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

(2020/C 56/14)

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

‘Quarts de Chaume’

Reference number: PDO-FR-A0829-AM01

Date of communication: 14 November 2019

DESCRIPTION OF AND REASONS FOR THE APPROVED AMENDMENT

1. Geographical area

Under ‘Geographical area’ the text has been amended to read as follows: ‘All steps in production must take place in the geographical area comprising the territory of the following commune in the department of Maine-et-Loire, based on the 2018 Official Geographical Code: Rochefort-sur-Loire.

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

This is an editorial change: the new list of administrative entities reflects mergers and other administrative zoning changes that have taken place since the specification was approved. For greater legal certainty, the list is now referenced to the latest version of the Official Geographical Code, updated yearly by the National Institute of Statistics and Economic Studies (INSEE). The geographical area itself remains unchanged.

Finally, in the interests of better public information, the product specification now states that maps of the geographical area can be found on the National Origin and Quality Institute’s website.

Point 6 of the single document (Demarcated geographical area) has been amended accordingly.

2. Area in immediate proximity

In Chapter I, Section IV, point 3, the list of communes has been replaced by:

Aubigné-sur-Layon, Beaulieu-sur-Layon, Bellevigne-en-Layon (the former territory of the delegated communes of Champ-sur-Layon, Faveraye-Mâchelles, Faye-d’Anjou, Rablay-sur-Layon and Thouarcé), Brissac Loire Aubance (the former territory of the delegated communes of Brissac-Quincé and Vauchrétien), Chalonnes-sur-Loire, Chaudefonds-sur-Layon, Chemillé-en-Anjou (the former territory of the delegated commune of Chanzeaux), Denée, Doué-en-Anjou (the former territory of the delegated communes of Brigné and Les Verchers-sur-Layon), Mauges-sur-Loire (the former territory of the delegated communes of Montjean-sur-Loire and La Pommeraye), Mozé-sur-Louet, Savennières, Soulaines-sur-Aubance, Terranjou (the former territory of the delegated communes of Chavagnes and Notre-Dame-d’Allençon) and Val-du-Layon (the former territory of the delegated communes of Saint-Aubin-de-Luigné and Saint-Lambert-du-Lattay).

This change reflects the various mergers of communes that have taken place since the previous version of the product specification was published. The area in immediate proximity itself remains unchanged.

Point 9 of the single document (Further conditions) has been amended accordingly.

3. Agri-environmental rule

In Chapter I, Section VI, point 2, the following has been added: ‘Controlled green cover, whether naturally occurring or sown, must be in place between the rows; where there is no such green cover, the grower must perform weeding or justify the use of biocontrol products approved by the public authorities for use in winegrowing. Where biocontrol weedkillers are used on a parcel, no other weedkillers may be used.’

This amendment reflects how winegrowing practices throughout the Anjou area are evolving towards an agro-ecological approach, with technical procedures increasingly influenced by environmental concerns. Promoting the presence of green cover and the use of mechanical weeding or biocontrol products reduces chemical weedkiller use. This will help to protect vineyard soils and preserve their natural functions (fertility, biodiversity, biopurification), enhancing the quality and authenticity of wines and strengthening the concept of terroir.

The single document is not affected by this amendment.

4. Harvest announcement

In Chapter I, Section VII, point 1, the following sentence has been deleted: ‘The harvest start date is set in accordance with Article D645-6 of the Rural and Maritime Fishing Code.’

It is no longer necessary to set a date for beginning the harvest, as growers now have a wide range of tools at their disposal to help them accurately gauge grape ripeness. Each winegrower has access to equipment, whether owned individually or collectively, that makes it possible to pinpoint the best date to start harvesting each parcel, depending on production targets.

The single document is not affected by this amendment.

5. Winery capacity

Rather than ‘All winemakers must have the capacity to make at least 1.4 times the holding’s average yield over the last five years’, Chapter I, Section IX, point 1(c) now states that ‘All winemakers must have the capacity to make at least 1.4 times the average volume of wine made over the last five years’.

Rather than a volume-based capacity (expressed in hl or m3), the product specification used to refer to yield, i.e. harvest volume divided by production area (for example in hl/ha). The proposed amendment remedies this inconsistency in quantities, without any change to the substance of the rule (the minimum winery capacity is still 1,4 times the average volume of wine produced in previous years).

The single document is not affected by this amendment.

6. Circulation of wines

Section IX(5)(b) of Chapter I, which stated the date on which wines could begin circulating between authorised warehousekeepers, has been deleted.

The single document is not affected by this amendment.

7. Transitional measure

The following has been added to Chapter I, Section XI: ‘The rules requiring winegrowers to have controlled green cover, whether naturally occurring or sown, in place between the rows or, alternatively, to perform weeding or use biocontrol products to control naturally occurring vegetation do not apply to vineyard parcels with a distance between rows of 1,70 m or less that are already in existence at the date of approval of this product specification.’

This transitional measure means that existing vineyards whose current configuration does not lend itself to compliance with the agri-environmental rules are not penalised. In high-density vineyards, namely those in which the rows are 1,70 m apart or closer, maintaining permanent grass cover or performing weeding operations may pose technical problems (mechanisation, equipment, tools). Grass cover increases the risk of spring frosts in low-hanging vines. Moreover, green cover would mean that these vines, already more densely planted, would have yet more vegetation to compete with for their water supply. On the other hand, for vines planted after the product specification is approved, the winegrowers will have full knowledge of the requirements and will have to comply with the new agri-environmental rules, regardless of vine density or the distance between rows.

The single document is not affected by this amendment.

8. Record-keeping

In Chapter II, Section II, point 3, the word ‘potential’ has been replaced by ‘natural’.

In line with all the other product specifications from the Anjou Saumur area, the terms ‘potential alcoholic strength’ or ‘alcohol content’ have been replaced with ‘natural alcoholic strength by volume’. These amendments improve the readability of the product specifications. The rules on record-keeping have been harmonised to make it easier to draw up the inspection plan and check the records.

The single document is not affected by this amendment.

9. Compliance checklist

Chapter III has been revised to ensure consistency across the checklists included in the different product specifications for Anjou Saumur wines.

The single document is not affected by this amendment.

SINGLE DOCUMENT

1. Name of product

Quarts de Chaume

2. Type of geographical indication

PDO – Protected Designation of Origin

3. Category of grapevine product

1. Wine

4. Description of the wine(s)

The wines are still white wines made from late-harvested grapes and their main analytical characteristics are as follows:

The wines have a minimum natural alcoholic strength of 18%.

After fermentation, the wines have a fermentable sugar content (glucose + fructose) of more than 85 g per litre.

The total acidity and total sulphur dioxide content are those laid down by EU legislation.

These are sweet white wines made exclusively from the Chenin B grape variety. They are powerful yet delicate, aromatically complex, with a superb balance between sweetness and nervosity on the palate, often accentuated by a hint of bitterness. They have remarkable ageing potential.

General analytical characteristics Maximum total alcoholic strength (in % volume) Minimum actual alcoholic strength (in % volume) 11 Minimum total acidity Maximum volatile acidity (in milliequivalents per litre) 25 Maximum total sulphur dioxide (in milligrams per litre)

5. Winemaking practices

a. Essential oenological practices

Specific oenological practice

The use of screw hoppers, crusher-pumps and continuous presses is forbidden.

All enrichment techniques are banned; - Any practice that lowers the temperature of the harvested grapes to below -5 °C is forbidden; - The use of wood chips is forbidden.

The wines must be matured until at least 1 July of the year following the year of harvest.

In addition to the above provisions, all winemaking practices followed must also comply with the requirements laid down at EU level and in the Rural and Maritime Fishing Code.

Density

Cultivation method

The minimum planting density is 5 000 vines per hectare. Rows of vines may not be spaced more than 2 m apart. The vines making up a row must be spaced at least 1 m apart.

Vine pruning and training

Cultivation method

The vines must be pruned by 30 April, by the mixed pruning method, with a maximum of 12 count buds per vine. At the 11- or 12-leaf growth stage, each vine may not have more than ten fruiting canes for the year.

The foliage on the trellis must reach a height of at least 0,6 times the distance between the rows. This height is measured as the distance between the lower limit of the foliage (which must be at least 0,40 m above ground level) and the upper trimming limit (which must be at least 0,20 m above the upper trellis wire.

Cultivation method

Irrigation is not permitted

Harvesting

Cultivation method

The wines are made from late-harvested grapes.

The grapes are harvested by hand, with pickers passing through the vineyard several times.

Transporting the harvest

Cultivation method

The use of self-emptying harvest trailers with screws or vane pumps is forbidden.

In the containers used for transporting the harvest, the grapes must not be piled to a height of more than one metre.

b. Maximum yields

25 hectolitres per hectare

6. Demarcated geographical area

All steps in production must take place in the geographical area comprising the territory of the following commune in the department of Maine-et-Loire, based on the 2018 Official Geographical Code: Rochefort-sur-Loire.

7. Main wine grape variety(ies)

Chenin

8. Description of the link(s)

1. Information on the geographical area

a) Description of the natural factors relevant to the link

Located in the heart of Anjou, the geographical area is crossed by steep hills stretching along an east-west axis above the river Layon. It lies entirely within the territory of the commune of Rochefort-sur-Loire. The parcels of land specifically demarcated for grape harvesting occupy around 40 hectares at the foot of these hills, facing south. They are located on the lowest slopes, in a bend in the Layon, which they overlook, with an altitude difference of between 25 m and 75 m from the lowest point to the highest.

The bedrock of the demarcated parcels is primarily Brioverian schist – one of the site’s defining features, as rock from this geological stage, though widespread on the Layon’s left bank, is found only in certain isolated spots on the right bank. The elevated portion of the demarcated parcel area features localised deposits of puddingstone (highly eroded conglomerates of pebbles that come from rivers). The soils themselves are also highly eroded, to the point that the bedrock is often exposed, but the vines are most often planted in very thin, clayey soils. These very shallow soils have very limited available water capacity, and the sloping ground gives them excellent drainage.

The area has a subtly distinctive oceanic climate, like that of the area demarcated for the production of ‘Coteaux de Layon’ AOC wines. It benefits from a foehn effect and is protected from the humidity of the ocean by the higher terrain of the Mauges massif to the west. As a result, annual precipitation is around 600 mm, while in the Mauges it is 800 mm. The small valley of Bezigon, formed by a bend in the river Layon, favours the occurrence of morning mists that conceal the vines until late morning during the autumn. This environment is sheltered from northerly, easterly and westerly winds and enjoys long hours of sunshine, allowing the gravelly soils to warm up during the springtime. The evergreen oaks that line the slopes, along with mimosa and almond trees, beautifully encapsulate the fabled douceur angevine.

b) Description of the human factors relevant to the link

The vineyard derives its name from an old custom. In 1028, Fulk III, Count of Anjou, bequeathed a property located in the commune of Rochefort-sur-Loire to the Abbaye du Ronceray d’Angers. The nuns of this abbey, aware of the site’s value, were able to turn it to best advantage. Thus, in the 15th century, the lords of La Guerche, tenants of the Tènement de Chaume, would pay the nuns with ‘the best quarter of the standing crop on the reverse of the south-facing side’. Ronceray abbey’s continued use of this land over several centuries meant that many documents were kept containing references to the wines produced in the Tènement de Chaume, as evidenced by a summons dated 23 September 1674 regarding the setting of a date for the start of the harvest. In the 17th and 18th centuries, ‘Quarts de Chaume’ wines were highly sought after by Dutch brokers, who made the vineyard by the Layon their primary supplier.

After the French Revolution, ordinary citizens were able to acquire property within the geographical area. The vineyard was restructured and divided among several properties. The new owners sought to improve the quality of the wines produced. At the start of the 20th century, the practice of long pruning for the Chenin B grape variety was repeatedly criticised by Monsieur Mignot, the owner of the ‘Château de Bellerive’, for its adverse effects.

Winegrowers swiftly came to understand the benefits of harvesting this grape variety at an advanced stage of ripeness and of using certain specific harvesting methods. In Traité des cépages (1845), Count Odart argued that ‘It should also not be harvested until it is overripe, such as the condition it reaches towards All Saints’ Day, when the skins, tenderised by the rains, are sloughed off’. Thus, overripeness was one of the essential conditions for harvest sought by the growers. In Topographie de tous les vignobles connus (1816), André Jullien stated that: ‘At the good vineyards, the grape-pickers pass through the vineyard several times; the grapes picked in the first two passes are used only for the ripest wines, providing the wines to be shipped abroad, and the grapes from the third pass are used to make wines for local consumption’.

‘Quarts de Chaume’ was recognised as a registered designation of origin by decree on 10 August 1954, a just reflection of the area’s history and the concern for quality and authenticity that has motivated the winegrowers over successive generations.

2. Information on the quality and characteristics of the product

Wines with the registered designation of origin ‘Quarts de Chaume’ are sweet white wines produced exclusively using the Chenin B grape variety. They are powerful yet delicate, aromatically complex, with a superb balance between sweetness and nervosity on the palate, often accentuated by a hint of bitterness. They have remarkable ageing potential.

3. Causal interactions

The oceanic climate with a southern influence, together with the especially favourable topography, the uniquely exposed position at the foot of the hills and the shallow gravelly soils formed by the erosion of the Brioverian schist formations, are the factors that combine to make this site a perfect location for the production of great wines. Chenin B, a native grape variety, is able to flourish here and achieve its full potential, which expresses itself with a singular degree of power and elegance. Managed with the aim of producing small yields, the vines are very carefully tended by the growers.

The area owes its singular nature to its location, nestled within a bend of the river Layon. The early morning mists of autumn leave small drops of water on the skins of fully ripe grapes, favouring Botrytis cinerea infection. This fungus, responsible for noble rot, spreads over the golden bunches under the heat of the sun, increasing the grapes’ sugar concentration and enabling them to develop a greater aromatic complexity. Sometimes, during drier autumns, concentration is achieved via raisining (drying out the grapes), which takes place purely through the action of the wind and the heat. The grapes are then harvested manually, with successive tries (selections) being carried out for each parcel of land. The minimum sugar content required is 298 g per litre.

Among the vineyards of Anjou, several sites that regularly produce exceptional wines, such as ‘Quarts de Chaume’, have emerged over time. They lie at the heart of the best locations, with optimal topographical, soil and climatic conditions. They were identified and named centuries ago and both the vineyards and the cellars receive the greatest attention and care from the winegrowers. Year after year, they produce original wines that have dominated the Anjou wine rankings for centuries under the cru classification. Since the 15th century, wine from the Tènement de Chaume has been especially sought after. Initially its renown was only local, and is evidenced by the care it received from the abbess and the nuns of Ronceray, and by the following account from the Rochefort parish priest in the 1690s, who mentioned it by name when demanding his due: ‘a full cask of Chaulme wine, to be given to me by Monsieur de la Guerche from out of the nineteen that he collects from said Chaulme’.

The spread of the wines’ fame and reputation was greatly aided by the river Layon, which served as a navigational and commercial highway. It was via the Layon that, towards the end of the 18th century, Dutch merchants were able to visit the area and purchase ‘Quarts de Chaume’ wines, which travelled well by sea. In the 19th century, many writings praised these wines. They are mentioned in the French edition of A New Geographical, Historical, and Commercial Grammar by the Scottish geographer William Guthrie (1708-1770), published in 1802, and in L’Anjou, ses vignes et ses vins (1925) Paul Maisonneuve called them ‘the pearls of the Layon’.

The wines are matured over a period of several months, enabling them to develop remarkable keeping qualities as well as enhancing their aromatic complexity. The grand cru status they have acquired reflects the winegrowers’ mastery of the practices and techniques involved in producing these wines, as well as their historical renown built up and consolidated over the course of many generations.

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

Area in immediate proximity

Legal framework:

EU legislation

Type of further condition:

Derogation concerning production in the demarcated geographical area

Description of the condition:

The area in immediate proximity, in which winemaking can be performed by derogation, comprises the territory of the following communes in the department of Maine-et-Loire, based on the 2018 Official Geographical Code: Aubigné-sur-Layon, Beaulieu-sur-Layon, Bellevigne-en-Layon (the former territory of the delegated communes of Champ-sur-Layon, Faveraye-Mâchelles, Faye-d’Anjou, Rablay-sur-Layon and Thouarcé), Brissac Loire Aubance (the former territory of the delegated communes of Brissac-Quincé and Vauchrétien), Chalonnes-sur-Loire, Chaudefonds-sur-Layon, Chemillé-en-Anjou (the former territory of the delegated commune of Chanzeaux), Denée, Doué-en-Anjou (the former territory of the delegated communes of Brigné and Les Verchers-sur-Layon), Mauges-sur-Loire (the former territory of the delegated communes of Montjean-sur-Loire and La Pommeraye), Mozé-sur-Louet, Savennières, Soulaines-sur-Aubance, Terranjou (the former territory of the delegated communes of Chavagnes and Notre-Dame-d’Allençon) and Val-du-Layon (the former territory of the delegated communes of Saint-Aubin-de-Luigné and Saint-Lambert-du-Lattay).

Labelling

Legal framework:

National legislation

Type of further condition:

Additional provisions relating to labelling

Description of the condition:

All optional terms whose use, under EU rules, may be regulated by the Member States must be printed on the labels in letters that are no larger, in height or in width, than twice the size of the letters spelling the registered designation of origin.

The name of the registered designation of origin may be supplemented by the traditional term grand cru in accordance with the rules laid down in the product specification.

The registered designation of origin may be supplemented by the geographical name ‘Val de Loire’ in accordance with the rules laid down in the product specification regarding the use of that name. The geographical name ‘Val de Loire’ must be printed in letters that are no larger, either in height or in width, than two thirds the size of the letters spelling the registered designation of origin.

The name of a smaller geographical unit may appear on the labels of wines covered by the registered designation of origin, provided that:

— it is a registered location;

— and it appears on the harvest declaration.

The name of the registered location must be printed in letters that are no larger, either in height or in width, than half the size of the letters spelling the registered designation of origin.

Link to the product specification

https://info.agriculture.gouv.fr/gedei/site/bo-agri/document_administratif-abcfe31e-d643-4d13-8a1e-40bac856b9f5

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