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: 2026-05-05
Institutions: Directorate-General for Agriculture and Rural Development, European Commission
Subjects: France, Loire Region, Nouvelle-Aquitaine, consumer information, designation of origin, labelling, product designation, quality control of agricultural products, red wine








C_202602477EN.000101.fmx.xml












Official Journal of the European Union


EN
C series













C/2026/2477


5.5.2026






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/2026/2477)

COMMUNICATION OF APPROVAL OF A STANDARD AMENDMENT

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


‘Anjou Villages’


EU reference number: PDO-FR-A0493-AM04 – 9.2.2026
                  

1.   Name of product

‘Anjou Villages’
2.   Geographical indication type







☑


PDO










☐


PGI










☐


GI




3.   Sector







☐


Agricultural products










☑


Wine










☐


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 Villages’ 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 category of product or 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 Villages’ designation has decided to use a broader geographical unit to identify the wines, opting for the term ‘Vin de Loire’ instead of ‘Val de Loire’.
This change follows the communication guidelines adopted by Loire wine producers.
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 wines


‘Anjou Villages’


EU reference number: PDO-FR-A0493-AM04 – 9.2.2026
                  

1.   Name(s)

‘Anjou Villages’
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 products as listed in Part II of Annex VII to Regulation (EU) No 1308/2013







1.


Wine




6.   Description of the wine(s)


Grapevine product

Red wines

Organoleptic characteristics


Visual appearance

The wine is generally a deep, steady ruby red in colour.

Aroma/Nose

Delicate notes of red fruits and flowers (iris, violet) are often detected in the nose, evolving towards more complex aromas, such as combinations of black fruits, spices, game or undergrowth.

Taste/Palate

Ample and full-bodied in the mouth, the full range of aromas is preserved.
Strong underlying tannins and a long finish. A generous wine that benefits from being left for a few years before tasting.

Additional information regarding organoleptic characteristics

—

Analytical characteristics







Maximum total alcoholic strength (in % volume):


—




Minimum actual alcoholic strength (in % volume):


—




Minimum total acidity:


—




Minimum total acidity unit:


—




Maximum volatile acidity (in milliequivalents per litre):


—




Maximum total sulphur dioxide (in milligrams per litre):


—





Additional information regarding analytical characteristics

These are still red wines with the following main analytical characteristics:
The wines have a minimum natural alcoholic strength by volume of 11 %.
After fermentation, the wines have a fermentable sugar content (glucose and fructose) not exceeding 3 grams per litre.
Malolactic fermentation must be completed. Wines ready to be marketed in bulk or at the packaging stage have a malic acid content that does not exceed 0,4 grams per litre.
After enrichment, the wines’ total alcoholic strength by volume must not exceed 12,5 %.
The total volatile acidity, total acidity and total sulphur dioxide contents are those laid down by 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

Planting density – Spacing
Type of oenological practice:
Cultivation method
Description:
The minimum vine planting density is 4 000 plants per hectare. The spacing between the rows of these vines must not exceed 2,5 metres, and the spacing between plants in the same row must be at least 0,90 metres. Vineyard parcels where the spacing between vines in the same row is less than 0,90 m but greater than or equal to 0,80 m, and where the gradient is greater than 10 %, shall be entitled to use the controlled designation of origin for their harvest. The controlled designation of origin may be used for the harvests of vineyard parcels with a density of fewer than 4 000 – but at least 3 300 – vines per hectare, subject to compliance with certain vine-training and foliage height rules laid down in the product specification. The spacing between the rows of the vines must not exceed three metres, and the spacing between plants in the same row must be at least one metre.

Winemaking practice

Rules on vine pruning and training
Type of oenological practice:
Cultivation method
Description:
The vines are pruned using the cane or spur method, or a combination of the two, with a maximum of 12 buds per vine. The vines can be pruned to two additional buds per plant on condition that, at the phenological stage corresponding to 11 or 12 leaves (separate flower buds), there are no more than 12 fruit-bearing branches for the year per plant. The foliage on the trellis must reach a height of at least 0,6 times the distance between the rows. This height is measured as the distance between the lower limit of the foliage (which must be at least 0,40 metres above ground level) and the upper trimming limit (which must be at least 0,20 m above the upper trellis wire). Vineyard parcels with a planting density of fewer than 4 000 – but at least 3 300 – plants per hectare are also subject to the following trellising rules: the minimum height of the trellising posts above the ground is 1,9 metres; there are 4 levels of trellising wires; the minimum height of the highest wire is 1,85 metres above the ground.

Winemaking practice

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

Winemaking practice

—
Type of oenological practice:
Specific oenological practice
Description:
Subtractive enrichment techniques are permitted, with the maximum partial concentration rate set at 10 % in relation to the volumes used. The use of wood chips is forbidden. After enrichment, the wines’ total alcoholic strength by volume must not exceed 12,5 %. 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.
7.2.   Maximum yields


All wines / category / variety / type

Red wines
Maximum yield:






Maximum yield:


60




Maximum yield unit:


hectolitres per hectare




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







—


Cabernet Franc N










—


Cabernet Sauvignon N




9.   Concise definition of the demarcated geographical area


Geographical area

All stages of production take place in the geographical area encompassing the following municipalities, on the basis of the Official Geographical Code of 2023:






—


Department of Deux-Sèvres: Loretz-d’Argenton (only the delegated municipality of Bouillé-Loretz), Val en Vignes (only the delegated municipalities of Bouillé-Saint-Paul, Cersay and Saint-Pierre-à-Champ);










—


Department of Maine-et-Loire: Aubigné-sur-Layon, Beaulieu-sur-Layon, Bellevigne-en-Layon, Blaison-Saint-Sulpice (only the delegated municipality of Blaison-Gohier), Bouchemaine, Brissac Loire Aubance (only the delegated municipalities of Charcé-Saint-Ellier-sur-Aubance and Coutures), Chalonnes-sur-Loire, Champtocé-sur-Loire, Chaudefonds-sur-Layon, Chemillé-en-Anjou (only the delegated municipalities of Chanzeaux, La Jumellière and Valanjou), Cléré-sur-Layon, Doué-en-Anjou (only the delegated municipalities of Brigné, Concourson-sur-Layon, Saint-Georges-sur-Layon and Les Verchers-sur-Layon), Ingrandes-Le Fresne sur Loire (only the delegated municipality of Ingrandes), Lys-Haut-Layon (only the delegated municipalities of La Fosse-de-Tigné, Nueil-sur-Layon, Tancoigné, Tigné and Trémont), Mauges-sur-Loire (only the delegated municipalities of Mesnil-en-Vallée, Montjean-sur-Loire and La Pommeraye), Passavant-sur-Layon, La Possonnière, Rochefort-sur-Loire, Saint-Georges-sur-Loire, Saint-Germain-des-Prés, Savennières, Terranjou, Tuffalun (only the delegated municipality of Ambillou-Château), Val-du-Layon.




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


Categories of grapevine product







1.


Wine





Summary of the link

Vines are known to have been cultivated on a continuous basis in Anjou since the first century A.D. It is excellent vine-growing country, as evidenced by these lines of a poem by Apollonius (sixth century): ‘Not far from Brittany is a town located on a rock with extensive plantations devoted to Ceres and Bacchus and a name, Andecavi (Angers), which is derived from the Greek place name.’ Vine-growing developed in the Anjou area during the Middle Ages, under the auspices of the monasteries located on the banks of the Loire and around Angers. They became particularly renowned from the 7th and 8th century onwards. Under the influence of Henry II and Eleanor of Aquitaine, the ‘wine of Anjou’ made its way to the finest tables.
Production developed significantly from the 16th century onwards with the arrival of Dutch merchants seeking wine for their country and colonies. The Dutch stocked up on the wines and trade was so brisk in the 18th century that the river Layon, which crosses the geographical area, was made navigable to make transportation easier.
The ‘Anjou’ region essentially owes its fame to the production of white wines made from the Chenin B variety. However, plantings of the Cabernet Franc N variety or the ‘Breton plant’ (thus named because it had been introduced by boat through the Loire estuary, which belonged to the Breton region at the time) and of Cabernet Sauvignon N a little later on spread significantly after the Phylloxera crisis from 1865 onwards.
In the early 20th century, wine-making efforts were mostly focused on making ‘rouget’, the local name for a light wine served in the cafés. This marked the first stage in the changes to the Anjou vineyards, with the production of emblematic rosé wines becoming significant. The second stage in these changes was based on the experience gained by producers in managing these crops. The production of red wines developed from the 1960s onwards, based on monitoring and analysis of the best combinations of varieties and planting locations, together with assessment of the harvest potential and the expertise acquired in wine-making techniques.
However, the region’s winemakers realised that they had access to a territory and a level of expertise that could further enhance the originality of their red wine production. The ‘Anjou Villages’ controlled designation of origin was therefore recognised on 14 November 1991. In 2010 it consisted of 130 privately owned wineries and two cooperative wineries.
The combination of the shallow soils on clearly demarcated land parcels demonstrating the methods in use and the terrain which provides excellent exposure and encourages a regular water supply has enabled the Cabernet Franc N and Cabernet Sauvignon N varieties to achieve their full expression and originality. The location of the vineyards requires optimal management of the vines and their potential yield, in the form of vine training systems and strict pruning rules.
Winegrowers observe and analyse the behaviour of their vines in order to determine the right location for the vineyards, taking account of how well-suited the two varieties are to the resources provided by the brown soils which developed on shale and the clay-limestone soils which developed over the Cenomanian deposits. By relying on the specific parcel demarcation, adapting the vine training and pruning methods, harvesting the grapes at optimal ripeness, and making technical enhancements to temperature control and maceration times, producers have put strict production rules into place to ensure the production of well-structured red wine. The expertise of the operators ensures that grapes are harvested with a minimum sugar content of 189 grams per litre and having reached an optimal stage of phenolic ripeness.
Over the generations, the operators have successfully adapted their wine-making techniques to bring the best out of the grapes. It was very quickly decided to impose an ageing period in the tank after fermentation to enable the production of wine with complex aromas but in particular so that the tannins could become round and smooth. To achieve these goals, a minimum ageing period lasting until 15 June after the harvest year was defined in the product specification.
The ‘Anjou Villages’ controlled designation of origin is one of the most highly esteemed wines in the Anjou region.
11.   Further applicable requirements


Title of the requirement/derogation

Area in immediate proximity

Legal framework

EU legislation

Type of further requirement/derogation

Derogation concerning production in the demarcated geographical area

Description of the requirement/derogation

The area in the immediate vicinity, defined by derogation for the making, processing and ageing of the wines, comprises the territory of the following municipalities, based on the Official Geographical Code for 2021:






—


department of Deux-Sèvres: Brion-près-Thouet, Loretz-d’Argenton (only the delegated territory of Argenton-l’Église), Louzy, Plaine-et-Vallées (only the delegated municipality of Oiron), Saint-Cyr-la-Lande, Sainte-Verge, Saint-Martin-de-Mâcon, Saint-Martin-de-Sanzay, Thouars (only the delegated municipalities of Mauzé-Thouarsais, Sainte-Radegonde and the former municipality of Thouars), Tourtenay;










—


department of Indre-et-Loire: Saint-Nicolas-de-Bourgueil;










—


department of Loire-Atlantique: Ancenis-Saint-Géréon (only the former municipality of Ancenis), Le Loroux-Bottereau, Le Pallet, La Remaudière, Vair-sur-Loire (only the delegated municipality of Anetz), Vallet;










—


department of Maine-et-Loire: Allonnes, Angers, Antoigné, Artannes-sur-Thouet, Bellevigne-les-Châteaux, Blaison-Saint-Sulpice (only the delegated municipality of Saint-Sulpice), Brain-sur-Allonnes, Brissac Loire Aubance (only the delegated municipalities of Alleuds, Brissac-Quincé, Chemellier, Luigné, Saint-Rémy-la-Varenne, Saint-Saturnin-sur-Loire, Saulgé-l’Hôpital and Vauchrétien), Brossay, Cernusson, Cizay-la-Madeleine, Le Coudray-Macouard, Courchamps, Denée, Dénezé-sous-Doué, Distré, Doué-en-Anjou (only the delegated municipalities of Doué-la-Fontaine, Forges, Meigné and Montfort), Épieds, Fontevraud-l’Abbaye, Les Garennes sur Loire, Gennes-Val-de-Loire (only the delegated municipalities of Chênehutte-Trèves-Cunault, Gennes, Grézillé, Saint-Georges-des-Sept-Voies and Le Thoureil), Huillé-Lézigné (only the delegated municipality of Huillé), Jarzé Villages (only the delegated municipality of Lué-en-Baugeois), Louresse-Rochemenier, Lys-Haut-Layon (only the delegated municipalities of Cerqueux-sous-Passavant and Vihiers), Mauges-sur-Loire (only the delegated municipalities of La Chapelle-Saint-Florent, Le Marillais, Saint-Florent-le-Vieil, Saint-Laurent-de-la-Plaine and Saint-Laurent-du-Mottay), Mazé-Milon (only the delegated municipality of Fontaine-Milon), Montilliers, Montreuil-Bellay, Montsoreau, Mozé-sur-Louet, Mûrs-Erigné, Orée d’Anjou (only the delegated municipalities of Bouzillé, Champtoceaux, Drain, Landemont, Liré, Saint-Laurent-des-Autels and La Varenne), Parnay, Le Puy-Notre-Dame, Rives-de-Loir-en-Anjou, Rou-Marson, Sainte-Gemmes-sur-Loire, Saint-Just-sur-Dive, Saint-Macaire-du-Bois, Saint-Martin-du-Fouilloux, Saint-Melaine-sur-Aubance, Saint-Sigismond, Saumur, Soulaines-sur-Aubance, Souzay-Champigny, Tuffalun (only the delegated municipalities of Louerre and Noyant-la-Plaine), Turquant, Les Ulmes, Varennes-sur-Loire, Varrains, Vaudelnay, Verrie, Verrières-en-Anjou;










—


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




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

All optional terms, the use of which, under EU rules, may be regulated by the Member States, must be printed on the labels in letters that are no larger, in height or in width, than twice the size of the letters forming the name of the controlled designation of origin. The name of the controlled designation of origin may be followed by the geographical name ‘Vin de Loire’, in accordance with the rules laid down in the specification. The size of the letters of the geographical name ‘Vin de Loire’ may not be larger, either in height or width, than two-thirds of the size of the letters forming the name of the controlled designation of origin. Wines eligible for the controlled designation of origin may specify a smaller geographical entity on their labels, provided that it is a place name listed in the land registry and that it appears on the harvest declaration. The place name must be printed in letters no larger, either in height or in width, than half the size of the letters forming the name of the controlled designation of origin.

Electronic (URL) reference to publication of the product specification


https://info.agriculture.gouv.fr/boagri/document_administratif-2f9a0325-8ae7-43f2-9a76-f3e4f6921a30



(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/2026/2477/oj
ISSN 1977-091X (electronic edition)