Publication of a communication of approval of a standard amendment to a product specification for a name in the wine sector, as referred to in Article 17(2) and (3) of Commission Delegated Regulation (EU) 2019/33 2023/C 222/21
Date: 2023-06-26
Institutions: Directorate-General for Agriculture and Rural Development, European Commission
Subjects: France, Grand Est, Hauts-de-France, Ile-de-France, consumer information, designation of origin, labelling, product designation, rosé wine, sparkling wine, white wine








C_2023222EN.01006501.xml










26.6.2023   


EN


Official Journal of the European Union


C 222/65






Publication of a communication of approval of a standard amendment to a product specification for a name in the wine sector, as referred to in Article 17(2) and (3) of Commission Delegated Regulation (EU) 2019/33
(2023/C 222/21)
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

‘Champagne’


PDO-FR-A1359-AM04


Date of communication: 31.3.2023


DESCRIPTION OF AND REASONS FOR THE APPROVED AMENDMENT

1.   Vine varieties

Under point (1) of Section V of Chapter I of the product specification, the words ‘- Main grape varieties:’ have been added in order to include Voltis B, a variety of interest used for adaptation purposes.
The competent national committee of the National Institute of Origin and Quality (INAO) has decided to authorise the option, for designations that submit an application, of introducing varieties of interest to adapt to climate change or to societal expectations regarding the use of crop protection products. The inclusion of this type of variety in a specification is accompanied by certain rules.
In point (2) of Section V of Chapter I of the product specification, rules on planting proportions are added.






a)


The proportion of the main grape varieties is greater than or equal to 95 % of the vines planted.










b)


The proportion of the Voltis B variety is less than or equal to 5 % of the vines planted.




The single document has not been changed on account of these amendments.
2.   Planting density

In point (1)(a) of Section VI of Chapter I of the product specification, the general rules relating to density have been amended to allow the spacing between rows to be increased and the spacing between plants to be decreased when the vines are planted.
These new rules, which have been decided on after several years of experimentation, will make it easier for the vineyards to adapt to climate change and the agri-environmental practices in place. Reducing the minimum spacing between plants partly compensates for the lower densities on planting.
This change requires point 5 of the single document to be amended.
3.   Pruning rules

Under point (1)(b) of Section VI of Chapter I of the product specification, the wording of the pruning methods – Chablis, Cordon de Royat, Vallée de la Marne and (single or double) Guyot – has been amended to take account of the new density rules.
These amendments do not affect the single document.
4.   Other cultivation practices

Two cultivation practices have been added to point (2) of Section VI of Chapter I of the product specification:






—


Naturally occurring or planted vegetation cover must be present between the rows from 30 November to 31 January of the following year.










—


The vines are planted and replaced with plants whose components (grafts and rootstocks) have been treated with hot water before grafting. Otherwise, the plants are treated with hot water before planting. The hot water treatment must be carried out at a station approved by FranceAgriMer.




These new rules have an agro-ecological objective.
These additions do not affect the single document.
5.   Yields – removal of solids

Under point (5)(a) of Section VIII of Chapter I of the product specification, solids resulting from pressing must be removed before ‘31 January of the year following the harvest’ instead of ‘15 December of the year of the harvest’.
The deadline for removing solids has been pushed back due to difficulties experienced by companies which recover the solids in completing all removals at operators’ premises by the first deadline.
This amendment does not affect the single document.
6.   Processing

In point (2)(c) of Section IX of Chapter I of the product specification, the following rule has been added:
The wines are made from one or more grape varieties. They may not be made solely from the variety of interest used for adaptation purposes.
The proportion of the main grape variety(-ies) is greater than or equal to 90 % of the blend.
The proportion of the variety of interest used for adaptation purposes is less than or equal to 10 % of the blend.
The introduction of one or more varieties of interest used for adaptation purposes requires the resulting wines to represent no more than 10 % of the blend in the final product.
This amendment does not affect the single document.
7.   Production and packaging

In point (3)(a) of Section IX of Chapter I of the product specification, the rules concerning the sizes of the bottles within which the secondary fermentation takes place and in which the wines are sold, have been amended.
The following wording is now used: ‘the wines are made and sold in the bottles within which the secondary fermentation has taken place, with the exception of wines sold in bottles with a volume of less than 75 cl (instead of 37,5 cl) or greater than 150 cl (instead of 300 cl)’.
Demand for half-bottles has increased considerably since the first product specification was drawn up. The amendments to the rules enable companies to respond more easily to this increase.
This change requires point 9 of the single document to be amended.
In line with these new rules, the rules on pouring wines into another bottle after secondary fermentation have been amended.
This amendment does not affect the single document.
8.   Presentation and labelling rules

In point (b) of Section XII of Chapter I of the product specification, the wording of the conditions for clarifying the names of authorised smaller geographical units on the labelling of wines covered by the controlled designation of origin, has been amended without changing the meaning.
These changes require point 9 of the single document to be amended.
9.   References to the inspection body

In Section II of Chapter III of the product specification, the address of the inspection body has been updated.
The second paragraph has been reworded and the third paragraph deleted in order to comply with the new drafting rules for Section II of the specification.
The single document is not affected by this amendment.
SINGLE DOCUMENT
1.   Name of the product

Champagne
2.   Geographical indication type

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







5.


Quality sparkling wine




4.   Description of the wine(s)

BRIEF WRITTEN DESCRIPTION
These wines are white and rosé quality sparkling wines.
Their natural alcoholic strength by volume is at least 9 %.
After enrichment and secondary fermentation, total alcoholic strength by volume may not exceed 13 %.
Volatile acidity, total acidity, sulphur dioxide and carbon dioxide must be within the limits laid down in EU legislation.
These wines may be either white (made from a blend of white and black grapes, made only from white grapes [blanc de blancs], or made only from black grapes [blanc de noirs]) or rosé (made by blending in some red wine or through skin contact during fermentation). They are made using grapes grown in one or more municipalities and may be vintage or non-vintage wines.
All of the wines have one thing in common: acidity, guaranteeing freshness and suitability for ageing. In the youngest wines, the notes are decidedly fresh: white fruit and flowers, citrus fruit and mineral notes. Mature wines offer a more rounded palette, with aromas of yellow fruit, cooked fruit and spices, while deep tertiary aromas of candied fruit, forest undergrowth and roasting come to the fore in the most developed wines (known as de plénitude). The bubbles – the hallmark of ‘Champagne’ – are sustained and persistent in young wines, becoming smoother and more velvety with age.






General analytical characteristics




Maximum total alcoholic strength (in % volume)


 




Minimum actual alcoholic strength (in % volume):


 




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

5.1.   Specific oenological practices

1.   Vine density – general rules
Cultivation method
The vines are planted so that the spacing between rows does not exceed 2,00 metres.
The spacing between plants in the same row ranges from 0,70 metres to 1,50 metres.
The sum of the spacing between rows and the spacing between plants in the same row must not exceed 3,00 metres.
Any transformation of parcels resulting in a change in planting density is prohibited until the parcels have been grubbed up.
2.   Vine density – special rules
Cultivation method
So that specialist machinery can pass, on parcels with:






—


a slope gradient of more than 35 %










—


or a slope gradient of more than 25 % combined with a cross-slope gradient of more than 10 %,
a path, 1,50 to 3 metres wide, may be left free at a maximum frequency of one out of every six rows. In this case, the sum of the spacing between the other rows and the spacing between plants in the same row must not exceed 2,30 metres.




3.   Pruning rules
Cultivation method
There must be no overlap between different vines and fruiting canes should not touch. There should be no more than 18 buds per square metre. The vines must be pruned before they reach the ‘four leaves unfolded’ phenological stage (stage F, or stage 12 on the Lorenz scale).
The following vine pruning techniques are permitted:






—


Chablis pruning;










—


Cordon de Royat pruning;










—


Vallée de la Marne pruning;










—


Guyot pruning (single, double or asymmetric).




Practices that prevent grape bunches from being harvested whole are not permitted.
4.   Specific oenological practice
Specific oenological practice
The use of wood chips is not permitted.
The amount by which the volume of grape must in fermentation is increased in the enrichment process is capped at 1,12 % for every 1 % increase in alcoholic strength.
The winemaking practices used must comply with EU rules and the Rural Code as well as the above provisions.
The wines are made exclusively by secondary fermentation in glass bottles.
5.2.   Maximum yields

1.   Upper yield limit
15 500 kilograms of grapes per hectare
6.   Demarcated geographical area

The geographical area established in Article 17 of the Act of 6 May 1919 must be where the grapes are harvested, where the wines are made and developed – including all winemaking processes between fermentation and bottling – and where the wines are bottled.
7.   Wine grape variety(-ies)







 


Arbane B










 


Chardonnay B










 


Meunier N










 


Petit Meslier B










 


Pinot Blanc B










 


Pinot Gris G










 


Pinot Noir N




8.   Description of the link(s)

8.1.   Details of the geographical area – Natural factors

–   Description of the natural factors relevant to the link
The geographical area is located in north-eastern France, covering municipalities in the departments of Aisne, Aube, Haute-Marne, Marne and Seine-et-Marne.
The parcels whose crop can be used to make the wines are precisely demarcated and set amid hillside vineyards resting on striking geomorphological structures to the east of the Paris Basin known as cuestas:






—


Côte d’Ile-de-France in the department of Marne and the slopes of the connected valleys, the most representative sectors being, from north to south, ‘Montagne de Reims’, ‘Vallée de la Marne’ (extending into the south of the department of Aisne and into Seine-et-Marne), ‘Côte des Blancs’ and ‘Côte de Sézanne’;










—


Côte de Champagne, with the ‘Vitryat’ sector in the department of Marne and the ‘Montgueux’ sector in the department of Aube;










—


Côte des Bar, intersected by multiple valleys, comprising the eastern ‘Bar-sur- Aubois’ sector and the western ‘Bar Séquanais’ sector, spanning the departments of Aube and Haute-Marne.




This typical cuesta ridge terrain, with the adjacent valleys, has east- and south-facing slopes and sometimes also north-facing ones such as those in the northern part of the ‘Montagne de Reims’ and the left bank of the ‘Vallée de la Marne’.
Hard layers of limestone or chalk make up the front slopes, while the back slopes are chalky, marly or sandy, and softer, left bare by erosion and then covered over again with colluvium from the front slope of the adjacent ridge.
The ‘Champagne’ region is a northern winegrowing area, influenced by two different climates:






—


an oceanic climate supplying regular rainfall, with limited temperature differences between seasons, and










—


a continental climate, bringing frosts – sometimes damaging ones – and beneficial summer sunshine.




8.2.   Details of the geographical area – Human factors

Vines have been grown in the ‘Champagne’ region since ancient times, becoming properly established in the ninth century after monastic winemaking developed. Experimentation with naturally sparkling white wines and secondary fermentation followed towards the end of the seventeenth century. In the late nineteenth century, a well-known oenologist by the name of Weinmann wrote: ‘The wine from Champagne is highly fermentable. It produces its second fermentation much more easily, more regularly and better than any other ferment’.
While the first references to this wine, known as saute-bouchon or ‘cork-popper’, appear in the poems of the abbé Chaulieu in 1700, the method was not put down in writing until the publication of a work entitled Manière de cultiver la vigne et de faire le vin de Champagne [‘How to grow the vines and make the wine of Champagne’], presumed to be the work of a clergyman by the name of Godinot, in 1718. ‘The sooner the grapes are pressed after they are cut down from the vine, the whiter the wine will be.’ Winegrowers thus endeavour to avoid any damage to the grapes during harvesting, take great care when transporting and storing them, and ensure they are intact when placed in the press. Pressing must be gentle and gradually increase in pressure, with the juices separated during the different pressing stages (the first, best juice known as the cuvée and the juice from the subsequent pressing known as the taille) to be made into wine separately. Pressing facilities must therefore comply with strict rules and are subject to tightly controlled authorisation.
The precise techniques were honed in abbeys. In 1866, Jules Guyot noted the importance of blending different varieties of grape or grapes grown on different parcels of land. Since the beginning of the twentieth century, three grape varieties have been selected for their sugar-to-acidity balance and their suitability for secondary fermentation: the black grapes Pinot Noir and Meunier and the white variety Chardonnay. The winemaker puts together a blend by tasting the various base wines. The blend is then bottled for secondary fermentation and for the lees contact stage – a necessarily long one, particularly for vintage wines.
The development of this second fermentation process has been influenced by the ideal natural temperature and humidity conditions afforded by Champagne’s chalk-walled cellars. Once the lees contact stage is complete, the lees are gradually shifted into the bottleneck in a process known as riddling, then removed from the bottle during disgorgement. Disgorgement is followed by dosage, a process which will determine which of the several types of ‘Champagne’ the wine is going to be.
Once the process of secondary fermentation in the bottle had been mastered, the ‘champagne method’ was exported and, very soon, the name ‘Champagne’ was being used beyond the area of production. The Champagne houses first formed an association (the Union des Maisons de Champagne or ‘Union of Champagne Houses’) to take legal action in 1882 and, just prior to the passing of the Fraud and Falsification Act of 1 August 1905, a French court ruled that only wines made from grapes harvested in the Champagne region could be called ‘Champagne’, protecting a designation of origin for the very first time. The process of demarcating the geographical area then began in 1908. Champagne producers were united, practising solidarity through important professional organisations.
8.3.   Information on the quality and characteristics of the product

These wines may be either white (made from a blend of white and black grapes, made only from white grapes [blanc de blancs], or made only from black grapes [blanc de noirs]) or rosé (made by blending in some red wine or through skin contact during fermentation). They are made using grapes grown in one or more municipalities and may be vintage or non-vintage wines.
All of the wines have one thing in common: acidity, guaranteeing freshness and suitability for ageing.
In the youngest wines, the notes are decidedly fresh: white fruit and flowers, citrus fruit and mineral notes. Mature wines offer a more rounded palette, with aromas of yellow fruit, cooked fruit and spices, while deep tertiary aromas of candied fruit, forest undergrowth and roasting come to the fore in the most developed wines (known as de plénitude).
The bubbles – the hallmark of ‘Champagne’ – are sustained and persistent in young wines, becoming smoother and more velvety with age.
8.4.   Causal interactions

The fact that the landscapes formed by the three cuestas, both on the plains and in the valleys, are so open and exposed ensures that the vines receive enough sunlight for the berries to ripen properly, even in north-facing vineyards. It also prevents cold air from stagnating, reducing the risk of frosts.
The slope of the hillside vineyards ensures optimum natural drainage which the various layers of the soil profile also guarantee, regulating the vines’ water supply. The porosity and permeability of chalk eliminates excess water, while capillary action ensures that the soil is rehydrated in dry weather. The other types of substrata found in the area combine marly layers, which provide a water reserve, with either calcareous layers or carbonate sands, which allow excess water from wet periods to permeate the soil. This type of substratum and the delicate climate conditions have influenced the choice of vine varieties planted in the different regions of the winegrowing area.
The unique climate of the Champagne region gives the grapes, and the must obtained from them, a natural acidity level, ideal for making the very best sparkling wines. The balance between this acidity — which gives an indispensable freshness — and the ripeness of the grapes produces the best vintages and wines with good ageing potential.
All the different natural factors form a veritable ‘mosaic’, utilised at parcel level by the grower, an expert in all the growing practices needed to really bring out the grapes’ specific character.
Preventing any damage to the grapes from the moment they are harvested, pressing them gently and keeping the juices from the different pressing stages separate prevents the juice from becoming coloured and keeps it clear, which is essential for foam quality. Separating the juices from the different pressing stages also adds another level of aromatic complexity.
The cuvée or juice from the first pressing, which is rich in acidity, gives fresh and lively aromas. Adding it to blends makes it possible to fully bring out the tertiary aromas that develop during ageing on the lees.
The taille or juice from the subsequent pressing is fruitier and much richer in tannins.
‘Reserve wine’ set aside in previous years brings the more mature characteristics of developed wines to the blend (reserve wine is not used in vintage wines). The winemaker’s craft in selecting the wines for the desired blend is expressed throughout ageing on lees to result in the final ‘Champagne’. This continuous ageing process can, for the most prestigious wines, continue for many decades in the Champagne cellars, with their relatively cool temperature ensuring good secondary fermentation.
The fact that the ‘Champagne’ production process is so highly technical means that specific and costly infrastructure is needed. The winemaking, handling and packaging facilities are located close to the vineyards.
While the Champagne winegrowing area dates back to the beginning of our era, the reputation of the name ‘Champagne’ as a high-class beverage was formed particularly in the seventeenth century, as the technique of secondary bottle fermentation was gradually mastered. By the end of that same century, ‘Champagne’ producers were bottling their wines rather than transporting them in barrels in order to preserve their quality and characteristics in full.
The foam and fine bubbles trapped in the bottles were transferred to drinkers’ glasses and the wine was an immediate success. Young aristocrats – keen adopters of the latest innovations – praised ‘Champagne’, poets sang its praises and writers made a place for it in their works. It became the drink of choice at the court of the Regency, of Louis XV and Madame de Pompadour. Financiers and town officials imitated the aristocracy; the provinces copied the capital. Under Louis XV and Louis XVI, the wine industry flourished and Champagne’s reputation grew considerably, both in France and abroad. Sparkling wine came into vogue anywhere that French fashion was aspired to, and throughout eighteenth-century Europe, ‘Champagne’ adorned parties and feasts. It continues to enjoy this reputation today. Winegrowers, cooperatives and Champagne houses continue their efforts to improve the collective rules in order to promote the ‘Champagne’ controlled designation of origin – their shared heritage – aiming for excellence and striving to ensure that the name and character are respected.
9.   Essential further conditions (packaging, labelling, other requirements)


Labelling

Legal framework:
In national legislation
Type of further condition:
Additional provisions relating to labelling
Description of the condition:
No bottle may be transported – except between two sites of the same operator or between two operators – until it is finished, dressed with the foil covering the cork, and labelled in accordance with the pertinent rules.
The bottles containing the wines must be closed with a cork displaying the name of the controlled designation of origin on the part within the bottleneck. For bottles with a nominal content of 0,20 litre or less the name may be displayed on another internal part of the closure.
Labels and commercial paperwork must include the registration information identifying the operator as required by the Comité Interprofessionnel du Vin de Champagne (‘Interprofessional Committee for Champagne Wine’).
The winemaker’s full name must appear on the label in clear and legible print, accompanied by the name of the municipality in which the wine was made if the winemaker’s headquarters are located outside the production area.
Wines covered by this controlled designation of origin may be labelled with one of the following smaller geographical units in the conditions described below:






—


a place-name listed on the land registry;










—


the name of a municipality.




The place-name or municipality name denoted must appear on the harvest declaration.
All of the grapes used to make the base wine must have come from the municipality or place in question.
The words ‘Premier Cru’ or ‘Grand Cru’ [a title held by certain towns recognised as having vineyards of superior quality] may appear with the municipality name under the conditions laid down in Section II(b) and (c) of Chapter I of the product specification.
Other than in the case of the municipalities covered by the previous point, reference to the name of the municipality must appear with the words ‘Vigne de’ or ‘Vignoble de’ [‘vines from…’].
The characters used to display place-names and municipality names must be no taller or wider than the characters used for the controlled designation of origin.
When a wine is labelled with a municipality name in accordance with the above rules, the municipality name may be repeated in the name of the cuvée [blend or batch].

Stating the grape variety

Legal framework:
In national legislation
Type of further condition:
Additional provisions relating to labelling
Description of the condition:
The grape variety may be stated in characters no more than 3 mm tall, no more than 3 mm wide, and no more than half the size of the characters used to display the designation of origin. The grape variety may only be stated if all the grapes used to make the base wines were of that variety.

Stating the vintage

Legal framework:
In national legislation
Type of further condition:
Additional provisions relating to labelling
Description of the condition:
If a vintage is stated, it must be displayed on the cork – or another suitable closure in the case of bottles with a nominal content of 0,20 litre or less – and on the label. The vintage must also be stated on invoices and accompanying documents.

Packaging

Legal framework:
In national legislation
Type of further condition:
Packaging within the demarcated area
Description of the condition:
The wines are made and sold in the bottles within which the secondary fermentation has taken place, with the exception of wines sold in bottles with a volume of less than 75 cl or greater than 150 cl.
The wines must be aged for at least 15 months from the bottling date, or 36 months for vintage wines, before they can be marketed to consumers.

Link to the product specification

https://info.agriculture.gouv.fr/gedei/site/bo-agri/document_administratif-3b36a01e-8edd-4742-ade7-fbd3251816c4


(1)  OJ L 9, 11.1.2019, p. 2.