Publication of an application for amendment of a specification for a name in the wine sector, as referred to in Article 105 of Regulation (EU) No 1308/2013 of the European Parliament and of the Council 2023/C 96/09
Date: 2023-03-15
Institutions: Directorate-General for Agriculture and Rural Development, European Commission
Subjects: France, Nouvelle-Aquitaine, consumer information, designation of origin, labelling, product designation, red wine, rosé wine, white wine, wine of superior quality








C_2023096EN.01002201.xml










15.3.2023   


EN


Official Journal of the European Union


C 96/22






Publication of an application for amendment of a specification for a name in the wine sector, as referred to in Article 105 of Regulation (EU) No 1308/2013 of the European Parliament and of the Council
(2023/C 96/09)
This publication confers the right to oppose the application pursuant to Article 98 of Regulation (EU) No 1308/2013 of the European Parliament and of the Council (1) within 2 months from the date of this publication.
REQUEST FOR AMENDMENT TO THE PRODUCT SPECIFICATION

‘Vins de la Corrèze’


PGI-FR-A1127-AM03


Date of application: 20 December 2017

1.   Rules applicable to the amendment

Article 105 of Regulation (EU) No 1308/2013 - Non-minor amendment
2.   Description of and reasons for the amendment

2.1.   Amendment of the name

The applicant group submitted an application for PDO protection of the name ‘Corrèze’ for certain wines currently produced under the PGI ‘Vins de la Corrèze’.
The French authorities considered that this application met the required regulatory conditions and submitted in parallel with this application an application for registration of the name ‘Corrèze’ as a PDO.
The name ‘Vins de la Corrèze’ has been renamed ‘Pays de Brive’, referring to the production area, which is defined both by the historical factors relating to the department’s PGI wine production and the soil and climate conditions, which are suitable for wine growing. This also avoids confusion with the ‘Corrèze’ PDO. All occurrences in the product specification and the single document have been amended accordingly.
The name of the protected geographical indication corresponds to the area around the town of Brive-la-Gaillarde and the natural region formed by the Brive river basin, which corresponds to the historical area in which the vineyards are located. Altitudes in this area only rarely exceed 300 m, unlike the rest of the Limousin region.
2.2.   Deletion of the category of wines made from grapes raisined off the vine

The specification for the PGI has been amended to remove the wines that will now be produced solely under the ‘Corrèze’ protected designation of origin.
As a result, all the provisions in the product specification relating to these products have been withdrawn:






—


sections 3.2 (Specific analytical standards) and 3.3 (Organoleptic description). The ‘Description of the wine(s)’ section of the single document has been updated accordingly;










—


section 4 ‘Geographical areas’. The ‘Demarcated area’ section of the single document has been updated;










—


section 5 ‘Grape varieties’: the reference to the list of classified grape varieties has been deleted, as seven varieties have been added to the list of main grape varieties (see below for details of these amendments);










—


section 6 ‘Vine training’. The ‘Cultivation methods’ section of the single document has been amended accordingly;










—


section 7, ‘Harvest’. The ‘Description of the wine(s)’ section of the single document has been amended accordingly (minimum sugar content of the grapes upon harvest);










—


section 8 ‘Maximum production yield’. The ‘Maximum yields’ section of the single document has been updated accordingly;










—


section 9 ‘Processing’. This affects the ‘Oenological practice’ section of the single document;










—


section 10 ‘Date for making the product available to consumers on the market’. The single document is not affected by this amendment.










—


in Chapter 2 ‘National requirements’, the declaration requirements and the main points to be checked in respect of wines made from grapes raisined off the vine have been deleted. The single document is not affected by this amendment.




Finally, in the ‘Additional provisions relating to labelling’ section of the single document, the reference to ‘wine from raisined grapes’ for wines made from grapes raisined off the vine has been deleted.
2.3.   Deletion of the sparkling wines category

The specification for the PGI has been amended to delete the provisions on sparkling wines, following their removal by the Conseil d’État (Council of State).
As a result, all the provisions of the product specification relating to these products have been withdrawn.
The amended sections of the specification and their impact on the single document are listed below:






—


paragraph 1 of section 3.1 of Chapter 1 (the sections ‘Categories of grapevine product’ and ‘Description of the wine(s)’ of the single document are affected);










—


section 5 of Chapter 1 (single document not affected);










—


section 11 of Chapter 1 (the ‘Link with the geographical area’ section of the single document is affected).




2.4.   Amendment to the geographical production area

The PGI production area, which covered the entire territory of the department of Corrèze, has been restricted to a smaller number of municipalities (66) corresponding to the Brive river basin. Section 4 ‘Geographical areas’ of the specification lists these municipalities, which are included in the single document under the section ‘Demarcated geographical area’.
216 municipalities have been deleted (based on the Official Geographical Code):
Affieux, Aix, Albignac, Albussac, Alleyrat, Ambrugeat, Les Angles-sur-Corrèze, Argentat-sur-Dordogne, Arnac-Pompadour, Aubazines, Auriac, Bar, Bassignac-le-Bas, Bassignac-le-Haut, Beaumont, Bellechassagne, Benayes, Beynat, Beyssac, Beyssenac, Bonnefond, Bort-les-Orgues, Bugeat, Camps-Saint-Mathurin-Léobazel, Chamberet, Chamboulive, Chameyrat, Champagnac-la-Noaille, Champagnac-la-Prune, Chanac-les-Mines, Chanteix, Chapelle-Spinasse, La Chapelle-aux-Brocs, La Chapelle-Saint-Géraud, Le Chastang, Chaumeil, Chavanac, Chaveroche, Chenailler-Mascheix, Chirac-Bellevue, Clergoux, Combressol, Concèze, Condat-sur-Ganaveix, Confolent-Port-Dieu, Cornil, Corrèze, Couffy-sur-Sarsonne, Courteix, Dampniat, Darazac, Darnets, Davignac, Egletons, L'Eglise-aux-Bois, Espagnac, Espartignac, Estivaux, Eyburie, Eygurande, Eyrein, Favars, Feyt, Forgès, Gimel-les-Cascades, Goulles, Gourdon-Murat, Grandsaigne, Gros-Chastang, Gumond, Hautefage, Le Jardin, Lacelle, Ladignac-sur-Rondelles, Lafage-sur-Sombre, Lagarde-Marc-la-Tour, Lagleygeolle, Lagraulière, Laguenne-sur-Avalouze, Lamazière-Basse, Lamazière-Haute, Lamongerie, Lanteuil, Lapleau, Laroche-près-Feyt, Latronche, Laval-sur-Luzège, Lestards, Liginiac,Lignareix, Lostanges, Le Lonzac, Lubersac, Madranges, Marcillac-la-Croisille, Margerides, Masseret, Maussac, Meilhards, Ménoire, Mercœur, Merlines, Mestes, Meymac, Meyrignac-l'Eglise, Millevaches, Monceaux-sur-Dordogne, Monestier-Merlines, Monestier-Port-Dieu, Montaignac-Saint-Hippolyte, Montgibaud, Moustier-Ventadour, Naves, Neuvic, Neuville, Orgnac-sur-Vézère, Orliac-de-Bar, Palazinges, Palisse, Pandrignes, Péret-Bel-Air, Pérols-sur-Vézère, Perpezac-le-Noir, Le Pescher, Peyrelevade, Peyrissac, Pierrefitte, Pradines, Reygade, Rilhac-Treignac, Rilhac-Xaintrie, La Roche-Canillac, Roche-le-Peyroux, Rosiers-d'Egletons, Sadroc, Saint-Angel, Saint-Augustin, Saint-Bonnet-Elvert, Saint-Bonnet-l'Enfantier, Saint-Bonnet-les-Tours-de-Merle, Saint-Bonnet-près-Bort, Saint-Chamant, Saint-Cirgues-la-Loutre, Saint-Clément, Saint-Eloy-les-Tuileries, Saint-Etienne-aux-Clos, Saint-Etienne-la-Geneste, Saint-Exupéry-les-Roches, Sainte-Fortunade, Saint-Fréjoux, Saint-Geniez-ô-Merle, Saint-Germain-Lavolps, Saint-Germain-les-Vergnes, Saint-Hilaire-Foissac, Saint-Hilaire-les-Courbes, Saint-Hilaire-Luc, Saint-Hilaire-Peyroux, Saint-Hilaire-Taurieux, Saint-Jal, Saint-Julien-aux-Bois, Saint-Julien-le-Pèlerin, Saint-Julien-le-Vendômois, Sainte-Marie-Lapanouze, Saint-Martial-de-Gimel, Saint-Martial-Entraygues, Saint-Martin-la-Méanne, Saint-Martin-Sepert, Saint-Merd-de-Lapleau, Saint-Merd-les-Oussines, Saint-Mexant, Saint-Pantaléon-de-Lapleau, Saint-Pardoux-Corbier, Saint-Pardoux-la-Croisille, Saint-Pardoux-le-Neuf, Saint-Pardoux-le-Vieux, Saint-Pardoux-l'Ortigier, Saint-Paul, Saint-Priest-de-Gimel, Saint-Privat, Saint-Rémy, Saint-Salvadour, Saint-Setiers, Saint-Sornin-Lavolps, Saint-Sulpice-les-Bois, Saint-Sylvain, Saint-Victour, Saint-Ybard, Saint-Yrieix-le-Déjalat, Salon-la-Tour, Sarran, Sarroux - Saint Julien, Ségur-le-Château, Seilhac, Sérandon, Sérilhac, Servières-le-Château, Sexcles, Sornac, Soudaine-Lavinadière, Soudeilles, Soursac, Tarnac, Thalamy, Toy-Viam, Treignac, Troche, Tudeils, Tulle, Ussel, Uzerche, Valiergues, Veix, Veyrières, Viam, Vigeois and Vitrac-sur-Montane.
2.5.   Amendment to the list of authorised grape varieties

The provisions on grape varieties have been revised to make them more precise and to provide for an exhaustive list of authorised varieties that takes account of the grape varieties grown in the area and current practices. In section 5 of the specification on ‘Grape varieties’, the reference to the list of classified grape varieties has been deleted, as well as the distinction between secondary and main grape varieties. Only a short list of authorised grape varieties therefore remains:






—


for rosé wines, there was no list of grape varieties. A list similar to that for red wines has been drawn up, corresponding to the previous list of main grape varieties used to produce red wine, supplemented by the varieties Fer N, Jurançon N, Gamay N, Pinot N and Tannat N;










—


for white wines, the varieties on the previous list of main grape varieties have been carried over, and Sauvignon Gris G and Muscat à petits grains blancs B have been added.




These grape varieties have been added to the ‘Main variety/varieties’ section of the single document.
2.6.   Malolactic fermentation requirements for still red wines

The requirement for red wines to have undergone full malolactic fermentation by the time they are released for consumption with a maximum of 0,4 g/l of malic acid has been added, for two reasons:






—


malolactic fermentation gives the wines more flexibility and roundness,










—


it ensures the stability and quality of the wines by removing the risk of malolactic fermentation taking place after bottling.




Section 9 of Chapter I of the specification has been amended, affecting the ‘Description of the wine(s)’ section of the single document.
2.7.   Link with origin

To bring it into line with the change of name, the revision of the geographical area and the withdrawal of the provisions on wines eligible for the additional term ‘Wines from grapes raisined off the vine’ and on sparkling wines, the link with the origin has been revised.
Section 11 of Chapter I of the specification has been amended, affecting the Section 8 of the single document.
2.8.   Correction of clerical error

A clerical error in the name of the inspection body mentioned in Chapter 3 of the product specification has been corrected: the version of the specification submitted in 2011 referred in the first paragraph of Chapter 3 to Qualisud, while the second paragraph of that chapter referred to Qualifrance.
This amendment does not affect the single document.
2.9.   Drafting improvements

All occurrences of ‘wines made from overripe grapes’ have been replaced by the words ‘wines made from grapes overripened on the vine’. This is a drafting clarification. Only the ‘Link with the geographical area’ section of the single document is affected by this change. The ‘Description of the wine(s)’ section in the single document with regard to these products has been supplemented with two points:






—


the prohibition of any use of enrichment or concentration techniques, such as the use of ovens or drying chambers, cryoconcentration or reverse osmosis, as already mentioned in the ‘Specific oenological practices’ section of the single document, has been carried over;










—


the organoleptic description has been made more precise: these are semi-sweet and sweet white wines which are very aromatic, with notes of honey and butter, as set out in the description in Section 3.3 (‘Organoleptic description’) of the product specification.




2.10.   Description of the wines

The description of the wines has been revised to make it more complete.
This amendment to the specification affects Section 4 of the single document.
SINGLE DOCUMENT
1.   Name(s)

Pays de Brive
2.   Geographical indication type

PGI – Protected geographical indication
3.   Categories of grapevine product









1.


Wine












16.


Wine made from overripe grapes




4.   Description of the wine(s)

1.   Still red, rosé and white wines

BRIEF WRITTEN DESCRIPTION
The dry white wines, which are pale yellow in colour with glints of green, are characterised by floral and fruity aromas. On the palate, they are fruity and mineral, powerful and lively. The semi-dry white wines have slightly sweet aromatic notes and a straw yellow colour with glints of green. Their bouquet is characterised by scents of yellow fruit and citrus. They are fruity and soft but retain a certain liveliness. The red wines often have a colour ranging from ruby to garnet with more or less intense violet glints. The red wines produced on shale are powerful and lively, with aromas of blackcurrant and spices. Those produced on clay-limestone soils are supple and harmonious red wines, with scents of candied fruit. With the exception of wines labelled ‘primeur’ or ‘nouveau’, the red wines must have undergone full malolactic fermentation. When placed on the market, each batch of red wine must have a malic acid content not exceeding 0,4 g/l. The characteristic colour of the rosé wines ranges from light to intense pink. Their bouquet is floral and reminiscent of yellow fruit. The wines have a freshness on the palate that is modulated by varying levels of sweetness. Where the values are not specified, the limits laid down in current EU legislation are respected.






General analytical characteristics




Maximum total alcoholic strength (in % volume)


 




Minimum actual alcoholic strength (in % volume)


9




Minimum total acidity


in milliequivalents per litre




Maximum volatile acidity (in milliequivalents per litre)


 




Maximum total sulphur dioxide (in milligrams per litre):


 




2.   Wines made from overripe grapes

BRIEF WRITTEN DESCRIPTION
The semi-sweet and sweet white wines (wines made from grapes overripened on the vine) have an intense yellow colour that is sparkly bright with glints of gold, and an aromatic richness based on fruity (quince and peach) and floral scents with notes of honey and butter. They are round and generous on the palate, with varying levels of sweetness. They have a minimum natural alcoholic strength by volume of 15 % and a minimum fermentable sugar content of 51 g/l Where the values are not specified, the limits laid down in current EU legislation are respected.






General analytical characteristics




Maximum total alcoholic strength (in % volume)


 




Minimum actual alcoholic strength (in % volume)


12




Minimum total acidity


in milliequivalents per litre




Maximum volatile acidity (in milliequivalents per litre)


 




Maximum total sulphur dioxide (in milligrams per litre)


 




5.   Wine-making practices

a.   Specific oenological practices


Specific oenological practice

For wines made from overripe grapes, any use of enrichment or concentration techniques such as the use of ovens or drying chambers, cryoconcentration or reverse osmosis is prohibited.
b.   Maximum yields

1.   Still wines and wines made from overripe grapes

80 hectolitres per hectare
6.   Demarcated geographical area

The harvesting of the grapes and the production and development of wines bearing the geographical indication ‘Pays de Brive’ must take place in the territory of the following municipalities in the department of Corrèze:
Allassac, Altillac, Astaillac, Ayen, Beaulieu-sur-Dordogne, Bilhac, Branceilles, Brignac la Plaine, Brive la Gaillarde, Chabrignac, La Chapelle-aux-Saints, Chartrier-Ferrière, Chasteaux, Chauffour-sur-Vell, Collonges-la-Rouge, Cosnac, Cublac, Curemonte, Donzenac, Estivals, Jugeals-Nazareth, Juillac, Larche, Lascaux, Ligneyrac, Liourdres, Lissac-sur-Couze, Louignac, Malemort, Mansac, Marcillac-la-Croze, Meyssac, Nespouls, Noailhac, Noailles, Nonards, Objat, Perpezac le Blanc, Puy-d'Arnac, Queyssac-les-Vignes, Rosier de Juillac, Saillac, Saint Aulaire, Saint-Bazile-de-Meyssac, Saint Bonnet la Riviere, Saint-Cernin-de-Larche, Saint Cyprien, Saint Cyr la Roche, Sainte-Féréole, Saint-Julien-Maumont, Saint Pantaléon de Larche, Saint Robert, Saint-Solve, Saint Viance, Ségonzac, Sioniac, Turenne, Ussac, Varetz, Vars sur Roseix, Végennes, Vignols, Voutezac and Yssandon.
7.   Main grape variety (varieties)







 


Cabernet Franc N










 


Cabernet Sauvignon N










 


Chardonnay B










 


Chenin B










 


Côt N - Malbec










 


Fer N - Fer Servadou, Braucol, Mansois, Pinenc










 


Gamay N










 


Jurançon noir N - Dame noire










 


Merlot N










 


Muscat à petits grains blancs B – Muscat, Moscato










 


Pinot Noir N










 


Sauvignon B - Sauvignon blanc










 


Sauvignon Gris G - Fié gris










 


Segalin N










 


Semillon B










 


Tannat N




8.   Description of the link(s)

Located to the south-west of the department of Corrèze, the Brive river basin forms a buttonhole shape (an anticline) 60 kilometres long by 10 to 20 kilometres wide, running along a north-western/south-eastern axis. Its natural boundaries are the crystalline Massif Central mountain range to the north and east, the Périgord Blanc white chalk plateau to the south-west and the Causse de Martel chalk plateau to the south.
This region, which is at low altitude and well sheltered, has a southern oceanic climate close to that of the south-western Aquitaine region, with low rainfall. Summers are warm and winters moderately cold, with late spring frosts and early autumn frosts constituting a limiting factor for agriculture.
This area is a mosaic, running north-east to south-west, of brown acidic soils on sandstone or shale, brown calcareous soils on marly limestone and thin brown limestone soils on the Causse.
Whether they are clay-limestone soils in which truffles grow, shale and slate soils or sedimentary soils at the foot of the crystalline massif, these soils all make it possible to produce expressive wines.
The causal link is based on a characteristic that can be attributed to the geographical origin of these wines. For the various products covered by the PGI, the causal link is based on the adaptation of the grape varieties to the specific soil characteristics, resulting in the their specific qualities. As a result:






—


the red wines often have a colour ranging from ruby to garnet with more or less intense glints of violet. The red wines produced on shale and sandstone soils, mainly from the Merlot and Cabernet Franc varieties, are powerful and lively, with scents of blackcurrant and spices. Those produced on clay-limestone soils, especially from the Cabernet Franc, Gamay and Merlot varieties, are supple and harmonious red wines, with scents of candied fruit.










—


the rosé wines produced from all the red grape varieties throughout the area have a colour ranging from light to intense pink. Their bouquet is floral and reminiscent of yellow fruit. The wines produced on shale and sandstone soils are fresh on the palate.










—


the dry white wines, which are pale yellow in colour with glints of green, are characterised by floral and fruity scents. Those produced on clay-limestone soils, mainly from the Chardonnay and Sauvignon varieties, are fresh with fruity notes, while those produced on shale and sandstone soils, mainly from the Chenin variety, have a certain liveliness and more mineral notes.










—


the semi-dry white wines, which are generally produced on shale soils, have slightly sweet aromatic notes and a straw yellow colour with glints of green. Their bouquet is characterised by scents of yellow fruit and citrus. They are fruity and soft but retain a certain liveliness related to the Chenin variety in particular.










—


the semi-sweet and sweet primarily white wines (wine of grapes overripened on the vine) are mostly produced on shale from the Chenin and Muscat à petits grains varieties. They have an intense yellow colour, sparkly bright with glints of gold, and an aromatic richness based on fruity (quince and peach) and floral scents with notes of honey and butter. They are round and generous on the palate, with varying levels of sweetness.




Although seemingly modest, the wine-growing areas of south-west Corrèze play an important role in maintaining agriculture and in local development through wine tourism, in particular.
The quality of the wines and the sustainability of the vineyards from which they originate are ensured by the expertise and total commitment of the farmers who are able to make the most of a challenging environment by adapting their techniques while still preserving the wines' traditional characteristics.
9.   Essential further conditions


Font size and logo

Legal framework:
National legislation
Type of further condition:
Additional provisions relating to labelling
Description of the condition:
The PGI logo must appear on the label if the words ‘Indication géographique protégée’ (Protected Geographical Indication) are replaced by the traditional term ‘Vin de pays’.
The size of the letters used for the grape variety must not exceed twice the size of the letters used for the name of the PGI, and the name of the grape variety must be in the same visual field as the name of the PGI.

Additional remarks

Legal framework:
National legislation
Type of further condition:
Additional provisions relating to labelling
Description of the condition:
The name of the PGI may be supplemented by the name of one or more grape varieties and/or by the terms ‘primeur’ or ‘nouveau’. The term ‘nouveau’ is an exact synonym of ‘primeur’ in French legislation.

Link to the product specification

https://info.agriculture.gouv.fr/gedei/site/bo-agri/document_administratif-7796fed6-5bfe-452f-ba94-be152bd4657f


(1)  OJ L 347, 20.12.2013, p. 671.