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: 2025-07-28
Institutions: Directorate-General for Agriculture and Rural Development, European Commission
Subjects: France, Nouvelle-Aquitaine, consumer information, designation of origin, labelling, product designation, quality control of agricultural products, red wine, rosé wine, white wine








C_202504196EN.000101.fmx.xml












Official Journal of the European Union


EN
C series













C/2025/4196


28.7.2025






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/2025/4196)

COMMUNICATION OF APPROVAL OF A STANDARD AMENDMENT
(Article 24 of Regulation (EU) 2024/1143)


                     ‘Buzet’
                  


PDO-FR-A0148-AM02 – 8.5.2025
                  

1.   Product name


               ‘Buzet’
            
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

France
5.   National authority communicating the standard amendment

Ministère de l’Agriculture, de l’Alimentation, de la Pêche, de la Ruralité et de l’Aménagement du Territoire
[Ministry of Agriculture, Food, Fisheries, Rural Affairs and Land-Use Planning]
Direction Générale des Politiques Agricoles, Agroalimentaires et des Territoires
[Directorate-General for Agricultural, Agri-food and Land Policy]
6.   Qualification as standard amendment

The amendments to this specification are standard amendments as defined in Article 24(4) of Regulation (EU) 2024/1143.
The application for an amendment to the ‘Buzet’ PDO does not involve any of the three situations constituting a Union amendment, specifically:






(a)


it does not include a change in the name or in the use of the name, or in the category of product or products designated by the geographical indication;










(b)


it does not risk voiding the link to the geographical area;










(c)


it does not entail further restrictions on the marketing of the product.




The French authorities therefore consider that the application is for a standard amendment.
7.   Description of the approved standard amendment(s)

7.1.   Inclusion of varieties of interest for adaptation purposes

The list of varieties in Chapter I, Section V, point 1, ‘Vine varieties’ of the product specification has been expanded to include:






—


In the production of white wines, the varieties: Floréal B, Voltis B and Souvignier Gris B;










—


In the production of red and rosé wines, the varieties: Syrah N, Marselan N, Nielluccio N, Tempranillo N, Vidoc N and Artaban N.




These varieties may now account for up to 5 % of the vine varieties grown and 10 % of the blends.
In order to promote reductions in the use of plant health products in areas adjacent to inhabited/urban locations, the areas:






—


planted with Vidoc N, Artaban N, Floréal B, Voltis B and Souvignier Gris;










—


and situated at a distance of under 20 metres from the places mentioned in the Rural and Maritime Fishing Code are not taken into account for calculating the areas of varieties ‘of interest for adaptation purposes’ subject to the 5 % limit on the area of the holding declared in the PDO.




The inclusion of these varieties is one of the solutions adopted for the designation in response to climate change and reduced use of plant health products. The new secondary varieties are consistent with the profile of the wines of the designation, and allow adaptation to drought and fungal diseases. They allow the use of plant health products to be reduced.
In the single document, the ‘Wine grape varieties’ section has been amended accordingly.
7.2.   Amendment of the rules on proportions on holdings

These new rules on proportions on holdings bring gains in flexibility and make greater use of secondary varieties, some of which may now be more adapted to certain soil types and to the changing climate.
For red and rosé wines, the proportion of secondary varieties has increased from 10 % to 30 % of the vine varieties. The secondary varieties are more robust and provide acidity. They make it possible to counterbalance the Merlot, which is very susceptible to disease and in which the potential alcohol is increasing. Blending with secondary varieties makes it possible to bring a freshness and roundness to the wines, while preserving the style of the ‘Buzet’ designation.
For white wines, the rule distinguishing the secondary varieties from the main varieties in the varietal blend has been removed. In addition, blending with secondary varieties also opens up an interesting array of aromas. To be consistent with the amendment to remove the rules on proportions on holdings, the list of varieties authorised for white wines has been amended.
The single document is not affected.
7.3.   Vineyard layout: Rules on trellising and foliage height

The rule requiring a trellised foliage height has been removed and replaced by a leaf/fruit ratio of 1,4 m2 of external surface area of canopy for the production of 1 kg of grapes. The aim is to control the ripeness of the grapes by promoting physiological balance on the vine, thus adapting the quantity of leaves to ripen 1 kg of grapes.
Increases in alcohol content are one of the effects of climate change on the profile of the wines; this goes against what the public expects and harms the balance of the wines themselves.
The provision on trellising rules has been removed in the transitional measure section so as to be consistent with the amendment.
The single document is not affected.
7.4.   Blends of grape varieties

The rule laying down that main varieties must represent a minimum of 90 % of the blend has been reduced to 70 % for red and rosé wines.
In the case of white wines, the proportion of the varieties of Muscadelle B, Sauvignon B, Sauvignon Gris G and Sémillon B may not be under 70 % in the blend of each batch at the packaging stage.
This change boosts the secondary varieties, increasing their proportion to 30 % from 10 % for white, red and rosé wines. This demand goes together with the amendment of the rules on proportions on holdings. It underscores the desire for flexibility in the face of climate change and the addition of acidity from the secondary varieties. These amendments do not significantly affect the profile of the product.
The following points in the single document have been amended: Link with the geographical area.
7.5.   Oenological practice: Use of oenological charcoal

The prohibition on the use of oenological charcoal for rosé wines has been removed.
It is now authorised for musts and for oenological use up to a limit of 20 % of the volume of rosé wine produced by the winemaker concerned for the harvest in question.
The aim is to be able to control the colour of the rosé wines against the background of global warming, which leads to the further accumulation of sugars and a reduction in acidity, thereby increasing plant health risks and, in particular, fungal diseases.
The following point of the single document has been amended: Specific oenological practices
7.6.   Winery capacity

A new method of calculating wine-making and storage capacity for red, rosé and white wines has been introduced.
The reason is that there is an increasing number of operators producing yields below the product specification because of climate-related hazards. Winery capacity is equivalent to 1,5 (for white and rosé wines) and 2 (for red wines) times the average five-year yield of the holding’s most recent harvests. Yields from the most recent harvests are decreasing, which calls for the winery capacity to be adapted.
The single document is not affected.
7.7.   Update of the Geographic Code

The municipalities in the geographical area have been updated in accordance with the 2024 Official Geographic Code. This amendment does not change the geographical area of the designation.
The following point of the single document has been amended: Demarcated geographical area
7.8.   References

The contact details of the National Institute of Origin and Quality [Institut national de l’origine et de la qualité, INAO] have been updated.
The arrangements for inspecting the product specification have been amended.
These amendments do not affect the single document.
SINGLE DOCUMENT
1.   Name(s)

Buzet
2.   Geographical indication type

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







1.


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)

4.1.   White wines

After fermentation, the wines have a fermentable sugar content (glucose and fructose) not exceeding 3 grams per litre. The white wines’ total alcoholic strength by volume must not exceed 12,5 % after enrichment. Their total volatile acidity and total sulphur dioxide content are as laid down in EU legislation. The minimum natural alcoholic strength by volume is set at 10 % for white wines. The other characteristics comply, by default, with those laid down by EU legislation. The dry white wines from the Sauvignon B and Sauvignon Gris G varieties are rather delicate and light and are distinguished by their pale colour, their simple aromas of fruit and the sensation of freshness resulting from their acidity. When Muscadelle B and especially Sémillon B varieties dominate the blend, the wines are more aromatic and rounder, characterised by the intensity of their aromas of spice, toasted bread or exotic fruit. Their fatter texture gives them a good balance.

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): —










—


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




4.2.   Red and rosé wines

At the packaging stage, the red wines have a malic acid content not exceeding 0,4 g/l. After fermentation, the wines have a fermentable sugar content (glucose and fructose) not exceeding 3 grams per litre. After enrichment, the red and rosé wines’ total alcoholic strength by volume does not exceed 13 %. Their total volatile acidity and total sulphur dioxide content are as laid down in EU legislation. The minimum natural alcoholic strength by volume is set at 10,5 % for red and rosé wines. The other characteristics comply, by default, with those laid down by EU legislation. The red wines are fruity and generous to aromatic and full-bodied. The former, produced by blends of Merlot N and Cabernet Franc N, have a nose dominated by fruit aromas. Tannins are certainly present, but they are subtle, and the wines should be drunk young. The latter, where Cabernet Sauvignon N dominates, are full-bodied wines with an intense colour and strong and complex aromas of fruit and spice, sometimes with slightly smoky notes. They have a good tannic structure, which should be left to age for a few years, with a velvety sensation in the mouth. The rosé wines, mainly made from the Cabernet Franc N and Cot N varieties, are fruity and lively wines with aromas of fruit and flowers, and with a certain richness in the mouth. Their light acidity makes them pleasantly lively.

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): —










—


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




5.   Winemaking practices

5.1.   Specific oenological practices

5.1.1.   Specific oenological practice
The use of oenological charcoal is permitted for musts in the production of rosé wines, in a proportion not exceeding 20 % of the volume of rosé wine produced by the winemaker concerned for the harvest in question. Subtractive enrichment techniques are permitted for the red wines up to a 10 % concentration rate. The increase in natural alcoholic strength by volume for the batch being treated does not exceed 1 % vol. After enrichment, the wines do not exceed the total alcoholic strength by volume of 12,5 % for whites and 13 % for red and rosé wines. 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 Code.
5.1.2.   Cultivation method
The minimum vine planting density is 4 000 plants per hectare. The distance between rows must not exceed 2,5 m. The area available for each plant does not exceed 2,5 m2. This surface area is obtained by multiplying the spacing between the rows by the spacing between the plants.
Vines are pruned using the single or double Guyot method or spur pruning (low trellised cordon de Royat training).
Each plant must have a maximum of 13 buds.
Irrigation may be authorised.
5.2.   Maximum yields

66 hectolitres per hectare
6.   Demarcated geographical area

The grapes are harvested and the wines made and developed in the following communes in the department of Lot-et-Garonne: Ambrus, Anzex, Barbaste, Bruch, Buzet-sur-Baïse, Calignac, Caubeyres, Damazan, Espiens, Feugarolles, Lavardac, Leyritz-Moncassin, Moncaut, Montagnac-sur-Auvignon, Montesquieu, Montgaillard-en-Albret, Nérac, Pompiey, Puch-d’Agenais, Razimet, Saint-Léon, Saint-Pierre-de-Buzet, Sainte-Colombe-en-Bruilhois, Sérignac-sur-Garonne, Vianne, Villefranche-du-Queyran and Xaintrailles.
7.   Wine grape variety(ies)







 


Abouriou B










 


Artaban N










 


Cabernet Franc N










 


Cabernet Sauvignon N










 


Colombard B










 


Cot N – Malbec










 


Floréal B










 


Gros Manseng B










 


Marselan N










 


Merlot N










 


Muscadelle B










 


Nielluccio N – Nielluciu










 


Petit Manseng B










 


Petit Verdot N










 


Sauvignon B – Sauvignon Blanc










 


Sauvignon Gris G – Fié Gris










 


Sémillon B










 


Souvignier Gris B










 


Syrah N – Shiraz










 


Tempranillo N










 


Vidoc N










 


Voltis B




8.   Description of the link(s)

The geographical area of production is located in Gascogne, in the department of Lot-et-Garonne near the confluence of the rivers Garonne and Lot, halfway between Toulouse and Bordeaux, and near to Agen and Marmande. With the Garonne Valley as its boundary to the north, the area comprises a roughly 40 km strip which is about 15 km wide. To the west, the area is bordered by the vast Landes Forest. The windblown sands on which the Landes Forest stands were prevented from moving further east thanks to the Gelise-Baïse river system. The precise boundary of their advance and that of the production area is located as far (inland) as Barbaste. The Buzet production area is bordered to the south of Nérac by tertiary molassic geological formations. Here, white and grey limestone strata have been added to the Aquitanian (Stage). In the quaternary era, the River Garonne deposited several layers of clay-gravel terraces in this area. As a result, the topography has been very much softened with the landscape taking the form of gently undulating hills with hard limestone outcrops at the base of the slopes forming a wooded overhang. In terms of soil, the soils on grey limestone give rise to brown calcareous soils which are quite fine and well-drained. Soils on Aquitanian molasse produce ground that is deeper, locally known as ‘terrefort’. These have a variable clay content and are well supplied with water. The soils on the mid-level terraces are podzolic soils of the ‘boulbènes’ type. When the upper part of the soil has been stripped, a soil horizon accumulation appears that is rich in clay and iron oxide. This gives these soils patches of a distinct red colour (known as ‘rougets’). Lastly, the soils of the upper terraces on the highest part of the slopes consist of clay and gravelly deposits mixed at the surface with a fine, loamy fraction blown in on the wind. The climate is maritime with a slight influence from the south. The maritime component is very much predominant with temperate and humid westerly winds leading to mild temperatures and rainfall which peaks in May and December. The influence from the south comes to the fore in the autumn thanks to the Autan wind, which arrives from the Mediterranean along the Garonne Valley. The Autan is a warm wind with a drying effect which acts as a brake on unsettled Atlantic weather approaching from the north.
The confluence of the Baïse and the Gélise on the border of the municipalities of Lavarde and Barbaste is the largest fluvial ‘crossroads’ south of the Garonne. The Charter of the Town of Buzet, which dates back to the Middle Ages, states that wine is an essential product in the life of the town. In fact, the Buzet region has always had a trading activity which then expanded downstream and towards Bordeaux with inland waterway transport on the River Baïse, then on the River Garonne and finally via the lateral canal flanking the Garonne in 1856. In 1884-1885 and despite the phylloxera outbreak, over 1 000 barrels per month travelled down the river. After the phylloxera outbreak, winegrowing experienced an economic slump which the crises of the inter-war period only made worse. The noble varieties of Vitis vinifera were replaced by direct-producer hybrid vine varieties or high-yield varieties planted in the rich soils of the Baïse Valley. A renewal started in 1946 with the creation of a wine-growers’ union; later, a cooperative was set up and the AOVDQS designation of origin for wine of high quality status was granted in 1953. Buzet became the symbol of a renaissance for wines from the ‘Haut-Pays’ (inland) part of the Bordeaux wine region. In 1948, the disputes between winegrowers ended up in court in Nérac. A judgment handed down on 31 July 1948 defined the first production area in a core of six municipalities. Only later on 11 April 1967 did the court in Agen recognise the production area in its current configuration and the production of rosé wines. In 1973, the appellation d’origine contrôlée [registered designation of origin], or AOC, represented recognition of the efforts made by the winegrowers and the cooperative as being the first in the department to introduce differentiated payment for grapes based on qualitative criteria (maturity, load, health condition, etc.).
While the cooperative covers more than 200 producers and 95 % of total production, a dozen individual wineries have introduced direct sales, thus broadening the range and customer base of Buzet wines. With 72 % of the production, red wines range from fruity and generous to wines which are aromatic and full-bodied. The former, produced by blends in which Merlot N and Cabernet Franc N have the biggest share, have a nose dominated by fruit aromas. Tannins are certainly present, but they are subtle, and the wines should be drunk young. The latter, made from blends in which the Cabernet Sauvignon N variety has the biggest share, are full-bodied wines with strong and complex aromas of fruit and spice, sometimes with slightly smoky notes (toasted bread, coffee, vanilla, etc.). They have a good tannic structure, which should be left to age for a few years, with a velvety sensation in the mouth.
These have a stable share of 25 % of the production, and are mainly rosé wines, principally made from the Cabernet Franc N and Cot N varieties. They are fruity and lively with aromas of fruit and flowers, and with a certain richness in the mouth. Their light acidity makes them pleasantly lively. Always dry and fruity, but with a proportion of the Merlot N and Cabernet Sauvignon N varieties in the blend, some rosé wines are close to being ‘clairet’ wines, with a softer presence in the mouth and a dominant fruity aroma and long, sweet taste. The dry white wines from the Sauvignon B and Sauvignon Gris G varieties are rather delicate and light and are distinguished by their pale colour, their simple fruit aromas and the sensation of freshness resulting from their acidity. When Muscadelle B and especially Sémillon B varieties dominate the blend, the wines are more aromatic and rounder, characterised by the intensity of their aromas of spice, toasted bread or exotic fruit. Their fatter texture gives them a good balance. For each colour of wine, the proportion of the secondary varieties in the blend may not exceed 30 %. The parcels on high terraces have a significant presence of gravel from the Garonne which enables the soil to drain naturally and effectively, and to warm up earlier in spring, making them particularly suitable to vine cultivation. On these parcels, the later varieties such as Cabernet Franc N and Cabernet Sauvignon N attain phenolic ripeness and underpin the production of the most robust red wines. In these wines, the Sauvignon B and Sauvignon Gris G varieties bring their full aromatic power to the fore. The parcels on the mid-level terraces, with their fine, leached sandy-loam soils (‘boulbènes’) assist in properly controlling the strength of the vines, particularly in terms of yields. These parcels are particularly well suited to the Cabernet Franc N and Cot N varieties, in particular for the production of rosé wines. Parcels with ‘terrefort’ soils located on clayey molasse, and limestone ‘terrefort’ soils originating from the erosion of lake limestone, are the soils most difficult to manage. The development of managed grass cover has made it possible to for it to provide competition for the vines. It can thus contain the strength of the main varieties and, in particular, the Merlot N variety. In these cases, the Sémillon B and Muscadelle B varieties give the wine body and oiliness.
The return of ‘Buzet’ wine to the ranks of quality wines has been made possible only because of the will of a group of people who managed to repurpose its vine varieties. At the same time, the development of a commercial structure and direct sales to individual buyers has bolstered the reputation of the wines. From the end of the Middle Ages, monks, abbots and heads of religious communities contributed to a better understanding of wine-growing and production methods. The column heads of the church at Damazan, decorated with grape bunches, show the monastic origin of the vineyards.
Historically, this vineyard in the ‘Haut-Pays’ of the Bordeaux wine region did not have a very strong identity, as the wines were sold under the name ‘Bordeaux’ after they had been transported down the River Garonne. The reference to ‘Buzet’ wines appears in a tariff agreement signed on 12 December 1284 by the King of England. The Duchy of Albret, with Nérac as its capital, included the geographical area, was part of the Kingdom of Navarre. Henry of Navarre, Prince of Albret and the future King Henry IV of France, spent part of his youth there and his court led a lavish life, including the pleasure of drinking the local wine.
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
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.
Wines with the ‘Buzet’ protected designation of origin may specify on their labels the broader geographical unit ‘Sud-Ouest’ [South-West]. This broader geographical unit may also feature on any leaflets or containers. The size of the letters for the broader geographical unit must not be larger, in either height or width, than the size of the letters forming the name of the protected designation of origin.

Link to the product specification


https://info.agriculture.gouv.fr/boagri/document_administratif-556dff9f-9af7-429e-bf37-5badc2bef0c6



(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/2025/4196/oj
ISSN 1977-091X (electronic edition)