Main specifications of the technical file for ‘Pisco’
Date: 2011-05-12
Institutions: European Commission
Subjects: alcoholic beverage, consumer information, consumer protection, designation of origin, labelling, product designation








C_2011141EN.01001601.xml










12.5.2011   


EN


Official Journal of the European Union


C 141/16





MAIN SPECIFICATIONS OF THE TECHNICAL FILE FOR PISCO
2011/C 141/16

INTRODUCTION

On 27 July 2009, the Republic of Peru has applied for registration of ‘Pisco’ as a geographical indication within Regulation (EC) No 110/2008 of the European Parliament and of the Council on the definition, description, presentation, labelling and the protection of geographical indications of spirit drinks and repealing Council Regulation (EEC) No 1576/89.
According to Article 17(5) of Regulation (EC) No 110/2008, the Commission shall verify, within 12 months from the date of submission of the application referred to in paragraph 1, whether that application complies with this Regulation.
This verification has been done and in accordance with Article 17(6), the Commission services have announced that the application complies with the Regulation at the 101st meeting of the Committee for spirit drinks on 17 November 2010.
Therefore, the main specifications of the technical file shall be published in the Official Journal of the European Union, C Series.
According to Article 17 (7), within six months from the date of publication of the main specifications of the technical file, any natural or legal person that has a legitimate interest may object to the registration of the geographical indication in Annex III on the grounds that the conditions provided for in this Regulation are not fulfilled. The objection, which must be duly substantiated, shall be submitted to the Commission in one of the official languages of the European Union or accompanied by a translation into one of those languages.

MAIN SPECIFICATIONS OF THE TECHNICAL FILE FOR ‘PISCO’

1.   Name: ‘Pisco’
2.   Category of spirit drink: Fruit spirit
3.   Description: Spirit produced from the fermentation of the fruit of the vine (Vitis vitifera).

There are three types of ‘Pisco’ distinguished according to the type of ‘pisco’ grape (aromatic or non-aromatic) used in the production, and by the level of fermentation undergone by the must:
—   ‘Pisco Puro’: this is obtained from a single variety of ‘pisco’ grape; it may also be referred to as ‘Pisco Puro’ made from aromatic grapes or ‘Pisco Puro’ made from non-aromatic grapes,
—   ‘Pisco Acholado’: this is obtained from the mix of various varieties of ‘pisco’ grapes, either prior to fermentation or after distillation,
—   ‘Pisco Mosto Verde’: this is obtained from distilling the fresh musts of ‘pisco’ grapes which have undergone interrupted fermentation.
4.   Physical and chemical characteristics: 






 


Alcoholic strength by volume at 20/20 °C (%): minimum 38,0, maximum 48,0










 


Dry matter at 100 °C (g/l): 0,6










 


Volatile components and congeners (mg/100 ml A.A):






—


Esters, as total esters: minimum 10, maximum 330










—


Ethyl formate: 0










—


Ethyl acetic: minimum 10, maximum 280










—


Isoamyl acetate: 0














 


Furfural: maximum 5










 


Aldehydes, such as acetic aldehyde: minimum 3, maximum 60










 


Higher alcohols, as total higher alcohols: minimum 60, maximum 350










 


Volatile acidity, as ascetic acid: maximum 200










 


Methyl alcohol:






—


‘Pisco Puro’ and ‘Mosto Verde’ made from non-aromatic grapes: minimum 4, maximum 100










—


‘Pisco Puro’ and ‘Pisco Mosto Verde’ made from aromatic grapes and ‘Pisco Acholado’: minimum 4, maximum 150








5.   Geographical area: All the stages of processing ‘Pisco’, from growing the vine, processing the grape and bottling the final product, are carried out in the ‘“Pisco”-making area’, which is located in the following departments and provinces of the Republic of Peru:
6.   Method of production: 






 


The grape harvest. Takes place between the months of March and April and is carried out entirely by hand.










 


Crushing and destalking. The grapes destined to be used in the production of the final product are crushed and destalked. This consists of breaking the grape to extract the juice avoiding breaking the seeds, and removing remaining stalks on the bunches and cuttings. Destalking is a vital step in obtaining the fermented must for producing the drink protected under the PGI.










 


Tanking and maceration. This involves putting the must in fermentation tanks. In order to obtain an aromatic depth in the base wine, once in the tanks, the grape skin is macerated with the grape must, and the maceration time depends on the characteristics of the variety.










 


Pressing. Once maceration is complete, the grape marc is pressed.










 


Fermentation. This is carried out in containers which may be fermentation vats, these days made of cement in the larger production centres, or traditional large earthen jars or earthenware jugs in smaller production centres.
It may be carried out without maceration or with the partial or complete maceration of the grape marc, depending on the type of ‘Pisco’ to be produced from each batch. After the maceration process follows what is traditionally known as ‘devatting’, which consists of separating the solid part of the must, that is the grape marc (skin and seed) from the liquid (juice of the fermented grape), allowing fermentation to be completed.










 


Distillation. ‘Pisco’ is characterised as being obtained from direct and intermittent distillation, with the ‘heads and tails’ being separated off in order to select solely the central column of the product known as the ‘body’ or ‘heart’. The must is heated in small stills, stills or heated stills, made of copper or tin.










 


Maturation or ‘keeping’. The spirit must be kept in suitable containers for a minimum of three months before it is bottled. Before bottling the product, the filtration process is carried out in order to eliminate suspended particles, for this purpose polishing filters are used.




7.   Link: The south coast of Peru, where the ‘Pisco’-making area is located, is dry on account of marine currents, and the only natural humidity arises from the rare showers and mists which occur during winter. The low humidity and slight absence of precipitation during the year provide the best conditions for the grape, which once it is harvested will be of high quality and suitable for the production of the drink.
The multi-year average maximum temperature in the geographical area of the ‘Pisco’-making area varies between 30,8 °C and 24,4 °C. The average minimum temperature varies between 16,7 °C and 11,6 °C, whilst the annual average temperature reaches values of between 22,4 °C and 18,5 °C. This slightly strange thermal gradient allows the vine to reach a maximum physiological and technological maturity, which allows the correct fermentation of the musts. The grapes reach the appropriate concentration of sugars which allows for a greater production of alcohol by the yeasts and therefore an extraordinarily rich alcoholic content during the distillation of the product.
The ‘Pisco’-making area is characterised as having mixed soils (presence of clay, sandy and limy soil in equivalent proportions) and very sandy soils, with the water used for irrigation coming from river flooding, as these areas are to be found close to the foot of the Andes mountain range. In this way the vineyards are irrigated with fresh water which helps to give better production and a high quality of grapes.
To these elements must be added the growing practices used by the producer in their vineyards and the traditional method used to produce the product which owes its uniqueness to the combination of art, custom and valuable experience.
8.   Requirements of the national legislation: ‘Pisco’ is protected in Peru as a denomination of origin by Resolución Directoral no 072087-DIPI issued by INDECOPI on 12 December 1990.
The administrative procedure which a producer must follow before INDECOPI in order to obtain an authorisation for use includes the requirement to prove that their product complies with the Peruvian Technical Standard 211.001:2006.
9.   Applicant: Instituto nacional de defensa de la competencia y de la protección de la propiedad intelectual «INDECOPI», calle De la Prosa, 138 — San Borja, Lima, Perú.
10.   Supervisory authority: Comisión nacional del Pisco «CONAPISCO», Calle Uno Oeste 060. Urb. Corpac — San Isidro, Lima, Perú.
11.   Labelling: The label must respect the technical specifications in force under standards NTP 210.027/2004, NTP 209.038/2003 and NMP 001/1995 before it may be sold at home or abroad.
The label must indicate the variety of the ‘Pisco’ grape and the address of the producing winery. The location of production may also be indicated under the heading ‘Zona de Producción’, but only when the ‘Pisco’ is made and bottled in the ‘Pisco’-making area of origin of the ‘Pisco’ grapes used in its production.