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 66/08
Date: 2023-02-23
Institutions: Directorate-General for Agriculture and Rural Development, European Commission
Subjects: Austria, Styria, consumer information, designation of origin, labelling, product designation, quality control of agricultural products, white wine








C_2023066EN.01002801.xml










23.2.2023   


EN


Official Journal of the European Union


C 66/28






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 66/08)
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

‘Südsteiermark’


PDO-AT-A0228-AM01


Date of communication: 29.11.2022

DESCRIPTION OF AND REASONS FOR THE APPROVED AMENDMENT
1.   Maximum yield per hectare

The maximum yield per hectare prior to the 2020 harvest was 9 000 kg/ha; as of the 2020 harvest it has been set at10 000 kg/ha.
2.   Wine-grape varieties

Prior to the 2018 harvest all grape varieties authorised for quality wines in Austria were permitted for use in ‘Südsteiermark ’ PDO wines. Since the 2018 harvest the list of possible grape varieties has been restricted.
SINGLE DOCUMENT
1.   Name(s)

Südsteiermark
2.   Geographical indication type

PDO – protected designation of origin
3.   Categories of grapevine product







1.


Wine




4.   Description of the wine(s)


‘Südsteiermark’ PDO

CONCISE TEXTUAL DESCRIPTION
The ‘Südsteiermark’ PDO area produces only white wines.
Colour: The white wines have a pale straw-yellow to greenish-yellow colour. High-quality white wines (e.g. ‘Reserve’ wines) can also take on a pale to medium golden-yellow colour after prolonged ageing.
Aroma: Wines of the ‘Südsteiermark’ PDO are dominated by notes of apple, pear and quince. All the wines have a crisp, aroma-enhancing acid structure. Young wines can also include grassy notes of freshly mown meadows, green peppers or nettles.
Taste: A key element in the gustatory profile of Südsteiermark’ PDO wines is their acidity, which underlies and enhances the fruit sensations. Malolactic fermentation is rarely used in the ‘Südsteiermark’ PDO area.






General analytical characteristics




Maximum total alcoholic strength (in % volume)


15,0 




Minimum actual alcoholic strength (in % volume)


9,0 




Minimum total acidity


4,0 grams per litre expressed as tartaric acid




Maximum volatile acidity (in milliequivalents per litre)


18 




Maximum total sulphur dioxide (in milligrams per litre)


200 




5.   Wine-making practices

5.1.   Specific oenological practices

—
5.2.   Maximum yields







1.


‘Südsteiermark’ PDO




10 000 kilograms of grapes per hectare
6.   Demarcated geographical area

The designation of origin covers the municipalities of the district of Leibnitz other than Strass in der Steiermark, St. Veit in der Südsteiermark, Allerheiligen bei Wildon, St. Georgen an der Stiefing, Gabersdorf, Schwarzautal and Heiligenkreuz am Wasen.
7.   Wine grape variety(ies)







 


Chardonnay – Morillon










 


Grauer Burgunder - Pinot Gris










 


Grauer Burgunder - Ruländer










 


Muskateller - Gelber Muskateller










 


Sauvignon Blanc










 


Traminer - Gelber Traminer










 


Traminer - Gewürztraminer










 


Traminer - Roter Traminer










 


Weißer Burgunder - Klevner










 


Weißer Burgunder - Pinot Blanc










 


Weißer Burgunder - Weißburgunder










 


Weißer Riesling - Rheinriesling










 


Weißer Riesling - Riesling










 


Welschriesling




8.   Description of the link(s)

‘Südsteiermark’ PDO

Climate: The climate of the ‘Südsteiermark’ PDO area has Mediterranean and Pannonian influences. The humid Mediterranean climate ensures a long growing season. The Pannonian influences manifest themselves primarily in low night-time temperatures and high humidity in the first half of the day.
Soil: There is no predominant soil type in the ‘Südsteiermark’ PDO area. The main soil types are shale, sand, marl and limestone.
Link: In addition to the climate and soil conditions, the steep slopes typical of the ‘Südsteiermark’ PDO area (with gradients of more than 100 %) also contribute to the specific type of wine. The cool nights of the Pannonian climate make for very fruity and acidic wines. The humid conditions brought by the Mediterranean climate give the wines a high, varietally true maturity. The Sauvignon Blanc variety in particular benefits from this mix of climatic conditions, resulting in varietally true wines with intense flavours of green peppers and freshly mown meadow. Another particularity of the ‘Südsteiermark’ PDO area is an altitude of around 600 metres, which further reinforces the influences of the Pannonian climate (cool nights). Varieties with an already pronounced aroma profile (such as Gelber Muskateller or Burgunder varieties) express their aroma even more intensely at this altitude.
9.   Essential further conditions (packaging, labelling, other requirements)


Production

Legal framework:
In national legislation
Type of further condition:
Derogation concerning production in the demarcated geographical area
Description of the condition:
For all PDO wines, the Austrian Wine Act provides that the production of a PDO wine must take place in the wine-growing region (PGI region of origin) in which the PDO area is located or in an adjacent wine-growing region. Austria therefore makes general use of the derogation provided for in Article 5 of Regulation (EU) 2019/33.
Production may take place outside Styria only if it has been declared to and approved by the Styria Regional Wine Committee, as in the case of supraregional wine producers with their head office outside the Südsteiermark region. The ‘Südsteiermark’ PDO must figure on the relevant invoices, delivery notes and waybills.
Legal framework:
In national legislation
Type of further condition:
Packaging within the demarcated geographical area
Description of the condition:
The Austrian Wine Act does not lay down general rules on the bottling of PDO wines.
In order to ensure the quality and typical characteristics of ‘Südsteiermark’ PDO wines, the following conditions are laid down on the bottling of ‘Südsteiermark’ PDO wines:
Bottling outside the Styria wine-growing area is permissible only after notification to and approval by the Styria Regional Wine Committee. The origin ‘Südsteiermark’ must figure on the relevant invoices, delivery notes and waybills.

Link to the product specification

https://info.bml.gv.at/themen/landwirtschaft/landwirtschaft-in-oesterreich/pflanzliche-produktion/wein/Weinherkunft.html


(1)  OJ L 9, 11.1.2019, p. 2.