Publication of a communication of approval of a standard amendment to the 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 339/11
Date: 2023-09-26
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, still wine, white wine








C_2023339EN.01002001.xml










26.9.2023   


EN


Official Journal of the European Union


C 339/20







Publication of a communication of approval of a standard amendment to the 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 339/11)

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 de Saumur’
                  


PDO-FR-A0179-AM02


Date of communication: 27 June 2023
                  


DESCRIPTION OF AND REASONS FOR THE APPROVED AMENDMENT

1.   Official Geographic 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 Geographic Code].
This does not affect the boundary 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 greater planting density without altering the spacing between the rows of vines.
A special provision has also been added for vines located on slopes of over 10 %, for which a minimum spacing of 0,80 m between vines is permitted.
This addition has been made to take account of the particular case of vines planted on steep slopes, where certain adjustments need to be made during planting (planting parallel rather than perpendicular to the slope).
Point 5 of the single document has been amended.
3.   Pruning

The pruning rules have been aligned with those of the other designations in the Anjou Saumur area in the Loire Valley.
This alignment is intended to ensure that winegrowers are better informed, and to simplify inspections. This amendment gives winegrowers the possibility of adapting when frosts occur, which is happening later and later in the year.
Point 5 of the single document has been amended.
4.   Link with the geographical area

The Link section has been amended by referring to 2021 instead of 2018, and by adjusting the number of municipalities following the merger of certain municipalities.
Point 8 of the single document has been amended.
5.   Transitional measures

The transitional measures no longer in force have been deleted.
These amendments do not require any amendments to the single document.
6.   Labelling

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

A number of editorial amendments have been made to the specification.
These amendments do not require any amendments to the single document.
8.   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.
It has not led to any changes in the single document.
SINGLE DOCUMENT
1.   Name of the product

Coteaux de Saumur
2.   Geographical indication type

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







1.


Wine




4.   Description of the wine(s)

BRIEF WRITTEN DESCRIPTION
Still white wines made from late-harvested grapes with the following main analytical characteristics: minimum natural alcoholic strength by volume of 15 %; fermentable sugar (glucose and fructose) content greater than or equal to 34 grams per litre following fermentation; a minimum actual alcoholic strength by volume of 10 %, or 11 % in the case of wines with a natural alcoholic strength by volume of less than 18 %.
The analytical criteria are in line with the applicable EU rules.
The wines are characterised by their delicacy, often combining subtle aromas of white flowers or fresh or candied fruit. They evoke the gentle terrain of the Loire countryside. On the palate, mild and fresh sensations are blended together with skilful alchemy, under the cover of a certain fragility, combining elegance and complexity. This balanced structure demonstrates how suitable these wines are for ageing, with notes of beeswax and honey often emerging.






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)


25




Maximum total sulphur dioxide (in milligrams per litre)


 




5.   Wine-making practices

a.   Essential oenological practices

1.   Specific oenological practice
Enrichment of any kind is prohibited.
The use of wood chips is forbidden.
The wines must be aged until at least 15 February of the year following the harvest.
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.
2.   Density
Cultivation practice
The minimum planting density is 4 000 plants per hectare. Spacing between vine rows must not exceed 2,50 metres, and spacing between plants in the same row must be at least 0,90 metres.
Vineyard parcels where the distance between plants in the same row is less than 0,90 metres but at least 0,80 metres, and where the gradient is greater than 10 %, are entitled to use the controlled designation of origin for their harvest.
The controlled designation of origin may be used for the harvest from vineyard parcels with a density of fewer than 4 000 — but at least 3 300 — plants 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.
3.   Vine pruning and training
Cultivation practice
The vines are pruned with a maximum of 12 buds per plant, regardless of whether spur pruning, cane pruning or mixed pruning is used. At the phenological stage corresponding to 11 or 12 leaves (separate flower buds), the number of fruit-bearing branches for the year per plant must not exceed 10.
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 metres above the upper trellis wire).
Vineyard parcels with a planting density of fewer than 4 000 – but at least 3 300 – plants per hectare are also subject to the following trellising rules: 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.
4.   Irrigation
Cultivation practice
Irrigation is prohibited.
The wines are made from late-harvested grapes, picked by hand, with pickers passing through the vineyard several times.
b.   Maximum yields

40 hectolitres per hectare
6.   Demarcated geographical area

All stages of production must take place in the geographical area, which spans the territories of the following municipalities, based on the 2021 Official Geographic Code:






—


Department of Deux-Sèvres: Saint-Martin-de-Mâcon, Tourtenay;










—


Department of Maine-et-Loire: Bellevigne-les-Châteaux, Cizay-la-Madeleine, Le Coudray-Macouard, Courchamps, Distré, Doué-en-Anjou (only the territory of the delegated municipalities of Meigné and Les Verchers-sur-Layon), Épieds, Fontevraud-l'Abbaye, Montsoreau, Parnay, Le Puy-Notre-Dame, Saumur, Souzay-Champigny, Turquant, Les Ulmes, Varrains, Vaudelnay;










—


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




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

Chenin B
8.   Description of the link(s)

1.   Details of the geographical area
a)   Description of the natural factors relevant to the link
The geographical area consists of the chalky-soiled slopes of the controlled designation of origin ‘Saumur’. Based on 2021 data, it spans 17 municipalities in the Department of Maine-et-Loire, two in the Department of Deux-Sèvres and nine in the Department of Vienne. The Loire forms its northern boundary, and the River Thouet and its tributary, the Dive, cross the area from north to south. The way in which this network of waterways carves through the terrain has left a succession of slopes oriented in various directions, measuring between 40 and 110 metres high.
The landscape is marked by the cultivation of grapevines on the most favourably oriented slopes, while the hilltops continue to be populated by forests of various species, predominantly oak and chestnut. The immense caves from which stone was quarried to build the local houses, and which are now used for growing mushrooms, provide a ventilation outlet at the heart of the vineyards. The landscape is characterised by the harmonious coexistence of vineyards with local buildings, an osmosis between winegrowers’ villages, walled vineyards and stately homes and Châteaux built in the Anjou Blanc’ tufa stone with their characteristic gleaming white façades set with sculptures, which contributed to the region being designated as a protected natural area and listed as a UNESCO world heritage site.
The vineyard parcels, arranged for harvesting grapes, feature soils that have formed over the various Turonian formations: rendzina and chalky brown soils of varying depths. At the tops of the slopes these are covered with sands and clays originating from more recent epochs such as the Senonien or Eocene. These are soils with good thermal properties and moderate water retention capacity. They are free from any signs of waterlogging.
The Saumur area has an oceanic climate. The Mauges Massif, located to the west of the vineyards, adds a Foehn effect that modulates these oceanic conditions. The fact that the local area is sheltered from the humid winds gives it annual average rainfall of 600 millimetres, compared to more than 800 millimetres on the Mauges hills. This difference in rainfall is even more marked during the vines’ growth cycle, in particular from June up to the harvest period. The Loire and its tributaries also play a major role as their presence mean that morning mists are a common occurrence at harvest time. The influence of the ‘Seuil du Poitou’ [Poitou Gap], located to the south of the geographical area, gives it some more ‘southerly’ flavours, with the presence of species one might not expect to find on the banks of the Loire, such as holly oaks, olive trees or almond trees. Average annual temperatures are relatively high, at around 12 °C.
b)   Description of the human factors relevant to the geographical link
Although wine-making in the Saumur region dates back to the 9th century, it mainly developed in the 16th century following the arrival of Dutch wine brokers, who, recognising how suitable these wines were for shipping overseas, were able to convince consumers outside the region of the qualities of the Chenin Blanc grape. From then on, different methods were used to grow the vines for two quality standards: the vines used to make wines ‘for the sea’ were pruned short, leaving only a couple of buds, unlike the vines used to make wines ‘for Paris’. The variety appears to have originated in this area’s vineyards. It is a hardy variety, with potential that varies greatly depending on the type of soil in which it is planted.
Local winemakers also quickly recognised the benefits of late harvesting this variety using certain techniques. In his 1845 Traité des cépages (‘Treatise on Vine Varieties’), Count Odart argued that ‘it should also not be harvested until it is overripe, such as the condition it reaches towards All Saints’ Day, when the skins, tenderised by the rains, are sloughed off’. Over-ripeness is therefore an integral part of the harvest. In André Jullien’s 1816 Topographie de tous les vignobles connus (‘Topography of All Known Vineyards’), he argues that ‘at the good vineyards, the grape-pickers pass through the vineyards several times; the grapes picked in the first two passes are used for only the most mature wines, providing the wines to be shipped abroad and the grapes from the third pass are used for wines for domestic consumption’.
Although the name ‘Coteaux de Saumur’ dates back to the Middle Ages, it initially denoted a geographical area that comprised the towns bordering the Loire, from Saumur (which has since been merged into the municipality of Dampierre) to Montsoreau. The area was later expanded to include the towns on the right bank of the Thouet.
In 1865, in a book entitled Indicateur de Maine-et-Loire (‘Guide to Maine-et-Loire’), Pierre-Aimé Millet de la Turtaudière wrote that ‘
                     “Coteaux de Saumur” white wines are strictly speaking from the towns of Dampierre, Souzay, Parnay, Turquant and Montsoreau, but they should be brought together into a single category with other white wines from Chacé, Varrains, Brézé and Saint Cyr, which have the same excellent qualities’. In establishing this definition, the author presaged the geographical area that was later to be established in the Decree recognising the Controlled Designation of Origin ‘Coteaux de Saumur’.
2.   Information on the quality and characteristics of the product
The wines of ‘Coteaux de Saumur’ are characterised by their delicacy, often featuring a blend of subtle aromas of white flowers or fresh or candied fruit. They evoke the gentle terrain of the Loire countryside. On the palate, mild and fresh sensations are blended together with skilful alchemy, under the cover of a certain fragility, combining elegance and complexity. This balanced structure demonstrates how suitable these wines are for ageing, with notes of beeswax and honey often emerging.
3.   Causal interactions
Thanks to the combination of a relatively warm, dry climate and chalky well-drained soils that allow a regular but not excessive supply of water, the local Chenin Blanc variety has been able to establish itself on the hillsides with the best sun exposure. This landscape, which is an important factor in the production of the controlled designation of origin ‘Coteaux de Saumur’, ensures that the grapes are well ventilated, that there is concentration on the vine and that ‘noble rot’ develops. The Loire and its tributaries also play a major role as their presence mean that morning mists — essential for the development of Botrytis cinerea — are a common occurrence at harvest time.
Local winemakers quickly realised that it was in their interests to master growing the Chenin Blanc variety. In his 1876 work Viticulture de la France (‘France’s Winemaking’), J. Guyot said of this Saumur variety, ‘here we cannot fail to recognise the influence of pruning on wine quality, although it must be acknowledged in consequence that good wine-producing vines are not only formed by pruning but also by soil and location’.
Following local customs, the ‘demarcated parcel area’ comprises only hillside vineyards. This means that growers have to manage the plant expertly, harnessing its vigour and fruiting potential, aided by the practice of producing low yields through tailored pruning practices. The traditional harvesting technique is still used today: once the grapes have reached an overripe state, either through ‘noble rot’ or natural concentration on the vine, they are picked by hand, with pickers passing through the vineyard several times.
Many documentary sources attest to the reputation of Saumur wines. In 1529, Bourdigné described the local vineyards as ‘Noah’s masterpiece’, notably citing the Bretons’ and Normans’ predilection for their products. In 1618, Jean Hiret did not hesitate to label them as ‘France’s best white wines’. However, while the Saumur wines charmed poets, they found outstanding patrons in the Capetians (Saint Louis in particular) and the House of Plantagenet. Thanks to the influence of Henri II and Eleanor of Aquitaine, they made their way to the most prestigious tables. In André Jullien’s 1816 Topographie de tous les vignobles connus (‘Topography of All Known Vineyards’), he classes the Saumur products as wines of the highest quality, remarking that ‘the well-exposed hillsides of the Saumur region produce full-bodied, white wines that are high in alcohol and stand up well to shipping; they are of excellent quality and delicious’. He also wrote that ‘shipments for the Maine region and Normandy are partly taken along the River Mayenne; those for Paris and Orléans travel back up the Loire; and those for overseas go down the Loire to Nantes to be shipped onwards to their final destinations’.
The development of the vineyards was linked to river-borne trade, and the Saumur region grows grapes used to make original, high-quality wines. This pursuit of quality is illustrated in numerous documents, including Count Odart’s 1845 Traité des cépages (‘Treatise on Vine Varieties’) and Victor Rendu’s 1857 Ampélographie Française (‘French Ampelography’); even back then, references were made to the late harvesting of the Chenin Blanc and the fact that the pickers passed through the vineyard several times, earning these excellent white wines from the banks of the Loire their reputation. In 2010 ‘Coteaux de Saumur’ wines continued to enjoy an excellent reputation. A rare and expensive product, they are mainly sold directly to a number of well-informed, enthusiastic consumers.
9.   Essential further conditions (packaging, labelling, other requirements)


Area in immediate proximity

Legal framework:
EU legislation
Type of further condition:
Derogation concerning production in the demarcated geographical area
Description of the condition:
The area in immediate proximity, defined by derogation for wine-growing, production and ageing, comprises the territory of the following municipalities of the department of Maine-et-Loire, on the basis of the 2021 Official Geographic Code: Artannes-sur-Thouet, Brossay, Doué-en-Anjou (only the territory of the delegated municipalities of Doué-la-Fontaine, Forges and Montfort), Montreuil-Bellay, Rou-Marson, Saint-Just-sur-Dive.

Labelling

Legal framework:
National legislation
Type of further condition:
Additional provisions relating to labelling
Description of the condition:






—


Optional terms whose use, 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 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 designation ‘Val de Loire’, in accordance with the rules laid down in the specification regarding use of this geographical designation. 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 with the controlled designation of origin may specify a smaller geographical unit on their label, provided that:










—


it is a place name listed in the land registry;










—


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-30c423b6-eb30-4c57-a08a-7d3b5d562c20


(1)  
            OJ L 9, 11.1.2019, p. 2.