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: 2026-04-27
Institutions: Directorate-General for Agriculture and Rural Development, European Commission
Subjects: France, Loire Region, consumer information, designation of origin, labelling, product designation, quality control of agricultural products, still wine, white wine








C_202602456EN.000101.fmx.xml












Official Journal of the European Union


EN
C series













C/2026/2456


27.4.2026






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/2026/2456)

COMMUNICATION OF APPROVAL OF A STANDARD AMENDMENT

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


‘Anjou-Coteaux de la Loire’


EU reference number: PDO-FR-A0405-AM05 – 9.2.2026
                  

1.   Name of product

‘Anjou-Coteaux de la Loire’
2.   Geographical indication type







☑


PDO










☐


PGI










☐


GI




3.   Sector







☐


Agricultural products










☑


Wines










☐


Spirit drinks




4.   Country to which the geographical area belongs

France
5.   Member State authority communicating the standard amendment


Name

Ministry of Agriculture and Food Sovereignty, Directorate-General for the Economic and Environmental Performance of Enterprises
6.   Qualification as standard amendment

The French authorities consider that the application meets the requirements of Regulations (EU) No 1308/2013 and (EU) 2024/1143.
The amendments to this product specification are standard amendments as defined in Article 24(4) of Regulation (EU) 2024/1143.
The application for amendment to the ‘Anjou-Coteaux de la Loire’ PDO does not involve any of the three situations constituting a Union amendment; specifically, it does not:






(a)


include a change in the name or in the use of the name, or in the products or category of products designated by the geographical indication;










(b)


risk voiding the link to the geographical area;










(c)


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)


Title

Labelling

Description

The producer group for the ‘Anjou-Coteaux de la Loire’ PDO has decided to use a larger geographical unit to designate the wines, opting for the term ‘Vin de Loire’ instead of ‘Val de Loire’.
This development follows the communication guidelines adopted by the producers of Loire wines.
The aim is to make the identity clearer and align it more closely with the reality of the wines made by producers in the Loire basin.






☑


The amendment affects the single document.




SINGLE DOCUMENT

Designations of origin and geographical indications of wine


‘Anjou-Coteaux de la Loire’


EU reference number: PDO-FR-A0405-AM05 – 9.2.2026
                  

1.   Name(s)

‘Anjou-Coteaux de la Loire’
2.   Geographical indication type







☑


PDO










☐


PGI










☐


GI




3.   Country to which the demarcated geographical area belongs

France
4.   Classification of the agricultural product in accordance with the Combined Nomenclature heading and code, as referred to in Article 6(1) of Regulation (EU) 2024/1143


               2204  – Wine of fresh grapes, including fortified wines; grape must other than that of heading 2009
5.   Categories of grapevine product as listed in Part II of Annex VII to Regulation (EU) No 1308/2013







1.


Wine




6.   Description of the wine or wines


Grapevine product

White wines

Organoleptic characteristics


Visual appearance

These are still white wines made from grapes harvested when overripe.

Aroma

With their highly complex aromas, mostly of flowers, fresh or even dried or candied fruit, these wines recall the douceur angevine – the gentleness of the Anjou region.

Taste

Docile like the Loire in summer, or pervasive like when it floods in winter, wines with the protected designation of origin ‘Anjou-Coteaux de la Loire’ reveal their charm over time. These wines are mainly characterised by their elegance.

Additional information regarding organoleptic characteristics

—

Analytical characteristics







Maximum total alcoholic strength (in % volume):


18




Minimum actual alcoholic strength (in % volume):


—




Minimum total acidity:


—




Minimum total acidity unit:


in milliequivalents per litre




Maximum volatile acidity (in milliequivalents per litre):


25




Maximum total sulphur dioxide (in milligrams per litre):


—





Additional information regarding analytical characteristics

These are still white wines made from grapes harvested when overripe (natural concentration on the vine, with or without noble rot).
They have: a minimum natural alcoholic strength by volume of 14 %; a fermentable sugar (glucose and fructose) content after fermentation greater than or equal to 34 g/l. The minimum actual alcoholic strength by volume is 11 % for wines with a natural alcoholic strength by volume below 18 %. The total acid and total sulphur dioxide content are those set out in EU legislation.






☑


Any analytical characteristics not indicated in this section are within the limits laid down in the applicable EU legislation.




7.   Winemaking practices

7.1.   Specific oenological practices used to make the wine or wines, relevant restrictions on making them


Winemaking practice

Enrichment
Type of oenological practice:
Specific oenological practice
Description:
Enrichment is permitted according to the rules set out in the specification.

Winemaking practice

Use of wood chips
Type of oenological practice:
Specific oenological practice
Description:
The use of wood chips is forbidden. 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.

Winemaking practice

Density
Type of oenological practice:
Growing method
Description:
The minimum vine 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. Grape harvests are eligible for the protected designation of origin if they come from vineyard parcels with spacing of at least 0,80 metres but less than 0,90 metres between plants in the same row, where they are on slopes of more than 10 %. In the case of vineyard parcels where the planting density is at least 3 300 but less than 4 000 plants per hectare, the harvests are eligible for the protected designation of origin provided that they comply with the rules on trellising and foliage height laid down in this 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.

Winemaking practice

Pruning
Type of oenological practice:
Growing method
Description:
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 buds), the number of fruit-bearing branches for the year per plant must not exceed 12.

Winemaking practice

Harvesting
Type of oenological practice:
Growing method
Description:
The grapes are harvested by hand in multiple passes.

Winemaking practice

Irrigation
Type of oenological practice:
Growing method
Description:
Irrigation is prohibited.

Winemaking practice

Ageing
Type of oenological practice:
Specific oenological practice
Description:
The wines must be aged until at least 15 January of the year following the harvest.
7.2.   Maximum yields


All wines / category / variety / type

White wines
Maximum yield:






Maximum yield:


40




Maximum yield unit:


hectolitres per hectare




8.   Indication of the wine grape variety or varieties from which the wine or wines are produced







—


Chenin B




9.   Concise definition of the demarcated geographical area

1.   Geographical area

All stages of production take place in the geographical area, which encompasses the municipalities of the Maine-et-Loire department named below, on the basis of the 2023 Official Geographic Code: Bouchemaine, Chalonnes-sur-Loire, Champtocé-sur-Loire, Ingrandes-Le Fresne-sur-Loire (only the territory of the former municipality of Ingrandes), Mauges-sur-Loire (only the territory of the delegated municipalities of Mesnil-en-Vallée, Montjean-sur-Loire and La Pommeraye), La Possonnière, Saint-Georges-sur-Loire, Saint-Germain-des-Prés.
Maps showing the geographical area can be viewed on the website of the National Institute of Origin and Quality.
10.   Link with the geographical area


Category of grapevine product







1.


Wine





Summary of the link

1.   Information on the geographical area

(a)   Description of the natural factors relevant to the link
The geographical area corresponds to the shale slopes lining the banks of the River Loire. It is the most westerly part of the vineyards to which the ‘Anjou’ protected designation of origin applies. In 2021, it covered eight western municipalities of the Maine-et-Loire department. It begins on the outskirts of Angers, in the municipality of Bouchemaine, where the Loire and Maine rivers meet, before continuing either side of the river, as far as Ingrandes and Le Mesnil-en-Vallée, towards Nantes. The mesoclimate is greatly influenced by the river. The vineyards are located on the slopes closest to the river bank and do not extend more than 3 kilometres beyond it. Beyond that, to the north and the south, the landscape mainly consists of meadows and woodland. The name ‘Coteaux de la Loire’ [coteaux = slopes] evokes the topography of the vineyards, with their varied inclinations. The very steep slopes of the municipality of Bouchemaine contrast with the much more gentle slopes of the municipalities of Ingrandes and Saint-Georges-sur-Loire. The soils of parcels specifically demarcated for harvesting grapes are derived from the various primary formations of the Armorican Massif. These are poorly developed shale or shale/sandstone soils. Some developed soils derived from volcanic rock and some Devonian brown limestone soils can also be found here. These are very shallow soils, the bedrock usually lying at a depth of less than 0,40 m. They are devoid of any sign of hydromorphy and have very low water reserves. The climate is oceanic. The oceanic nature of the climate is moderated by the Foehn effect of the Mauges uplands to the west of the vineyards. Mean annual precipitation is 650 millimetres, the geographical area as a whole being sheltered from humid winds; it exceeds 800 millimetres over the Mauges uplands. The Loire also plays a role in regulating temperatures throughout the year. Alongside topography, the exposure of the slopes is also a key factor. On the right bank, the south-facing vineyards are well positioned, as they are sheltered from the cold northerly winds. On the left bank, the draining effect of the river on the cold air plays a prominent role in warming the north-facing slopes. Some valley locations are protected from the wind and enjoy a heat gain. Finally, the Loire plays a key role during the harvesting period by helping to form morning mists, which are essential for the development of ‘noble rot’.
(b)   Description of the human factors relevant to the link
The history of the Anjou vineyards dates as far back as the 9th century, although the first exact reference to the ‘Coteaux de la Loire’ vineyards appears in 1749 in ‘Traité sur la nature et la culture de la vigne’, a treatise by Messrs Bidet and Duhamel de Monceau, which states that in these vineyards ‘The land, which is very difficult to clear, has now been fully developed and planted with vines...’. A bill before the Council of State on administrative measures taken in 1804  reveals that the region produces only white wines: ‘The slopes of the Loire are suited only to the production of white wines, and these wines form a significant branch of the local economy...’. The bill also refers to Belgium, which at that time was partial to ‘Coteaux de la Loire’ wines. More recently, in 1842, Mr Auguste Petit-Lafitte wrote that ‘Gros Pineau, or Chenin, is the main grape variety.’ The Anjou vineyards are the cradle of the Chenin B grape variety. A hardy variety, its potential varies greatly according to the type of soil or, more generally, where it is planted. Producers were very quick to understand that this variety should be harvested at an advanced stage of ripeness, using specific techniques. Count Odart wrote the following in his 1845 ‘Traité des cépages’ treatise: ‘We should also add the condition of not harvesting the grapes until around All Saints Day, when the grapes are overripe and their skin sphacelous after being softened by the rains.’ Overripeness therefore forms an integral part of the harvest. In his 1816 work ‘Topographie de tous les vignobles connus’, Jullien noted that ‘In good vintages, the grapes are harvested several times; the first two times, only the ripest of grapes are harvested, to produce wines for export; the third harvest produces wines for domestic French consumption...’. Nonetheless, vine-growing in these vineyards would evolve the same way as in the rest of the Anjou. The arrival of Dutch merchants in the 16th century led to the growth of a market in ‘wines for the sea’, i.e. for export, produced from short-pruned vines (one or two nodes). This period also saw the growth of the domestic French – mainly Parisian – market, with wines of a lesser reputation produced from long-pruned vines (six or seven nodes). At the end of the Second World War, production shifted mainly towards ‘semi-dry’ wines, similar to the ‘wines for Paris’ of old. Efforts to produce wines with a strong identity, and a high sugar concentration, re-emerged during the 1980s. Wines bearing the protected designation of origin ‘Anjou-Coteaux de la Loire’ are considered to be great ‘sweet’ (known locally as ‘syrupy’) wines of the Anjou.
2.   Information on the quality and characteristics of the product

These wines are mainly characterised by their elegance. With their highly complex aromas, mostly of flowers, fresh or even dried or candied fruit, these wines recall the douceur angevine – the gentleness of the Anjou region. In the mouth, they combine smoothness and freshness. Docile like the Loire in summer, or pervasive like when it floods in winter, wines with the protected designation of origin ‘Anjou-Coteaux de la Loire’ reveal their charm over time.
3.   Causal interactions

The combination of shallow soils and a topography that provides outstanding exposure, ensuring a regular water supply, allows the Chenin B variety to reach its full potential. The position of the vineyards – in immediate proximity to the Loire, which regulates temperatures throughout the growing cycle – aided by suitable management, in particular spur pruning, allows the grapes to reach their optimum ripeness level. The presence of the Loire also allows the grapes to reach overripeness, through the winds channelled by the river, mechanically favouring the drying of the grapes, and through the formation of morning mists, which are key to the development of Botrytis cinerea and, therefore, ‘noble rot’. Waiting for the grapes to become overripe; leaving the harvest until well into the autumn; and harvesting by hand in multiple passes within a single parcel in order to select berries that are naturally concentrated or affected by ‘noble rot’ (‘roasted’): these practices reveal both the know-how of producers and the particular aptitude of the Chenin B variety. This aptitude was described by Guillory senior in 1861: ‘With very few exceptions, harvesting takes place in October, once the grapes are deemed perfectly ripe and at least a quarter of them are affected by noble rot.’ The combination of such a specific environment, a grape variety perfectly suited to it, and local expertise in exploiting all the qualities it has to offer, helps produce especially original wines. There are numerous references to the reputation of these wines, including one by Mr Petit-Lafitte, who writes that ‘When these vines are pruned to one or two nodes, they produce syrupy, delicate wines destined for Belgium.’ As for Guillory senior, in 1861, he wrote the following in an Angers Agricultural and Industrial Company Bulletin: ‘The land here is not well suited to other crops without incurring considerable expense, as it is not very fertile; for that very reason, it does not produce an abundance of wine; thus, were it not for the quality of the wine, which keeps the price rather high, vine-growing itself would have had to be abandoned here.’
11.   Further applicable requirements


Title of the requirement/derogation

Area in immediate proximity

Legal framework

National legislation

Type of further requirement/derogation

Derogation concerning production in the demarcated geographical area

Description of the requirement/derogation

The area in immediate proximity, defined by derogation for the production and ageing of wines, comprises the territory of the following municipalities, on the basis of the 2021 Official Geographic Code: – department of Loire-Atlantique: Vair-sur-Loire (only the territory of the delegated municipality of Anetz); – department of Maine-et-Loire: Chaudefonds-sur-Layon, Denée, Mauges-sur-Loire (only the territory of the delegated municipalities of La Chapelle-Saint-Florent, Le Marillais, Saint-Florent-le-Vieil and Saint-Laurent-du-Mottay), Rochefort-sur-Loire, Savennières, Val-du-Layon (only the territory of the delegated municipality of Saint-Aubin-de-Luigné).
In accordance with Article 5(1) of Commission Delegated Regulation (EU) 2019/33, the area in immediate proximity corresponds to an area in the immediate proximity of the demarcated area in question.

Title of the requirement/derogation

Labelling

Legal framework

National legislation

Type of further requirement/derogation

Additional provisions relating to labelling

Description of the requirement/derogation

Under EU rules, the use of optional terms may be regulated by the Member States. On the labels, the size of the letters used for such terms must not be larger, in height, width or thickness, than double the size of the letters forming the name of the protected designation of origin.

Title of the requirement/derogation

Specificity of the name ‘Vin de Loire’

Legal framework

National legislation

Type of further requirement/derogation

Additional provisions relating to labelling

Description of the requirement/derogation

The size of the letters of the geographical name ‘Vin de Loire’ must not be larger, either in height or width, than two thirds of the size of the letters forming the name of the protected designation of origin.

Title of the requirement/derogation

Labelling: Smaller geographical unit

Legal framework

National legislation

Type of further requirement/derogation

Additional provisions relating to labelling

Description of the requirement/derogation

Wines with the protected 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 protected designation of origin.

Electronic (URL) reference to the publication of the product specification


https://info.agriculture.gouv.fr/boagri/document_administratif-12714a08-279b-49f8-9933-5ee9d3d49a09



(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/2026/2456/oj
ISSN 1977-091X (electronic edition)