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
Date: 2025-01-21
Institutions: Directorate-General for Agriculture and Rural Development, European Commission
Subjects: Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes, France, consumer information, designation of origin, labelling, product designation, quality control of agricultural products, still wine, white wine








C_202500454EN.000101.fmx.xml












Official Journal of the European Union


EN
C series













C/2025/454


21.1.2025






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
(C/2025/454)

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 Die’
                  


PDO-FR-A0397-AM02


Date of communication: 21 October 2024C


DESCRIPTION OF AND REASONS FOR THE APPROVED AMENDMENT

1.   Labelling

In Section XII ‘Rules on presentation and labelling’ of Chapter I of the product specification, point 2 ‘Special provisions’ has been supplemented to include the labelling rules for referring to the broader geographical unit ‘Vignobles de la Vallée du Rhône’, as set out in the agreement signed between the protection and management bodies concerned. This information must appear in the same visual field as all the mandatory details, be printed in characters of the same graphic design and colour as those of the designation, and be no bigger than two thirds of the size of the designation.
This amendment has been added to the single document, under the heading ‘Further conditions’.
2.   Geographical area

In Section IV ‘Areas and places in which the various operations are conducted’ of Chapter I of the product specification, point 1 ‘Geographical area’ has been supplemented to update and correct the names of the municipalities, without amending the geographical area.
The municipalities of Aix-en-Diois and Molière-Glandaz were deleted and the municipality of Solaure en Diois was added.
This correction to the names of the municipalities has been added to the single document, under the heading ‘Demarcated geographical area’.
3.   Details of the inspection body

Section II ‘Reference to the inspection body’ of Chapter III of the product specification has been updated to specify that checks on compliance with the product specification must be carried out on the basis of an approved inspection plan and by a third-party body offering guarantees of competence, impartiality and independence delegated by the National Institute of Origin and Quality.
This update does not affect the single document.
SINGLE DOCUMENT
1.   Name(s)

Coteaux de Die
2.   Type of geographical indication

PDO - Protected Designation of Origin
3.   Categories of grapevine products







1.


Wine




3.1.   Code for Combined Nomenclature







—


22 - BEVERAGES, SPIRITS AND VINEGAR
2204 – wine of fresh grapes, including fortified wines; grape must other than that of heading 2009




4.   Description of the wine(s)

BRIEF WRITTEN DESCRIPTION
The designation of origin ‘Coteaux de Die’ is used exclusively for still white wines made from grapes of the variety Clairette B. The grapes have a sugar content in excess of 170 grams per litre of must. The wines have a minimum natural alcoholic strength by volume of 10,5 %. After fermentation, the wines have a fermentable sugar content (glucose and fructose) not exceeding the total acidity expressed in grams per litre of tartaric acid plus 2, up to a maximum of 6 grams of fermentable sugar per litre. After enrichment, the wines’ total alcoholic strength by volume does not exceed 13 %. The other analytical criteria are in line with EU rules.
The wines are generally pale in colour, and have elegant floral and fruity aromas, such as apple, and a good balance of alcohol and acidity in the mouth.
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.   Winemaking practices

5.1.   Specific oenological practices

1.   Wine-growing methods
Cultivation method
The area available for each plant does not exceed 2,20 square metres. This surface area is calculated by multiplying the spacing between rows by the spacing between plants.
The spacing between rows does not exceed 2,5 metres.
The spacing between plants in the same row must be at least 0,80 metres and must not exceed 1,50 metres.
The vines are either Guyot trained or spur pruned (cordon de Royat training), with a maximum of 12 buds per plant.
Irrigation may be authorised.
2.   Oenological practices
Specific oenological practice
All wine-making practices followed must comply with the requirements laid down at EU level and in the Rural and Maritime Fishing Code.
5.2.   Maximum yields

60 hectolitres per hectare
6.   Demarcated geographical area

The grapes are harvested and the wines made, developed and matured in the territory of the following municipalities in the department of Drôme: Aouste-sur-Sye, Aubenasson, Aurel, Barsac, Barnave, Beaufort-sur-Gervanne, Châtillon-en-Diois, Die, Espenel, Laval-d’Aix, Luc-en-Diois, Menglon, Mirabel-et-Blacons, Montclar-sur-Gervanne, Montlaur-en-Diois, Montmaur-en-Diois, Piegros-la-Clastre, Ponet-et-Saint-Auban, Pontaix, Poyols, Recoubeau-Jansac, Saillans, Saint-Benoît-en-Diois, Saint-Roman, Saint-Sauveur-en-Diois, Sainte-Croix, Suze, Solaure en Diois, Vercheny and Véronne.
7.   Wine grape variety(ies)

Clairette B
8.   Description of the link(s)

The geographical area is located to the south-east of the municipality of Valence, in the northern part of the southern Alpine foothills. South of Vercors, in the valley of the Drôme river, the climate starts to show Mediterranean influences moderated by the nearby mountains. Here vineyards are developed, planted mainly with southern grape varieties, including Clairette B.
Human expertise has adapted these varieties, achieving optimal application on marly or limestone soils, on the serres [local term for slopes] and hillsides with their excellent exposure and drainage. The hardships and physical constraints enabled winegrowers to amass experience and know-how in adapting these varieties to different situations. The stony soils on the Quaternary terraces, the alluvial fans and scree beneath the limestone ridges are more usually reserved for Clairette B. It is a variety is typical of Provence. Here, it is at the far edge of the area in which the climate is suitable for it to ripen. As a result, it brings acidity and finesse of aromas.
Down the generations of producers, know-how has developed for making sparkling and still wines using different techniques. All of these wines gained their reputation under the name ‘Clairette de Die’.
Despite the existence of the vineyards and a product with a reputation dating back to antiquity, for a long time wine from Die was little known. Indeed, between the 15th and 18th centuries, ‘Clairette de Die’ was mainly drunk where it was produced or in the nearby mountains of Diois, Dévoluy, Trièves and Vercors. This reputation in the surrounding regions can be considered proven by a text of 1748. A customer in Mens, a municipality of Trièves, ordering wine, wrote, ‘As I know that for the Clerete de Die, especially the good one, fermentation is always stopped before it is complete.’
            
In 1781, [French geologist] Faujas de Saint-Fonds wrote in his work Histoire Naturelle de la Province du Dauphiné (natural history of the province of Dauphiné): ‘In this province, wines of repute still exist, such as the sparkling wine of Die’.
Early on, this reputation was given legal protection by the decree of 21 April 1910, which recognised the official designation of origin ‘Clairette de Die’. Subsequently, in 1942, it gained recognition as a controlled designation of origin. ‘Clairette de Die’ was then recognised as a controlled designation of origin. As a consequence, winegrowing grew rapidly and a local community centred around the vineyards was formed.
The community made good use of the know-how amassed in making both sparkling wines and still wines from the grape varieties traditionally used in the area. At that time, the term ‘Clerete’ or ‘Clairette de Die’ referred to a variety of white wines including still wines and sparkling wines produced from partially fermented must or from base wines. All of them were made from the varieties Muscat à petits grains B and Clairette B, but the proportions varied.
However, the local community wanted to make this range of wines more accessible to consumers. First the production process for sparkling white wines was laid down. Next, the decree of 26 March 1993 officially established the identity and know-how associated with the still wines produced in the same geographical area as the sparkling wines, recognising the controlled designation of origin ‘Coteaux de Die’ referring to a still white wine made from the single grape variety Clairette B. As the grapes must undergo longer ripening than those used to make sparkling wines, production only occurs in years when the climate conditions allow these wines their best expression.
The wines are generally pale in colour, and have elegant floral and fruity aromas, such as apple, and a good balance of alcohol and acidity in the mouth.
The beginning of the 20th century saw the disappearance of what little industry had existed, in fields such as fabrics, paper and silk. Subsequently, by 2010, wine production in Diois, including the protected designation of origin ‘Coteaux de Die’ represented the principal economic activity in the valley.
9.   Essential further conditions (packaging, labelling, other requirements)

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






a)


All optional information is printed on the labels in letters that may not be larger, in height, width or thickness, than double the size of the letters forming the name of the controlled designation of origin.










b)


Wines bearing the registered designation of origin may display the name of a smaller geographical unit on their labels, provided that:






—


it is a registered location;










—


it appears on the harvest declaration.




The name of the registered location appears immediately after the protected designation of origin, and is printed in lettering no greater than half the size, in both height and width, of the letters in which the name of the proctected designation of origin is written.










c)


The labels of wines with the protected designation of origin may specify the broader geographical unit ‘Vignobles de la Vallée du Rhône’ in accordance with the conditions specified in the agreement signed between the various protection and management bodies concerned.




This information must appear in the same visual field as all the mandatory details, be printed in characters of the same graphic design and colour as those of the designation, and be no bigger than two thirds of the size of the designation.

Link to the product specification


https://info.agriculture.gouv.fr/gedei/site/bo-agri/document_administratif-773c6ccd-2ed8-4dbd-b6fd-98a1716b9e22



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


ELI: http://data.europa.eu/eli/C/2025/454/oj
ISSN 1977-091X (electronic edition)