

Legal framework:

National legislation

Type of further condition:

Additional provisions relating to labelling

Description of the condition:

Wines bearing the registered designation of origin may specify on their label the broader geographical unit ‘Languedoc’ by means of a reference to ‘Grand Vin du Languedoc’.

The size of the letters for this broader geographical unit must not be larger in terms of height or width than half the size of the letters forming the name of the registered designation of origin.

The labels of wines eligible for the registered designation of origin may bear the name of a smaller geographical unit, provided that:

— it is a registered location,

— it appears on the harvest declaration.

The name of the registered location appears immediately after the name of the registered designation of origin, and is printed in letters no greater than half the size, in both height and width, of the letters in which the name of the registered designation of origin is written.

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 vinification and production of the wines, comprises the territory of the following municipalities:

— Department of Aude: Barbaira, Berriac, Canet, Capendu, Carcassonne, Castans, Citou, Conques-sur-Orbiel, Douzens, Escales, Floure, Fontiès-d’Aude, Fournes-Cabardès, Labastide-Esparbairenque, Lastours, Lespinassière, Lézignan-Corbières, Marcorignan, Montbrun-des-Corbières, Montirat, Moux, Ouveillan, Pradelles-Cabardès, Raissac, Saint-Marcel-d’Aude, Sallèles-d’Aude, Villanière, Villardonnel, Villedubert, Villemoustaussou,

— Department of Hérault: Assignan, Cruzy, Ferrals-les-Montagnes, Villespassans.

Link to the product specification

http://info.agriculture.gouv.fr/gedei/site/bo-agri/document_administratif-cc1cf391-d666-49f9-81cc-7ca4a90414cd

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