Publication of an application for registration pursuant to Article 6(2) of Regulation (EEC) No 2081/92 on the protection of geographical indications and designations of origin
Date: 2002-10-29
Institutions: European Commission
Subjects: Italy, designation of origin, labelling, location of production, olive oil, product quality

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4.8. Labelling: The extra virgin olive oil must be marketed in bottles or containers of five litres or less.
The name ‘Alto Crotonese PDO’ must appear in clear and indelible characters on the label,
together with the information specified in the rules governing labelling.

The graphic symbol relating to the special distinctive logo to be used in conjunction with the PDO
must also appear on the label.

The graphic symbol consists of an ellipse enclosing, on a hill in the foreground, the bishop's palace
of Acherentia, with the sky as a background. The colours used are brown 464 C for the bishop's
palace, green Pantone 340 C for the hill on which it stands and blue Pantone 2985 C for the sky
(see Annex).

4.9. National requirements: —

EC No: G/IT/00200/2001.06.14.

Date of receipt of the full application: 8 July 2002.

Publication of an application for registration pursuant to Article 6(2) of Regulation (EEC) No
2081/92 on the protection of geographical indications and designations of origin

(2002/C 262/05)

This publication confers the right to object to the application pursuant to Article 7 of the abovementioned
Regulation. Any objection to this application must be submitted via the competent authority in the
Member State concerned within a time limit of six months from the date of this publication. The
arguments for publication are set out below, in particular under point 4.6, and are considered to justify
the application within the meaning of Regulation (EEC) No 2081/92.

COUNCIL REGULATION (EEC) No 2081/92

APPLICATION FOR REGISTRATION: ARTICLE 5

PDO (x)

PGI (

)

National application No: 9/2000

1. Responsible department in the Member State

Name: Ministero delle Politiche agricole e forestali

Address:Via XX Settembre, 20, I-00187 Roma

Tel.

Fax

(39-06) 481 99 68

(39-06) 42 01 31 26

e-mail: qualita@politicheagricole.it

2. Applicant group

2.1. Name

(a) Associazione Molisana Produttori Olivicoli AMPO.

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(b) Associazione Provinciale Produttori Olivicoli AProPrOl.

(c) Associazione Interprovinciale Produttori Olivicoli Molisani AIPOM.

(d) Associazione Molisana Olivicoltori AMO.

(e) Associazione Produttori Olivicoli AssPrOl.

2.2. Address

(a) Via Zurlo, 20; I-86100 Campobasso

(b) Via d'Amato, 15; I-86100 Campobasso

(c) Via Veneto, 64; I-86100 Campobasso

(d) Via Veneto, 84; I-86100 Campobasso

(e) Loc. Nunziatella; I-86019 Isernia.

2.3. Composition: Producers/processors (x)

Other (

).

3. Type of product: Class 1.5 — Oils and Fats; extra virgin olive oil.

4. Specification

(Summary of requirements under Article 4(2))

4.1. Name: ‘Molise’

4.2. Description: extra virgin olive oil with the following characteristics:

— colour: greenish yellow,

— aroma: fruity, slight to average,

— flavour: fruity with a hint of bitterness/sharpness,

— panel test: ‡ 6,5,

— free fatty acidity: £ 0,50 %,

— peroxide value: £ 10 Meq O2/kg,

— K 232: £ 2,00,

— oleic acid: 70-80 %,

— total polyphenols (expressed as caffeic acid): > 100 mg/kg.

4.3. Geographical area: The area in which the olives used to produce ‘Molise’ extra virgin olive oil are
grown and pressed is situated within the administrative boundaries of the Molise Region and
comprises the following municipalities: Acquaviva Collecroce, Agnone, Bagnoli del Trigno,
Baranello, Belmonte del Sannio, Boiano, Bonefro, Busso, Campobasso, Campodipietra, Campolieto,
Campomarino, Cantalupo nel Sannio, Carpinone, Casacalenda, Casalciprano, Castelbottaccio,
Castellino del Biferno, Castelmauro, Castelpetroso, Castelpizzuto, Castelverrino, Castel S.Vincenzo,
Castropignano, Cercemaggiore, Cercepiccola, Cerro al Volturno, Civitacampomarano, Civitanova
del Sannio, Colle d'Anchise, Colletorto, Colli al Volturno, Conca Casale, Duronia, Ferrazzano,
Filignano, Forlì del Sannio, Fornelli, Fossalto, Frosolone, Gambatesa, Gildone, Guardialfiera, Guard-
iaregia, Guglionesi, Jelsi, Isernia, Larino, Limosano, Longano, Lucito, Lupara, Macchia d'Isernia,
Macchiagodena, Macchia Valfortore, Mafalda, Matrice, Mirabello Sannitico, Miranda, Molise,
Monacilioni, Montagano, Montaquila, Montecilfone, Montefalcone nel Sannio, Montelongo,
Montemitro, Montenero di Bisaccia, Montenero Valcocchiara, Monteroduni, Montorio nei
Frentani, Morrone nel Sannio, Oratino, Palata, Pesche, Pescolanciano, Petacciato, Petrella Tifernina,

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Pettoranello del Molise, Pietrabbondante, Pietracatella, Pietracupa, Pizzone Poggio Sannita, Portoc-
annone, Pozzilli, Provvidenti, Riccia, Ripabottoni, Ripalimosani, Roccamandolfi, Roccasicura,
Roccavivara, Rocchetta al Volturno, Rotello, Salcito, San Biase, San Felice del Molise, San
Giacomo degli Schiavoni, San Giovanni
in Galdo, San Giuliano del Sannio, San Giuliano di
Puglia, San Martino in Pensilis, San Massimo, Santa Croce di Magliano, Sant'Agapito, Sant'Angelo
Limosano, Sant'Elena Sannita, Sant'Elia a Pianisi, Santa Maria del Molise Scapoli, Sepino, Sesto
Campano, Spinete, Tavenna, Termoli, Torella del Sannio, Toro, Trivento, Tufara, Ururi, Vasto-
girardi, Venafro and Vinchiaturo.

4.4. Proof of origin: Writers have long celebrated the reputation and fame of Molise oil. In his treatise
‘De re rustica’, Cato mentions the rules governing the sale of olives in Venafro. In ‘De Oleo’, Pliny
describes the olive trees brought from Licino to the Venafro region and the excellence of the oil
produced from their fruit. The Licino variety is still cultivated in the Venafro area, where it is
known as ‘Aurina’. In the Satires, to which Eugenio Solza refers in ‘L'arte del convito nella Roma
antica’ (‘The Art of Entertainment in Ancient Rome’), Horace recommends using Venafro oil as an
essential ingredient in the preparation of two sauces. Commenting, in his ‘Dissertation on the 62
different kinds of oil offered to His Majesty, Ferdinand IV’, on the best oil available in Roman
‘was reserved for the most refined, the most
times, Giovanni Presta recalls that Venafro oil
discriminating and the most prosperous’.

In the Larino region, wherever excavations have uncovered villas dating back to Roman times,
large oil jars that lay buried in cellars have been unearthed, providing evidence of the plentiful
output of oil. In ‘Pro Cluentio’, Cicero praises the industriousness of the people of the Larino and
the fertility of their soil. The region is so well suited to the cultivation of olive trees that over the
centuries it has specialised in certain varieties now the boast of whole areas and linked to the
geographical areas to which they belong; in addition to the Aurina variety mentioned above, there
are the well-known ‘Gentile di Larino’, ‘Rosciola’ and the ‘Oliva Nera di Colletorto’ varieties.

Production, pressing and bottling take place in the designated area. Bottling is included because of
the need to safeguard the distinctive characteristics and the quality of ‘Molise’ oil, ensuring that the
producers concerned can witness the checks carried out by the independent supervisory body. The
PDO is of major importance to the said producers and, in line with the objectives and spirit of the
Regulation, provides them with an opportunity to increase their income. Moreover, bottling has
traditionally been carried out in the geographical area concerned.

The olives come from groves located in the production area. Growers enter their groves in
registers that have been established and are kept up to date for that purpose. Pressing, bottling
and market preparation take place, within the designated area, at suitable facilities entered in a
specific register.

The inspection body verifies compliance with the technical requirements set out in the production
rules for qualifying for entry in the register and with the procedures that must be followed by
various parties in the sector in order that individual batches can be identified and traced in the
proper way.

4.5. Method of production: ‘Molise’ extra virgin olive oil is produced by groves containing one or more
of the following olive varieties: Aurina, Gentile di Larino, Oliva Nera di Colletorto and Leccino
(80 % or more). The balance (up to 20 %) is accounted for by other indigenous varieties present in
olive groves located in the production area, including Paesana Bianca, Sperone di Gallo, Olivastro
and Rosciola.

The olives must be picked when they turn colour, either traditionally by hand and/or mechanically,
special care being taken to prevent the fruit coming into contact with the soil. Products intended
to induce premature dropping may not be used. The olives must then be placed in rigid,
perforated containers and crushed within 48 hours of harvesting. Olive production may not
exceed 120 quintals/hectare. In the case of traditional olive groves, the total quantity of olives
produced must not exceed 60 quintals/hectare and 60 kg per tree.

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Only mechanical and physical oil-extraction processes may be used which can ensure the
production of unadulterated oil. The temperature of the water used during crushing may not
exceed 25 °C. The maximum oil yield from the olives must not exceed 20 %.

4.6. Link: The olive tree is of major importance to the region; it is cultivated throughout Molise, both
alone and in conjunction with other crops, and tends to be concentrated in hilly areas (75 %) as
opposed to plains (25 %). As indicated above, over the centuries certain varieties of olives have
become typical of the region of Molise; they are still extensively grown and are renowned for the
esteemed quality of the oils they provide, oils which tend to have similar chemical and physical
characteristics. This is because the varietal mix in the region is the result of a complex process of
evolution and natural selection, the varieties currently found having been more successful
in
adapting to local conditions in terms of soil and climate and having produced the best quantitative
and qualitative results. This is confirmed by the results of tests and research on the oil conducted
by the University of Molise. Apart from the coastal area and its fertile plains, Molise's landscape
consists of low- and high-lying hills of mainly chalky soils and this, together with a particularly
mild climate at every stage in the formation of the olives, results in steady growth throughout,
from the differentiation of the flowering buds to the physiological ripening of the fruit. The
Region is situated in central/southern Italy with,
land
bordering on the Adriatic. It has a typical Mediterranean climate, with 750 to 1 000 mm of
rain per year, about 60 % of which falls in the autumn and winter, 30 % in the spring and 10 % in
the summer. The average annual temperature is about 14 °C. The main hydrological features of the
area are the Biferno river, numerous seasonal mountain rivers and two large man-made reservoirs
used for irrigation,
industrial and domestic use. Olive-growing is a characteristic feature of a
number of areas in the region and is the sole activity of numerous farmers, whose work is
centred on the quality of the oil they obtain through their attachment to tradition, perseverance
and working creativity. Harvesting, which, for all olive tree varieties and throughout the designated
area, takes place early when the olives are physiologically mature and begin to darken, makes it
possible to avoid the rigours of the winter and produce a wholesome, physiologically ripe raw
material (olives) with an intact natural (native) aromatic heritage which gives ‘Molise’ olive oil its
distinctive characteristics.

to the northeast, a short strip of

4.7. Inspection body

Name:

ERSAM — Ente Regionale di Sviluppo Agricolo

Address: Via Giambattista Vico, 4, I-86100 Campobasso.

4.8. Labelling: Extra virgin olive oil must be put up for consumption in containers with a capacity of 5

litres or less.

The designation must be shown on the label
in characters that are clear and indelible and
sufficiently intense in colour to contrast sharply with the colour of the label and to be clearly
distinguishable from all the other particulars appearing on it.

4.9. National requirements: —

EC No: G/IT/00166/2000.10.13.

Date of receipt of the full application: 25 July 2002.