Publication of the communication of an approved standard amendment to a product specification of a geographical indication in accordance with Article 5(4) of Commission Delegated Regulation (EU) 2025/27
Date: 2025-04-30
Institutions: Directorate-General for Agriculture and Rural Development, European Commission
Subjects: Emilia-Romagna, Italy, consumer information, designation of origin, labelling, product designation, quality control of agricultural products, red wine, rosé wine, sparkling wine








C_202502475EN.000101.fmx.xml












Official Journal of the European Union


EN
C series













C/2025/2475


30.4.2025






Publication of the communication of an approved standard amendment to a product specification of a geographical indication in accordance with Article 5(4) of Commission Delegated Regulation (EU) 2025/27 (1)

(C/2025/2475)

COMMUNICATION OF APPROVAL OF A STANDARD AMENDMENT

(Article 24 of Regulation (EU) 2024/1143)



                     ‘Lambrusco Grasparossa di Castelvetro’
                  


PDO-IT-A0337-AM03 – 3.2.2025
                  

1.   Name of product


               ‘Lambrusco Grasparossa di Castelvetro’
            
2.   Geographical indication type







☒


Protected Designation of Origin (PDO)










☐


Protected Geographical Indication (PGI)










☐


Geographical Indication (GI)




3.   Sector







☐


Agricultural products










☒


Wines










☐


Spirit drinks




4.   Country to which the geographical area belongs

Italy
5.   Member State authority communicating the standard amendment

Ministry of Agriculture, Food Sovereignty and Forestry
6.   Qualification as standard amendment

These amendments meet the definition of standard amendment in Article 24(4) of Regulation (EU) 2024/1143 since they do not come under the definitions in Article 24(3) of the same Regulation. In other words:






—


they do not include a change in the name or in the use of name, or in the category of product;










—


they do not void the link to the geographical area referred to in the single document;










—


they do not entail further restrictions on the marketing of the product.




7.   Description of the approved standard amendment(s)

1.   Inclusion of category specification

Description:
The category to which the ‘Lambrusco Grasparossa di Castelvetro’ Spumante [sparkling] wines belong has been specified (‘sparkling wines’ or ‘quality sparkling wines’).
Reason:
This amendment has been made to clarify the categories of sparkling wine produced.
The amendment concerns Article 1 of the product specification.
2.   Addition of the ‘Monte Barello’ sub-area

Description:
The possibility has been added to include a reference to the ‘Monte Barello’ sub-area (corresponding to an existing geographical location or place name belonging to the municipality of Castelvetro di Modena, near the district of Cà di Sola) in accordance with the conditions laid down in (the newly introduced) Annex A to the product specification. Annex A lays down the specific rules governing the sub-area, providing for the sole type ‘Lambrusco Grasparossa di Castelvetro’ Rosso Frizzante [semi-sparkling red] and establishing the relevant production area with a precise description of its delimitation, wine-growing rules, wine-making standards, characteristics on consumption and provisions governing designation, presentation and packaging. It has also been specified that, except as expressly provided for in that Annex, the sub-area is subject to the rules laid down in the product specification for the ‘Lambrusco Grasparossa di Castelvetro’ PDO.
Reasons:
The ‘Monte Barello’ sub-area has been included in response to numerous requests from members of the consortium. This area stands out within the Lambrusco Grasparossa di Castelvetro PDO production area on account of its specific environmental and production conditions, which are based primarily on its almost exclusively hilly landscape, particularly low grape yields per hectare and the wine-growing system.
The amendment concerns Articles 1 and 9 of and Annex A to the product specification and the ‘Description of the wine(s)’ and ‘Link with the geographical area’ sections of the single document.
3.   Updates and editorial corrections

Description:
References to legislation have been updated and editorial corrections have been made in various points of the specification.
Reason:
The changes have been made to include the correct references to legislation and to make the text clearer and easier to read.
The amendment concerns Article 5(2), Article 7(1), Article 7(3), Article 8(4), Article 9 and Article 10 of the product specification.
4.   Correction to the description of the production method with development in the bottle for sparkling and semi-sparkling wines

Description:
The description of the production method with development in the bottle for sparkling and semi-sparkling wines has been reworded to include the phrase ‘including with’.
Reason:
The purpose of the amendment is to clarify that, as regards the oenological practice of fermentation in the bottle, the use of the wording ‘fermentation in the bottle according to the traditional method’, ‘traditional method’, ‘classic method’ or ‘classic traditional method’ is to be regarded as optional under the conditions laid down, and not an obligation for producers.
The amendment concerns Article 5(3) of the product specification.
5.   Reduction of the maximum grape/wine processing yield

Description:
The maximum grape/wine processing yield, including any wine-making surplus, has been reduced from 80 % to 75 %, without prejudice to the limit of 70 % for finished wine eligible for the ‘Lambrusco Grasparossa di Castelvetro’ PDO.
Reasons:
This amendment has been introduced in order to limit the production of wines bearing the name of the Lambrusco variety, including those obtained from the wine-making surplus under the ‘Lambrusco Grasparossa di Castelvetro’ PDO, which must be reclassified as Lambrusco-type wines under the underlying Emilia typical geographical indication. The amendment is also intended to avoid the grapes being over-exploited.
This amendment concerns Article 5(5) of the product specification.
6.   Fermentation and secondary fermentation

Description:
A paragraph on the production of ‘Lambrusco Grasparossa di Castelvetro’ PDO wines has been added, allowing the fermentation or secondary fermentation of the wines and of the products to be made into wine to be extended beyond the date of 31 December each year until 30 June of the following year.
Reason:
The amendment has been added to standardise production conditions throughout the Emilia region, factoring in the requirements of the Lambrusco vines and the traditional production techniques that have been built up over time in this region.
This amendment concerns Article 5(6) of the product specification.
7.   Defining the wines’ colour intensity

Description:
A paragraph has been added to define the various wines’ maximum colorimetric intensity at each stage of production.
Reason:
This amendment has been added to keep the wine and the products upstream of wine within a well-defined range of colorimetric intensity, in accordance with the tradition and authenticity of ‘Lambrusco Grasparossa di Castelvetro’ PDO wines. This is because in recent years it has been found that types of wine with the name ‘Lambrusco Grasparossa di Castelvetro’ having a higher colour intensity than that proposed by this amendment are treated at the marketing stage as mere subsidiary ingredients used to produce the blends to make the finished wines, rather than as products directly intended for bottling.
This amendment concerns Article 5(7) of the product specification.
8.   Correction of the characteristics on consumption

Description:
Some of the characteristics on consumption of the existing types have been corrected and a paragraph has been added on the possibility for the various wine types – with the exception of those in the ‘quality sparkling wine’ category – to be cloudy due to fermentation residues.
Reason:
This amendment was necessary in order to remove terms that were inaccurate, vague or inconsistent with the product category and to improve and update the product descriptions. A paragraph has also been added on the possibility for the semi-sparkling and sparkling wines – with the exception of those in the ‘quality sparkling wine’ category – to be cloudy due to fermentation residues. This is in view of the return to the production technique of secondary fermentation in the bottle without removal of the fermentation lees.
The amendment concerns Article 6 of the specification and the ‘Description of the wine(s)’ section in the single document.
9.   Deletion of the paragraph on the limits for total acidity and sugar-free extract

Description:
The paragraph that described the possibility for the Ministry to issue a decree amending the limits for total acidity and sugar-free extract has been deleted.
Reason:
The paragraph has been deleted as this provision has been superseded by the legislation in force.
This amendment concerns Article 6(2) of the product specification.
10.   Correction relating to the indication of sugar content on the label

Description:
The requirement to indicate sugar content on the label has been deleted for wines of the sparkling type.
Reason:
The requirement is not necessary.
This amendment concerns Article 7(1) of the product specification.
11.   Use of the term ‘rosé’ as an alternative to the term ‘rosato’ (rosé)

Description:
The possibility of using the term ‘rosé’ as an alternative to the term ‘rosato’, previously allowed only for the ‘Rosato Spumante’ [sparkling rosé] type, has been extended to include the ‘Rosato Frizzante’ [semi-sparkling rosé] type.
Reason:
The amendment was needed in order to meet the demands of the market and producers.
This amendment concerns Article 7(3) of the product specification.
12.   Possibility of using the term ‘rifermentazione in bottiglia’ (secondary fermentation in the bottle) on the label

Description:
A paragraph has been added to allow the term ‘rifermentazione in bottiglia’ to be used on the label.
Reason:
This amendment has been made in order to correctly inform consumers about the use of the production technique involving secondary fermentation in the bottle, which has been reintroduced in recent years, to obtain semi-sparkling wines. Often the fermentation lees are not removed from these wines, and the presence of these residues makes the wine appear ‘cloudy’.
This amendment concerns Article 7(4) of the product specification.
13.   Increase in the maximum capacity of the bottles in which the wines are released for consumption

Description:
The maximum capacity of the glass bottles in which the wines are released for consumption has been increased from 3 litres to 9 litres, with an explicit ban on the use of demijohn bottles.
Reason:
The amendment was necessary to give producers more commercial opportunities, since customers sometimes want bigger bottles, mainly for social occasions and other special events. The 5-litre demijohn has been banned to preserve the bottle’s traditional shape.
This amendment concerns Article 8(1) of the product specification.
14.   Closures

Description:
The paragraph on the permitted closures has been reworded with specifications on the use of screw caps, crown caps and flat corks bound with twine.
Reason:
The amendment was made to provide clarity on the types of closures allowed, to make it easier to read and to prevent conflicting interpretations.
This amendment concerns Article 8(3) of the product specification.
15.   Update to the link with the geographical environment

Description:
The article on the link with the geographical environment has been updated and amended to include information on the introduction of the ‘Monte Barello’ sub-area, including details of the natural and human factors, historical references and minor textual corrections.
Reason:
The amendment to the article was made necessary by the introduction of the ‘Monte Barello’ sub-area. It was also considered necessary to rewrite the ‘Link with the geographical area’ section of the single document in order to bring it into line with the product specification. It is therefore a purely editorial change.
The amendment concerns Article 9 of the product specification and the ‘Link with the geographical area’ section of the single document.
SINGLE DOCUMENT
1.   Name(s)

Lambrusco Grasparossa di Castelvetro
2.   Geographical indication type

PDO – Protected designation of origin
3.   Categories of grapevine products







4.


Sparkling wine










5.


Quality sparkling wine










8.


Semi-sparkling wine




3.1.   Combined Nomenclature code







—


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)

1.   
                              ‘Lambrusco Grasparossa di Castelvetro’ Rosso Spumante (sparkling red)

BRIEF WRITTEN DESCRIPTION
Bubbles: fine and long-lasting;
Colour: ruby red of varying intensity;
Aroma: fragrant, with floral notes;
Taste: from dosaggio zero to sweet, fresh, harmonious with a delicate hint of yeast;
Minimum total alcoholic strength by volume: 11,00 %;
Minimum sugar-free extract: 18,0 g/l.
With the exception of the versions produced in the ‘quality sparkling wine’ category, the wine may be cloudy due to fermentation residues.
Any analytical parameters not shown in the table below comply with the limits laid down in national and EU legislation.
General analytical characteristics






—


Maximum total alcoholic strength (in % volume): —










—


Minimum actual alcoholic strength (in % volume): —










—


Minimum total acidity: 6,0 grams per litre expressed as tartaric acid










—


Maximum volatile acidity (in milliequivalents per litre): —










—


Maximum total sulphur dioxide (in milligrams per litre): —




2.   
                              ‘Lambrusco Grasparossa di Castelvetro’ Rosato Spumante (sparkling rosé)

BRIEF WRITTEN DESCRIPTION
Bubbles: fine and long-lasting;
Colour: pink of varying intensity;
Aroma: distinctive with floral and fruity notes;
Taste: from dosaggio zero to sweet, fresh, harmonious with a delicate hint of yeast;
Minimum total alcoholic strength by volume: 11,00 %;
Minimum sugar-free extract: 16,0 g/l.
With the exception of the versions produced in the ‘quality sparkling wine’ category, the wine may be cloudy due to fermentation residues.
Any analytical parameters not shown in the table below comply with the limits laid down in national and EU legislation.
General analytical characteristics






—


Maximum total alcoholic strength (in % volume): —










—


Minimum actual alcoholic strength (in % volume): —










—


Minimum total acidity: 6,0 grams per litre expressed as tartaric acid










—


Maximum volatile acidity (in milliequivalents per litre): —










—


Maximum total sulphur dioxide (in milligrams per litre): —




3.   
                              ‘Lambrusco Grasparossa di Castelvetro’ Rosso Frizzante (semi-sparkling red)

BRIEF WRITTEN DESCRIPTION
Bubbles: lively, evanescent;
Colour: ruby red of varying intensity;
Aroma: distinctive with floral notes;
Taste: from dry to sweet, fresh, flavourful, intense and harmonious;
Minimum total alcoholic strength by volume: 10,50 %;
Minimum sugar-free extract: 18,0 g/l.
The wine may be cloudy due to fermentation residues.
Any analytical parameters not shown in the table below comply with the limits laid down in national and EU legislation.
General analytical characteristics






—


Maximum total alcoholic strength (in % volume): —










—


Minimum actual alcoholic strength (in % volume): —










—


Minimum total acidity: 5,5 grams per litre expressed as tartaric acid










—


Maximum volatile acidity (in milliequivalents per litre): —










—


Maximum total sulphur dioxide (in milligrams per litre): —




4.   
                              ‘Lambrusco Grasparossa di Castelvetro’ Rosato Frizzante (semi-sparkling rosé)

BRIEF WRITTEN DESCRIPTION
Bubbles: lively, evanescent;
Colour: pink of varying intensity;
Aroma: fragrant, distinctive with floral and fruity notes;
Taste: from dry to sweet, fresh, flavourful;
Minimum total alcoholic strength by volume: 10,50 %;
Minimum sugar-free extract: 16,0 g/l.
The wine may be cloudy due to fermentation residues.
Any analytical parameters not shown in the table below comply with the limits laid down in national and EU legislation.
General analytical characteristics






—


Maximum total alcoholic strength (in % volume): —










—


Minimum actual alcoholic strength (in % volume): —










—


Minimum total acidity: 5,5 grams per litre expressed as tartaric acid










—


Maximum volatile acidity (in milliequivalents per litre): —










—


Maximum total sulphur dioxide (in milligrams per litre): —




5.   
                              ‘Lambrusco Grasparossa di Castelvetro’ Rosso Frizzante – Monte Barello sub-area

BRIEF WRITTEN DESCRIPTION
Bubbles: pink and evanescent;
Colour: intense ruby red, with possible purplish hints;
Aroma: intense, distinctive, fruity; spicy hints can also develop over time;
Taste: from dry to medium sweet, harmonious, pleasantly tannic;
Minimum total alcoholic strength by volume: 11,00 %; the ‘medium sweet’ type must have a minimum actual alcoholic strength of 9,5 %;
Minimum sugar-free extract: 23 g/l.
The wine may be cloudy due to fermentation residues.
Any analytical parameters not shown in the table below comply with the limits laid down in national and EU legislation.
General analytical characteristics






—


Maximum total alcoholic strength (in % volume): —










—


Minimum actual alcoholic strength (in % volume): —










—


Minimum total acidity: 5,5 grams per litre expressed as tartaric acid










—


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.   Lambrusco Grasparossa di Castelvetro
Specific oenological practice
These wines are produced using traditionally long-standing, faithful and established methods which only involve the practice of natural secondary fermentation in bottles and natural secondary fermentation by autoclaving, essential to providing ‘Lambrusco Grasparossa di Castelvetro’ PDO wines with their unique characteristics. Enrichment operations and the addition of expedition liqueur are permitted subject to the conditions and limits laid down in EU legislation.
5.2.   Maximum yields







1.


‘Lambrusco Grasparossa di Castelvetro’ sparkling wines

                           18 000 kilograms of grapes per hectare










2.


‘Lambrusco Grasparossa di Castelvetro’ semi-sparkling wines

                           18 000 kilograms of grapes per hectare




6.   Demarcated geographical area

The production area of the grapes for the production of sparkling and semi-sparkling wines under the ‘Lambrusco Grasparossa di Castelvetro’ protected designation of origin comprises the entire administrative territory of the municipalities of Castelfranco Emilia, Castelnuovo Rangone, Castelvetro, Fiorano, Formigine, Maranello, Marano sul Panaro, Prignano sul Secchia, Savignano sul Panaro, Spilamberto, Sassuolo, Vignola and San Cesario sul Panaro, all in the Province of Modena, and part of the administrative territory of the municipality of Modena.
7.   Wine grape varieties







 


Lambrusco Barghi N. – Lambrusco










 


Lambrusco Benetti N. – Lambrusco










 


Lambrusco Grasparossa N. – Groppello Grasparossa










 


Lambrusco Grasparossa N. – Lambrusco










 


Lambrusco Maestri N. – Groppello Maestri










 


Lambrusco Marani N. – Lambrusco










 


Lambrusco Montericco N. – Lambrusco










 


Lambrusco Oliva N. – Lambrusco










 


Lambrusco Salamino N. – Lambrusco










 


Lambrusco Viadanese N. – Lambrusco










 


Lambrusco a Foglia Frastagliata N. – Enantio N.










 


Lambrusco del Pellegrino N. – Lambrusco










 


Lambrusco di Sorbara N. – Lambrusco










 


Malbo Gentile N.




8.   Description of the link(s)

8.1.   A) Details of the geographical area

1.   Natural factors relevant to the link
The Province of Modena lies in the centre of the Italian region of Emilia. It shares all the climatic features of the Po Valley, though half the province extends into the Apennine foothills and mountains, resulting in considerable variations. The plain’s specific location at the foot of the Apennines results in a typical continental temperature range and rainfall, with hot summers and harsh winters. Humid winds from the south are generally dry by the time they reach the region, resulting in low rainfall, much lower than is recorded in central Italy, for example. The average light, temperature variation and rainfall values confirm the highly continental nature of the climate, which is characterised by unevenly distributed rainfall with two peaks (spring and autumn) of dangerous hydrological excess and two periods (winter and summer) of severe shortage. Rainfall in particular is much lower on the Modena plain than on the rest of the Emilia plain, particularly during summer months, so much so that natural rainfall does not on average provide more than half the water needed for growing crops. Over the centuries, farming in the Modena area has been made more difficult by the high clay content and compact nature of most of the soil, and these factors continue to pose one of the main challenges today. These geographical characteristics are described in Volume VI (‘The Duchy of Modena and Reggio’) of Giuseppe Gorani’s work ‘Italy in the 18th Century’, in the chapter on the geographical environment, which opens with the statement that ‘nature seems to have been particularly kind to the town and territory of the State of Modena’.
The soil has been kept natural and fertile mainly due to human intervention in the form of drainage channels, protection against flooding, and farming techniques and systems that use organic soil improvers to counter the disadvantages of the extremely high clay content of the province’s arable land.
Within the production area of ‘Lambrusco Grasparossa di Castelvetro’, the ‘Monte Barello’ sub-area, which covers only the foothills and hills of the Province of Modena, stands out. The climate in this area has a Winkler index of around 1 900-2 000 degree-days depending on the site. In particular, the average value for the entire territory was calculated at 1 941 degree-days, with average precipitation of 500 mm in the period from April to October, with little variation between the different sites. The altitude of the Monte Barello sub-area varies from approximately 90 metres to 560 metres above sea level.
The soil in the Monte Barello sub-area can be classified as ‘soil with low levels of limestone from the Apennine margin’ (‘Montefalcone’ silty clay-loam soil, 1-20 % gradient, undulating) and ‘limestone soil of the lower Apennines locally associated with gullies’ (‘Banzola’ and ‘Grifone’ silty clay-loam soil, 7-35 % gradient, undulating and moderately steep). In these environments the human factor is crucial for quality winegrowing using agronomic water-management techniques to prevent soil erosion, structuring the vineyards in a ‘rittochino’ arrangement (with the rows perpendicular to the slopes) and choosing the sunniest exposures.
8.2.   A) Details of the geographical area

2.   Human factors relevant to the link
Cato’s De Agri Cultura and Varro’s De Re Rustica both mention Vitis labrusca. Likewise Pliny, in Naturalis Historia, documents the features of the Vitis vinifera, stating that ‘their leaves, just like those of the Labrusca vines, turn the colour of blood before falling’. The treatise on agriculture written by Pier dè Crescenzi of Bologna in 1300 states that Labrusca grapes are ‘black, they give the wines colour and make them clear, yet they are placed whole and with crumpled stalks in the pots and do not spoil the taste of the wine’. This is the earliest documented record that grapes from these vines were first used to make wine in that period, which suggests that the vines were perhaps no longer quite so ‘wild’. It should not be forgotten that the ancient Labrusca vines were wild vines (Vitis vinifera sylvestris) or the vines of the self-seeding subspecies Vitis vinifera sativa, which grew on unfarmed land. This is why Lambrusco is considered to be one of the most native vine varieties in the world, as it stems from the genetic evolution of the Vitis vinifera sylvestris occidentalis, which was domesticated in the Modena area.
The ‘Monte Barello’ sub-area takes its name from the corresponding place name, located in the municipality of Castelvetro di Modena. Its existence is recorded as far back as AD 1020, as evidenced by bibliographic documentation from 1824 stating that Marchese Bonifacio gave some land to Bishop Verino instead of Montebarello, which was clearly considered a place of esteem.
Monte Barello was certainly already inhabited in Etruscan times, as evidenced by the discovery of precious archaeological objects comprising a ‘bronze hair pin’ with an elegant bust of a woman and weapons, as well as tools made of stone, bronze and iron. It is well known that the Etruscans were growing grapes and producing wine in Italy, which in this area could only be Lambrusco.
Lambrusco wine was always held in high esteem by the Dukes of Modena. Two and a half centuries previously, in June 1430, Niccolò III d’Este ordered in one of his ‘holographs’ that ‘half of the duty for all wine brought from Modena to Paris should not be paid’, so as to facilitate trade in the wine. The most authoritative 19th century writers confirm that over the centuries, Modena became an area specialising in the production of fizzy wines that gained a particular renown, with a tradition of production and consumption. The wines owe their characteristics exclusively or essentially to the environment, including all natural and human factors that define it. The historical origin of the name ‘Lambrusco Grasparossa’ can certainly be traced back to the mid-19th century, as shown by numerous historical documents including the catalogo alfabetico di quasi tutte le uve [alphabetical catalogue of almost all grapes] drawn up by Luigi Maini in 1854 and the catalogo descrittivo delle principali varietà di uve coltivate nelle provincie di Modena e di Reggio Emilia [descriptive catalogue of the main varieties of grape cultivated in the Provinces of Modena and Reggio Emilia] published in 1867 by the lawyer Francesco Aggazzotti. The importance of human factors is particularly evident in the technical production aspects, which are relevant to the product specification.
8.3.   Combination of varieties in the vineyards

The combination of varieties grown in the vineyards: ‘Lambrusco Grasparossa di Castelvetro’ is a red vine variety with medium vigour and semi-erect growth. It is constantly productive. Vineyards producing ‘Lambrusco Grasparossa di Castelvetro’ PDO grapes must have the following combination of varieties:






—


Lambrusco Grasparossa: at least 85 % of the total area under vines;










—


other Lambruscos traditionally grown in the area, Malbo Gentile, alone or mixed: not exceeding 15 % of the total area under vines.




8.4.   Training methods

Modena’s soil and climate are conducive to natural vine growth. The winegrowers have opted for a system of permanent cordons with drooping branches, which can contain the vigorous growth of the plants. The training system also has to allow the buds to be evenly distributed, the plants to achieve their productive potential, radiant energy to be captured, and enough air and light to reach the bunches. The most commonly used training systems are the free cordon, the spurred cordon, the Geneva double curtain and the Guyot. Planting density is 2 500-3 000 vines/hectare on the ‘partially decarbonated soil of the foothill plains’, and 3 000-4 000 vines/hectare on the ‘soils of the Apennine margin and lower Apennines, associated with gullies’. The most commonly used rootstocks are Kober5BB, SO4 and 420A.
8.5.   Vinification and wine-making practices

These wines are produced using traditionally long-standing, faithful and established methods which only involve the practice of natural secondary fermentation in bottles and natural secondary fermentation by autoclaving, essential to providing ‘Lambrusco Grasparossa di Castelvetro’ PDO wines with their unique characteristics. Enrichment operations and the addition of expedition liqueur are permitted subject to the conditions and limits laid down in EU legislation.
In their works, the Latin authors Cato, Pliny and Columella describe the production of a fizzy wine (Lambrusco) capable of frothing, which suggests a semi-sparkling wine. However, the biological process and the chemical nature of alcoholic fermentation and other related aspects of winemaking were not properly understood until scientific knowledge developed from the late 17th century and during the 19th century. Other discoveries were, however, needed to ensure that all the carbon dioxide produced during fermentation remained dissolved in the wine. This required a container that was able to withstand the pressure and a cap that could prevent it from escaping. These were developed between the late 17th century and early 18th century. This preference for producing semi-sparkling white and red wines was recorded by successive authors in the 17th and 18th centuries, until this long process of genetic evolution led to a better identification of the white and in particular the red varieties of the wild Latini vines (the family of Lambruscos from the Modena area) described by 19th centuries ampelographers (in particular Acerbi, Mendola and Agazzotti). In addition to these technological advances, there was also a major change in climate (the Little Ice Age) which led to cold and wet autumns, delayed ripening and incomplete fermentation that required secondary fermentation in barrels, which broke as a result. From the mid-19th century to the mid-20th century, secondary fermentation in the bottle was the most common method for producing natural semi-sparkling Lambrusco in large quantities. This produced a cloudy, semi-sparkling Lambrusco without disgorgement, and represented the bulk of production. The first winery producing semi-sparkling Lambrusco in Emilia started operating in Modena in 1860. However, the production of the best-quality wines involved the removal of the lees with methods that reduced the loss of quality and quantity, first using isobaric decanting machines (developed by Martinotti in the late 19th century). Nowadays, for the production of semi-sparkling and sparkling wine with secondary fermentation in the bottle, the deposit of yeast lees is removed by allowing it to settle towards the cap and freezing the neck of the bottle.
8.6.   B) Details of the quality and characteristics of the product essentially or exclusively attributable to the geographical environment


                  ‘Lambrusco Grasparossa di Castelvetro’ PDO covers the production of sparkling and semi-sparkling red or rosé wines. From an analytical and organoleptic point of view, these wines have very clear and specific characteristics, as described in Article 6 of the product specification, which mean that they can be clearly identified and are typical of the local area.
The grapes, grown on the foothill plain and on the hillsides, result in a structured, red-coloured wine tending towards purple, with soft body, low acidity and very clear fruity notes. The freshness and fragrance of the aroma help to ensure a balanced taste.
8.7.   C) Description of the causal interaction between the details referred to in point A) and those referred to in point B)

Winegrowing in Modena is of great socio-economic importance. This is associated with the production of sparkling and semi-sparkling wines. The land is the most important environmental factor in ensuring a balance between vegetal growth and grape yield and the quality of the wine. Although there is some variation owing to the environment and farming methods, agricultural land in Modena can be regarded as extremely fertile, and falls within the following three categories:






a)


loose soil, yellow or reddish in colour, with low levels of lime and often also total and assimilable phosphorus, located at foothill level but also at higher altitudes. The soil on the plains is known as ‘partially decarbonated soil of the foothill plains’, whereas the two types of soil at higher altitudes are known as ‘soil with low levels of limestone from the Apennine margin’ and ‘limestone soil of the lower Apennines locally associated with gullies’;










b)


medium-textured soil, excellent both in terms of physical and chemical properties, originating from the flooding of the Secchia and Panaro rivers, located on the central plain and which can be classified as ‘limestone fluvial ridges with Sant’Omobono silty clay-loam soils’;










c)


clayey soils, very compact but rich in chemical substances and fertile, which provide the majority of the plain with soils known as ‘clayey soils of the drained valleys’.




The lowland soils form part of the flood plains from the Pleistocene and Holocene ages, while the hilly and mountainous terrain is typical of the Cretaceous and Eocene ages, and is very rich in fine and colloidal components. The soils of the plains are practically free from the coarse skeleton often found in cultivated hilly and mountain areas in the form of fragments of breccia rock, which have the potential to hinder normal farming operations.
The vineyards dedicated to ‘Lambrusco Grasparossa di Castelvetro’ PDO grape production are located on the plain in the south of the Province of Modena. The main soil type here is ‘partially decarbonated soil of the foothill plains’. The Winkler index ranges from 2 169 to 2 193 degree-days, and precipitation for the April-October period averages 437-449 mm. There are also Lambrusco Grasparossa di Castelvetro PDO vineyards located in the foothills and hills of the Province of Modena characterised by the types of soil known as ‘soil with low levels of limestone from the Apennine margin’ and ‘limestone soil of the lower Apennines locally associated with gullies’. The Winkler index varies from 1 890 degree-days in the Vignola area at an altitude of 120-125 m to 2 028 degree-days in Levizzano Rangone at an altitude of 135 m. The vineyards are of medium vigour, with medium-high production on the foothill plain and medium-low production in the hills.
In the ‘Monte Barello’ sub-area specifically the Winkler index is around 1 900-2 000 degree-days, with an average of 1 941 degree-days. The soils, which go from undulating or highly undulating to moderately steep, can be classified as ‘soil with low levels of limestone from the Apennine margin’ (‘Montefalcone’ soils) and ‘limestone soil of the lower Apennines locally associated with gullies’ (‘Banzola’ and ‘Grifone’ soils).
The history of Lambrusco and of the production of sparkling wines in Modena is long-standing, and includes the fascinating first accounts by classical poets and writers (Virgil, Cato and Varro) which spoke of the ‘
                  Labrusca vitis
                  ’, a wild vine found at the edges of the fields and producing sour-tasting grapes. Lambrusco is a red wine that can be semi-sparkling or sparkling, is bright ruby red in colour and should be served at 12-14 °C in order to fully deliver its fragrances and aromas. It originated in Modena, and from there spread to national and foreign markets. Lambrusco Grasparossa di Castelvetro owes its importance within Modena’s wine industry to several factors: 1 532 hectares of land planted with vines registered in the relevant register of PDO vineyards, producing an annual average of 14 500 000 kg of grapes protected under the PDO. The ‘Lambrusco Grasparossa di Castelvetro’ protected designation of origin allows producers from Modena to present consumers with products that tell more of a story than others: where they come from, how they are processed, and the characteristics and special features setting them apart from products which cannot be identified as belonging to a well-defined area.
9.   Essential further conditions (packaging, labelling, other requirements)

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Link to the product specification


http://www.politicheagricole.it/flex/cm/pages/ServeBLOB.php/L/IT/IDPagina/22199



(1)  Commission Delegated Regulation (EU) 2025/27 of 30 October 2024 supplementing Regulation (EU) 2024/1143 of the European Parliament and of the Council with rules concerning the registration and the protection of geographical indications, traditional specialities guaranteed and optional quality terms and repealing Delegated Regulation (EU) No 664/2014 (OJ L, 2025/27, 15.1.2025, ELI: http://data.europa.eu/eli/reg_del/2025/27/oj).


ELI: http://data.europa.eu/eli/C/2025/2475/oj
ISSN 1977-091X (electronic edition)