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 253/10
Date: 2023-07-18
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, red wine, rosé wine, still wine, white wine








C_2023253EN.01003201.xml










18.7.2023   


EN


Official Journal of the European Union


C 253/32






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 253/10)
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

‘Coteaux champenois’


PDO-FR-A1364-AM03


Date of communication: 20.4.2023


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 Voltis variety has been added to the list of grape varieties included in the product specification. It is a variety which is resistant to downy mildew and powdery mildew and is of interest in terms of reducing plant protection product use. It may represent at most 5 % of the vines planted and 10 % of the wine blend.
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.   Claim declaration

Under point (3) of Section I of Chapter II of the product specification, the date for returning this declaration is ‘31 July’ instead of ‘15 August’.
This new date is more practical for operators to comply with.
This amendment does not affect the single document.
8.   Declaration of intended bottling

Under Section I of Chapter II of the product specification, a declaration of intended bottling has been added by creating a point (4).
This declaration requirement will ensure that organoleptic checks are performed on bottled wines.
This amendment does not affect the single document.
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

Coteaux champenois
2.   Geographical indication type

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









1.


Wine




4.   Description of the wine(s)


Analytical characteristics

BRIEF WRITTEN DESCRIPTION
The wines are still white, rosé and red wines.
Their natural alcoholic strength by volume is at least 9 %.
The wines’ total alcoholic strength by volume must not exceed 13 % after any enrichment.
The wines have a fermentable sugar (glucose and fructose) content not exceeding 3 grams per litre. The red wines undergo malo-lactic fermentation. At the packaging stage, the red wines have a malic acid content not exceeding 0,4 grams per litre. Volatile acidity, total acidity and sulphur dioxide must be within the limits laid down in EU legislation.
The red wines have a transparent red colour of varying intensity. The rosé wines are light in colour, ranging from pale pink to dark salmon pink. These wines are very light and fine wines, with a sharp attack in the mouth and generally red fruit aromas.
The texture of the white wines is crystalline and saline, with a dominant minerality and a pleasant aftertaste. Their natural acidity gives them a certain liveliness. They have subtle aromatic notes of a floral, fruity or mineral nature.
Ageing brings softness to the wines and contributes to their balance of taste.






General analytical characteristics




Maximum total alcoholic strength (in % volume)


13 




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 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 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:






—


either a slope 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).




4.   Harvesting
Cultivation method
Practices that prevent grape bunches from being harvested whole are not permitted.
The grapes must be transported whole to the wine-making facilities.
5.   Specific oenological practice
The use of wood chips is not permitted.
The use of oenological charcoal to make rosé wines, either alone or mixed in preparations, is prohibited.
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.
In addition to the above provisions, all wine-making practices followed must also comply with the requirements laid down at EU level and in the Rural and Maritime Fishing Code.
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

Description of the natural factors relevant to the link
The geographical area is the same as the area covered by the ‘Champagne’ controlled designation of origin. It is located in the north-east of France and extends to municipalities spread across the departments of Aisne, Aube, Haute-Marne, Marne and Seine-et-Marne.
Like the geographical area, the parcels selected for harvesting the grapes are the same as those defined for the ‘Champagne’ controlled designation of origin. They are 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 its 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 vineyards are in 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.




Description of the human factors relevant to the geographical link
Vines have been grown in the ‘Champagne’ region since ancient times, becoming properly established in the ninth century after monastic winemaking developed. The wines were thus known in the Middle Ages under the name ‘Vins de France’ because they were produced in the Paris basin, bordering the Royal Estate.
Until the eighteenth century, the province of Champagne was primarily an area in which red wines were produced. According to Pierre Galet, they were produced much more than white and rosé wines (known as ‘paillets’) before the skill of producing sparkling wines using the second bottle-fermentation process was mastered. In the nineteenth century, the reputation of Champagne’s sparkling wines grew, and the production of red wines declined. Only a few high-quality wines produced in the Montagne de Reims, the Great Marne Valley and Aube retain a good reputation.
The Law of 22 July 1927, under which the designation ‘Champagne’ was reserved solely for sparkling wines, introduced the indication ‘Vins originaires de la Champagne viticole’, which was changed to ‘Vins natures de Champagne’ from 1953 onwards. Rehabilitated thanks to the efforts of a few winegrowers who carry on the tradition of these ‘vins natures’, the wines were given the ‘Coteaux champenois’ controlled designation of origin in 1974 following the adoption of the Law of 12 December 1973, which prohibits the use of the designation ‘vins natures de la Champagne’.
Wines falling under the ‘Coteaux champenois’ controlled designation of origin are produced only if the characteristics of the harvest are suited to the production of still wines. Output is therefore very variable.
In order to prevent fraudulent practices from wines moving in bulk, the producers requested the enactment of the Law of 23 May 1977, which prohibits wines produced under the ‘Coteaux champenois’ controlled designation of origin from being transported other than in bottles, with the exception of movements between local operators within the demarcated Champagne wine region.
Production is managed by the same professional organisations as those established for the ‘Champagne’ controlled designation of origin, namely the ‘Syndicat Général des Vignerons de Champagne’ (established in 1904) and the ‘Union des Maisons de Champagne’ (founded in 1882), which are grouped together within the ‘Comité Interprofessionnel des Vins de Champagne’ (established in 1941).
8.2.   Information on the quality and characteristics of the product

The wines in question are still red, white and rosé wines, often designated by the name of the municipality in which the grapes are harvested.
The red wines have a transparent red colour of varying intensity, while the rosé wines are light in colour, ranging from pale pink to dark salmon pink. These wines are very light and fine wines, with a sharp attack in the mouth and generally red fruit aromas.
The texture of the white wines is crystalline and saline, with a dominant minerality and a pleasant aftertaste. Their natural acidity gives them a certain liveliness. They have subtle aromatic notes of a floral, fruity or mineral nature.
Ageing brings softness to the wine and contributes to its balance of taste.
8.3.   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. The eastern and southern exposure of the traditional areas most reputed for the production of ‘Coteaux champenois’ wines means that the vineyards receive maximum light in spring and autumn, providing optimum conditions for the flowering of vines and ripening of berries.
The open landscape prevents the stagnation of the cold air, thereby reducing the risk of frost. However, the climate of the Champagne region requires winegrowers to select only healthy grapes from the mildest years, chosen from the best parcels and mainly from old vines, and to harvest the grapes when they are fully ripe.
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 with marly layers, which provide a water reserve, with either calcareous layers or carbonate sands, the latter allowing 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 Champagne region’s unique climatic conditions give a natural acidity to the grapes and subsequently the wines, determining the lively character of the wine on tasting, and highlighting the mineral notes contributed by the substrate.
The wines are often made from black grapes which, according to Jules Guyot, are more resistant to the effect of frost and rain and ripen earlier. In 1822 André Jullien rated ‘[the red wines] of Verzy, Verzenay, Mailly, Saint-Basle, Bouzy and Saint-Thierry among the best wines in France when produced in very hot and dry years’.
Making the red or rosé wines by means of maceration of varying duration is the most propitious way of capturing the aromas of the Pinot noir N and Meunier N varieties and ensuring their development during fermentation. For the white wines, ensuring that the grapes remain whole from harvesting and are pressed gently, in accordance with practices in the Champagne region, makes it possible to avoid the colouring of juices made from black grapes and thus to guarantee the clarity of the wine.
Red wines from the province of Champagne, particularly appreciated for the natural finesse of their bouquet, featured among the great wines served at the coronation of the French kings in Reims from 1328 (Philippe de Valois). Powerful European sovereigns would even go on to acquire vines in the Montagne de Reims area, and Henry IV was keen to assume the title of Lord of Ay. The tasters at the Court of Louis XIV, bestowed with the title of ‘ordre des Coteaux’ [Order of the Slopes], enshrined the renown and reputation of these wines: In 1671, the Count of Olonne was advised by Charles de Saint-Évremond to ‘spare no expense in obtaining Champagne wine’. ‘There is no province that supplies more excellent wines for all seasons than Champagne.’
Many documents from the seventeenth to nineteenth centuries provide a record of these praises. In 1822, Champagne wines were described by André Jullien as ‘distinguished among the best fine wines in the Kingdom’. Thanks to the professionalism of producers, this renown endures to this day. These wines must be drunk with respect and a certain historical curiosity, bearing in mind that they go back to ancient times.
9.   Essential further conditions (packaging, labelling, other requirements)


Additional name

Legal framework:
In national legislation
Type of further condition:
Additional provisions relating to labelling
Description of the condition:
Wines covered by this controlled designation of origin may be labelled with the name of a smaller geographical unit, provided that:






—


it is the name of a place in the land register;










—


it appears on the harvest declaration.




The indication of a place name is permitted only if all the grapes used to produce the wines come from the place in question.

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 controlled designation of origin.
A particular grape variety may be indicated only if all the grapes are of that variety.

Packaging

Legal framework:
In national legislation
Type of further condition:
Packaging within the demarcated area
Description of the condition:
The Law of 23 May 1977 prohibits wines produced under the ‘Coteaux champenois’ controlled designation of origin from being transported between local operators other than in bottles, with the exception of movements within the demarcated Champagne wine region.
After ageing, the wines are placed on the market for sale to the consumer from 15 October of the year following the year of harvest.

Link to the product specification

https://info.agriculture.gouv.fr/gedei/site/bo-agri/document_administratif-0f9a38f5-d783-4774-bd86-7a2d39ae9f7b


(1)  OJ L 9, 11.1.2019, p. 2.