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 2023/C 48/09
Date: 2023-02-08
Institutions: Directorate-General for Agriculture and Rural Development, European Commission
Subjects: France, Loire Region, Nouvelle-Aquitaine, consumer information, designation of origin, labelling, product designation, quality control of agricultural products, red wine, still wine








C_2023048EN.01004601.xml










8.2.2023   


EN


Official Journal of the European Union


C 48/46






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
(2023/C 48/09)
This communication is published in accordance with Article 17(5) of Commission Delegated Regulation (EU) 2019/33 (1).
COMMUNICATING THE APPROVAL OF A STANDARD AMENDMENT

‘Anjou Villages’


PDO-FR-A0493-AM02


Date of communication: 11.11.2022


DESCRIPTION OF AND REASONS FOR THE APPROVED AMENDMENT

1.   Official Geographical Code

The municipalities making up the geographical area and the area in immediate proximity have been updated in line with the Code officiel géographique [Official Geographical Code].
This has no impact on the perimeter of the demarcated geographical area.
Points 6 and 9 of the single document have been amended.
2.   Spacing between vines

The minimum spacing between vines has been reduced from 1 m to 0,90 m.
The purpose of this amendment is to allow an increase in the planting density of the vines without changing the spacing between rows.
A special provision has also been added for vines on slopes where the gradient is greater than 10 %, for which the minimum authorised spacing between vines is 0,80 m.
The purpose of this addition is to take account of the particular case of vines planted on steep slopes, which require specific arrangements in the planting stage (planting parallel to the slope rather than perpendicular to it).
Point 5 of the single document has been amended.
3.   Pruning

The rules on pruning have been harmonised at the level of the designations in the Anjou Saumur area of the Loire valley.
This was done to ensure that winegrowers would be better informed and to simplify the checks required. This amendment makes it easier for winegrowers to adapt when faced with periods of frost, which happen increasingly late in the year.
Point 5 of the single document has been amended.
4.   Link with the geographical area

The link has been amended to include a reference to 2021 instead of 2018.
Point 8 of the single document has been amended.
5.   Labelling

The regulatory framework for optional terms has been clarified.
Point 9 of the single document has been amended.
6.   Editorial amendments

A number of drafting updates to the specification have been made.
These amendments do not require any amendments to the single document.
7.   Reference to the inspection body

The reference to the inspection body has been reworded to align it with the wording used in other product specifications. This is a purely editorial amendment.
This amendment does not lead to any changes to the single document.
SINGLE DOCUMENT
1.   Name(s)

Anjou Villages
2.   Geographical indication type

PDO – Protected Designation of Origin
3.   Categories of grapevine products







1.


Wine




4.   Description of the wine(s)

BRIEF WRITTEN DESCRIPTION
These are still red wines with the following main analytical characteristics:
The wines have a minimum natural alcoholic strength by volume of 11 %.
After fermentation, the wines have a fermentable sugar content (glucose and fructose) not exceeding 3 grams per litre.
Malolactic fermentation must be completed. Wines ready to be marketed in bulk or at the packaging stage have a malic acid content that does not exceed 0,4 grams per litre.
After enrichment, the wines’ total alcoholic strength by volume must not exceed 12,5 %.
The total volatile acidity, total acidity and total sulphur dioxide contents are those laid down by EU legislation.
Wines are aged at least until 15 June of the year following that of the harvest.
The wine is generally a deep, steady ruby red in colour. Delicate notes of red fruits and flowers (iris, violet) are often detected in the nose, evolving towards more complex aromas, such as combinations of black fruits, spices, game or undergrowth. Ample and full-bodied in the mouth, the full range of aromas is preserved. Strong underlying tannins and a long finish. A generous wine that benefits from being left for a few years before tasting.






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)


 




5.   Wine-making practices

5.1.   Specific oenological practices

1.   Planting density – Spacing

Cultivation method
The minimum vine planting density is 4 000 plants per hectare. The spacing between the rows of these vines must not exceed 2,5 metres, and the spacing between plants in the same row must be at least 0,90 metres. Vineyard parcels where the spacing between vines in the same row is less than 0,90 m but greater than or equal to 0,80 m, and where the gradient is greater than 10 %, shall be entitled to use the controlled designation of origin for their harvest. The controlled designation of origin may be used for the harvests of vineyard parcels with a density of fewer than 4 000 – but at least 3 300 – vines per hectare, subject to compliance with certain vine-training and foliage height rules laid down in the product specification. The spacing between the rows of the vines must not exceed 3 metres, and the spacing between plants in the same row must be at least 1 metre.
2.   Rules on vine pruning and training

Cultivation method
The vines are pruned using the cane or spur method, or a combination of the two, with a maximum of 12 buds per vine.
The vines can be pruned to two additional buds per plant on condition that, at the phenological stage corresponding to 11 or 12 leaves (separate flower buds), there are no more than 12 fruit-bearing branches for the year per plant.
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 metres above ground level) and the upper trimming limit (which must be at least 0,20 m above the upper trellis wire).
In the case of vineyard parcels where the planting density is at least 3 300 but less than 4 000 plants per hectare, the following additional trellising rules apply: the minimum height of the trellising posts above the ground is 1,9 metres; there are 4 levels of trellising wires; the minimum height of the highest wire is 1,85 metres above the ground.
3.   Irrigation

Cultivation method
Irrigation is prohibited.4.    
Specific oenological practice
Subtractive enrichment techniques are permitted, with the maximum partial concentration rate set at 10 % in relation to the volumes used. The use of wood chips is forbidden. After enrichment, the wines’ total alcoholic strength by volume must not exceed 12,5 %.
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.
5.2.   Maximum yields







1.


 




60 hectolitres per hectare
6.   Demarcated geographical area

All stages of production take place in the geographical area encompassing the following municipalities, on the basis of the Official Geographical Code of 2021:






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department of Deux-Sèvres: Loretz-d’Argenton (only the delegated municipality of Bouillé-Loretz), Val en Vignes (only the delegated municipalities of Bouillé-Saint-Paul, Cersay and Saint-Pierre-à-Champ);










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department of Maine-et-Loire: Aubigné-sur-Layon, Beaulieu-sur-Layon, Bellevigne-en-Layon, Blaison-Saint-Sulpice (only the delegated municipality of Blaison-Gohier), Bouchemaine, Brissac Loire Aubance (only the delegated municipalities of Charcé-Saint-Ellier-sur-Aubance and Coutures), Chalonnes-sur-Loire, Champtocé-sur-Loire, Chaudefonds-sur-Layon, Chemillé-en-Anjou (only the delegated municipalities of Chanzeaux, La Jumellière and Valanjou), Cléré-sur-Layon, Doué-en-Anjou (only the delegated municipalities of Brigné, Concourson-sur-Layon, Saint-Georges-sur-Layon and Les Verchers-sur-Layon), Ingrandes-Le Fresne sur Loire (only the former municipality of Ingrandes), Lys-Haut-Layon (only the delegated municipalities of La Fosse-de-Tigné, Nueil-sur-Layon, Tancoigné, Tigné and Trémont), Mauges-sur-Loire (only the delegated municipalities of Mesnil-en-Vallée, Montjean-sur-Loire and La Pommeraye), Passavant-sur-Layon, La Possonnière, Rochefort-sur-Loire, Saint-Georges-sur-Loire, Saint-Germain-des-Prés, Savennières, Terranjou, Tuffalun (only the delegated municipality of Ambillou-Château), Val-du-Layon.




Maps showing the geographical area can be viewed on the website of the National Institute of Origin and Quality.
7.   Wine grape variety(-ies)







 


Cabernet Franc N










 


Cabernet Sauvignon N




8.   Description of the link(s)
8.1.    
a)   Description of the natural factors relevant to the link

The geographical area is located in the western part of the geographical area for the ‘Anjou’ controlled designation of origin, essentially on the Precambrian and Paleozoic outcrops attached to the Armorican Massif, in places covered in gravelly formations or Cenomanian features such as the marl with oyster shell deposits to be found on its eastern boundary. In 2021 it includes the geographical areas for the controlled designations of origin ‘Anjou-Coteaux de la Loire’, ‘Coteaux du Layon’, ‘Savennières’ and some adjoining municipalities. It covers a territory that has been demarcated and selected because its natural environment is so well suited to the production of red wines. It spans 24 municipalities in the department of Maine-et-Loire and two in the department of Deux-Sèvres, to the south-east and south of the city of Angers. The landscape features a number of rolling hills with variable aspects and altitudes ranging between 50 and 90 metres.
The parcel area specifically demarcated for the grape harvest mostly consists of parcels with good exposure and brown soils that have developed on shale, clayey-gravelly brown soils or on a very localised level, brown soils that have developed on marl with oyster shell deposits. These soils are often shallow with good irrigation and drainage, no signs of hydromorphy and typically low water reserves. They have good thermal performance and ensure optimal earliness in growth. The western part of the geographical area is studded with subvolcanic rocks formed of igneous rocks of an acidic (rhyolite) or basaltic (spilite) nature producing very stony soils.
The geographical area benefits from a temperate oceanic climate with temperature ranges that do not vary significantly, on the one hand because of the relative proximity of the Atlantic Ocean and on the other, because of the role that the Loire and its tributaries play in temperature regulation. The fact that the vines are planted on hills is also a factor. The north-west/south-east facing slopes protect the vines from the westerly winds that often have a high moisture content. Therefore the geographical area has limited irrigation and benefits from a foehn effect, sheltered from maritime mists by the higher slopes of Choletais and Mauges. Annual rainfall is around 585 millimetres, compared with 800 millimetres in Choletais.
b)   Description of the human factors relevant to the geographical link

Vines are known to have been cultivated on a continuous basis in Anjou since the first century A.D. It is excellent vine-growing country, as evidenced by these lines of a poem by Apollonius (sixth century): ‘Not far from Brittany is a town located on a rock with extensive plantations devoted to Ceres and Bacchus and a name, Andecavi (Angers), which is derived from the Greek place name.’ Vine-growing developed in the Anjou area during the Middle Ages, under the auspices of the monasteries located on the banks of the Loire and around Angers. They became particularly renowned from the 7th and 8th century onwards. Thanks to the influence of Henry II and Eleanor of Aquitaine, wine from Anjou made its way to the most splendid tables.
Production developed significantly from the 16th century onwards with the arrival of Dutch merchants seeking wine for their country and colonies. The Dutch stocked up on the wines and trade was so brisk in the 18th century that the river Layon, which crosses the geographical area, was made navigable to make transportation easier.
The ‘Anjou’ region essentially owes it fame to the production of white wines made from the Chenin B variety. However, plantings of the Cabernet Franc N variety or the ‘Breton plant’ (thus named because it had been introduced by boat through the Loire estuary, which belonged to the Breton region at the time) and of Cabernet Sauvignon N a little later on spread significantly after the Phylloxera crisis from 1865 onwards.8.2.    
In the early 20th century, wine-making efforts were mostly focused on making ‘rouget’, the local name for a light wine served in the cafés. This marked the first stage in the changes to the Anjou vineyards, with the production of emblematic rosé wines becoming significant. The second stage in these changes was based on the experience gained by producers in managing these crops. The production of red wines developed from the 1960s onwards, based on monitoring and analysis of the best combinations of varieties and planting locations, together with assessment of the harvest potential and the expertise acquired in wine-making techniques.
However, the region’s wine-makers realised that they had access to a territory and a level of expertise that could further enhance the originality of their red wine production. The ‘Anjou Villages’ controlled designation of origin was therefore recognised on 14 November 1991. In 2010 it consisted of 130 privately owned wineries and 2 cooperative wineries.
2.   Information on the quality and characteristics of the product

The wine is generally a deep, steady ruby red in colour. Delicate notes of red fruits and flowers (iris, violet) are often detected in the nose, evolving towards more complex aromas, such as combinations of black fruits, spices, game or undergrowth.
Ample and full-bodied in the mouth, the full range of aromas is preserved. There are strong underlying tannins and the finish is long. It is a generous wine that benefits from being left for a few years before tasting.
3.   Causal interactions

The combination of the shallow soils on clearly demarcated land parcels demonstrating the methods in use and the terrain which provides excellent exposure and encourages a regular water supply has enabled the Cabernet franc N and Cabernet Sauvignon N varieties to achieve their full expression and originality. The location of the vineyards requires optimal management of the vines and their potential yield, in the form of vine training systems and strict pruning rules.
Winegrowers observe and analyse the behaviour of their vines in order to determine the right location for the vineyards, taking account of how well-suited the two varieties are to the resources provided by the brown soils which developed on shale and the clay-limestone soils which developed over the Cenomanian deposits. By relying on the specific parcel demarcation, adapting the vine training and pruning methods, harvesting the grapes at optimal ripeness, and making technical enhancements to temperature control and maceration times, producers have put strict production rules into place to ensure the production of well-structured red wine. The expertise of the operators ensures that grapes are harvested with a minimum sugar content of 189 grams per litre and having reached an optimal stage of phenolic ripeness.
Over the generations, the operators have successfully adapted their wine-making techniques to bring the best out of the grapes. It was very quickly decided to impose an ageing period in the tank after fermentation to enable the production of wine with complex aromas but in particular so that the tannins could become round and smooth. To achieve these goals, a minimum ageing period lasting until 15 June after the harvest year was defined in the Product Specification.
The ‘Anjou Villages’ controlled designation of origin is one of the most highly esteemed wines in the Anjou region.
9.   Essential further conditions (packaging, labelling, other requirements)

API
Legal framework:
EU legislation
Type of further condition:
Derogation concerning production in the demarcated geographical area
Description of the condition:
The area in the immediate vicinity, defined by derogation for the making, processing and ageing of the wines, comprises the territory of the following municipalities, based on the Official Geographical Code for 2021:






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department of Deux-Sèvres: Brion-près-Thouet, Loretz-d’Argenton (only the delegated territory of Argenton-l’Église), Louzy, Plaine-et-Vallées (only the delegated municipality of Oiron), Saint-Cyr-la-Lande, Sainte-Verge, Saint-Martin-de-Mâcon, Saint-Martin-de-Sanzay, Thouars (only the delegated municipalities of Mauzé-Thouarsais, Sainte-Radegonde and the former municipality of Thouars), Tourtenay;










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department of Indre-et-Loire: Saint-Nicolas-de-Bourgueil;










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department of Loire-Atlantique: Ancenis-Saint-Géréon (only the former municipality of Ancenis), Le Loroux-Bottereau, Le Pallet, La Remaudière, Vair-sur-Loire (only the delegated municipality of Anetz), Vallet;










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department of Maine-et-Loire: Allonnes, Angers, Antoigné, Artannes-sur-Thouet, Bellevigne-les-Châteaux, Blaison-Saint-Sulpice (only the delegated municipality of Saint-Sulpice), Brain-sur-Allonnes, Brissac Loire Aubance (only the delegated municipalities of Alleuds, Brissac-Quincé, Chemellier, Luigné, Saint-Rémy-la-Varenne, Saint-Saturnin-sur-Loire, Saulgé-l’Hôpital and Vauchrétien), Brossay, Cernusson, Cizay-la-Madeleine, Le Coudray-Macouard, Courchamps, Denée, Dénezé-sous-Doué, Distré, Doué-en-Anjou (only the delegated municipalities of Doué-la-Fontaine, Forges, Meigné and Montfort), Épieds, Fontevraud-l’Abbaye, Les Garennes sur Loire, Gennes-Val-de-Loire (only the delegated municipalities of Chênehutte-Trèves-Cunault, Gennes, Grézillé, Saint-Georges-des-Sept-Voies and Le Thoureil), Huillé-Lézigné (only the delegated municipality of Huillé), Jarzé Villages (only the delegated municipality of Lué-en-Baugeois), Louresse-Rochemenier, Lys-Haut-Layon (only the delegated municipalities of Cerqueux-sous-Passavant and Vihiers), Mauges-sur-Loire (only the delegated municipalities of La Chapelle-Saint-Florent, Le Marillais, Saint-Florent-le-Vieil, Saint-Laurent-de-la-Plaine and Saint-Laurent-du-Mottay), Mazé-Milon (only the delegated municipality of Fontaine-Milon), Montilliers, Montreuil-Bellay, Montsoreau, Mozé-sur-Louet, Mûrs-Erigné, Orée d’Anjou (only the delegated municipalities of Bouzillé, Champtoceaux, Drain, Landemont, Liré, Saint-Laurent-des-Autels and La Varenne), Parnay, Le Puy-Notre-Dame, Rives-de-Loir-en-Anjou, Rou-Marson, Sainte-Gemmes-sur-Loire, Saint-Just-sur-Dive, Saint-Macaire-du-Bois, Saint-Martin-du-Fouilloux, Saint-Melaine-sur-Aubance, Saint-Sigismond, Saumur, Soulaines-sur-Aubance, Souzay-Champigny, Tuffalun (only the delegated municipalities of Louerre and Noyant-la-Plaine), Turquant, Les Ulmes, Varennes-sur-Loire, Varrains, Vaudelnay, Verrie, Verrières-en-Anjou;










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department of Vienne: Berrie, Curçay-sur-Dive, Glénouze, Pouançay, Ranton, Saint-Léger-de-Montbrillais, Saix, Ternay, Les Trois-Moutiers.




Labelling
Legal framework:
National legislation
Type of further condition:
Additional provisions relating to labelling
Description of the condition:
All optional terms, the use of which, 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 forming the name of the controlled designation of origin.
The name of the controlled designation of origin may be followed by the geographical name ‘Val de Loire’, in accordance with the rules laid down in the specification.
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.
Wines eligible for the controlled designation of origin may specify the name of a smaller geographical entity on their labels, provided that it is a place name listed in the land registry and that 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-1e962c34-1858-44fd-b90b-d3b72b04d5b4


(1)  OJ L 9, 11.1.2019, p. 2.