COMMISSION IMPLEMENTING DECISION

of 6 December 2018

on the publication in the

Official Journal of the European Union

of an application to amend the specification for a name in the wine sector in accordance with Article 105 of Regulation (EU) No 1308/2013 of the European Parliament and of the Council

(Graves supérieures (PDO))

(2018/C 449/06)

THE EUROPEAN COMMISSION,

Having regard to the Treaty on the Functioning of the European Union,

Having regard to Regulation (EU) No 1308/2013 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 17 December 2013 establishing a common organisation of the markets in agricultural products and repealing Council Regulations (EEC) No 922/72, (EEC) No 234/79, (EC) No 1037/2001 and (EC) No 1234/2007 (1), and in particular Article 97(3) thereof,

Whereas:

(1) France submitted an application to amend the specification for the name ‘Graves supérieures’ in accordance with Article 105 of Regulation (EU) No 1308/2013.

(2) The Commission examined that application and found that the conditions laid down in Articles 93 to 96, 97(1), 100, 101 and 102 of Regulation (EU) No 1308/2013 had been met.

(3) In order to allow statements of objection to be submitted in accordance with Article 98 of Regulation (EU) No 1308/2013, the application to amend the specification for the name ‘Graves supérieures’ should be published in the

Official Journal of the European Union

,

HAS DECIDED AS FOLLOWS:

Sole Article

The application to amend the specification for the name ‘Graves supérieures’ (PDO) in accordance with Article 105 of Regulation (EU) No 1308/2013 is contained in the Annex to this Decision.

In accordance with Article 98 of Regulation (EU) No 1308/2013, the publication of this Decision in the

Official Journal of the European Union

confers the right to oppose the amendment of the specification referred to in the first paragraph of this Article within two months.

Done at Brussels, 6 December 2018.

For the Commission

Phil HOGAN

Member of the Commission

(1)  

OJ L 347, 20.12.2013, p. 671

.

ANNEX

‘GRAVES SUPÉRIEURES’

PDO-FR-A1014-AM02

Date of submission of the application: 7 March 2016

APPLICATION FOR AMENDMENT OF THE SPECIFICATION

1.   

Rules applicable to the amendment

Article 105 of Regulation (EU) No 1308/2013 — Non-minor amendment

2.   

Description of and reasons for the amendment

2.1.   

Geographical area

Chapter I, section IV, point 1 of the specification is amended as follows:

— The following words are added after the word ‘Virelade’: ‘and in the part of the municipality of Coimères corresponding to section A “des Herrères” of the first page of the land register (1934 revised plan) certified to be in accordance with the updated land register on 5 November 2010’. The purpose of this amendment is to include within the geographical area a part of the municipality of Coimères where similar vine training methods and a very similar planting area – in terms of landscape, topography, hydrology, geology and soil – to that of the neighbouring vineyards covered by the ‘Graves supérieures’ designation have long been used in wine production. This part of the municipality of Coimères is located immediately next to the geographical area covered by the ‘Graves supérieures’ PDO.

The request to incorporate the municipality of Coimères was lodged in 1938 just after national recognition had been granted to the designation, after it was pointed out by an operator at that time that the municipality had been overlooked. Despite successive decisions by national bodies approving the inclusion of the municipality in the geographical area covered by the designation, the decision was never subsequently incorporated into official texts. The reason for including this municipality now is simply to rectify its omission many years ago.

— The words ‘Martignas-sur-Jalle’ and ‘Saint-Jean-d'Illac’ are deleted. The purpose of this amendment is to exclude the municipalities of Martignas-sur-Jalle and Saint-Jean-d'Illac from the geographical area as wine production no longer takes place there and no vineyards or parcels covered by the PDO are situated in those municipalities.

Point 6 of the Single Document has been amended accordingly.

2.2.   

Demarcated parcel area

In chapter I, section IV, point 2 of the specification, after the words ‘of 10 February 2011’, the following words are added: ‘and of its standing committee of 4 September 2013, by delegation of the national committee’. The purpose of this amendment is to add the date on which the competent national authority approved a modification of the demarcated parcel area within the geographical area of production. Parcels are demarcated by identifying the parcels within the geographical area of production that are suitable for producing the protected designation of origin in question.

The Single Document is not affected by this amendment.

2.3.   

Total alcoholic strength by volume

Chapter I, section IX, point 1(e) of the specification is amended as follows:

‘For wines with the “Graves supérieures” protected designation of origin, enrichment by means of dry sugaring or rectified concentrated must not lead to a total alcoholic strength by volume after enrichment of more than 15 %. Enrichment by partial concentration of musts to be used in wine production is permitted, subject to a 10 % concentration limit for the volumes enriched using this method. The total alcoholic strength by volume may be increased to 19 % vol.’

The above provisions are in line with Regulation (EU) No 1308/2013, Annex VII, Part II, point 1 of which states that ‘the upper limit for the total alcoholic strength may exceed 15 % vol. for wines with a protected designation of origin which have been obtained without enrichment, or enriched only by partial concentration processes listed in point 1 of Section B of Part I of Annex VIII, provided that the product specification in the technical file of the protected designation of origin concerned allows for that possibility’.

The possibility of increasing the total alcoholic strength by volume to 19 % for fortified wines was added in Regulation (EU) No 1308/2013 by Regulation (EU) 2017/2393. The purpose of this amendment is to consolidate the product specification, taking account of the fact that ‘Graves supérieures’ wines obtained from overripe grapes may reach a high alcoholic strength and that the legislation requires this to be set out in the specification.

The Single Document is not affected by this amendment.

2.4.   

Link to the origin

In chapter I, section X, point 1, third indent of the specification, the number ‘43’ is replaced by ‘42’. This change reflects the correction made to the number of municipalities making up the geographical area following the removal of two municipalities (Martignas-sur-Jalle and Saint-Jean-d'Illac) and the addition of part of the municipality of Coimères.

The ‘Link to the origin’ section of the Single Document has been amended accordingly.

SINGLE DOCUMENT

1.   

Name

‘Graves supérieures’

2.   

Type of geographical indication

PDO — Protected designation of origin

3.   

Categories of grapevine products

1.

Wine

4.   

Description of the wine(s)

Still white wines with residual sugars obtained from overripe grapes harvested by hand in successive selections, based on the Semillon B variety which produces round, full-bodied wines with a golden colour and aromas of candied fruit. Any blending with the Sauvignon B and Muscadelle B varieties adds a note of freshness.

Minimum natural alcoholic strength by volume: 13,5 %.

Fermentable sugar content (G+F): at least 34 g/l.

The other analytical criteria are in line with EU rules.

General analytical characteristics

5.   

Wine-making practices

a.   

Essential oenological practices

Density and distance

Growing method

The minimum vine planting density is 5 000 plants per hectare.

The spacing between the vine rows must not exceed 2 metres, and the spacing between plants in the same row must be at least 0,8 metres.

Pruning rules

Growing method

Pruning is carried out at the unfolded leaves stage (Lorenz stage 9) at the latest.

Vines are pruned with a maximum of 12 buds per plant, using the following techniques:

— ‘short’ (or spur) pruning or ‘shoot’ (or long) pruning;

— short pruning to two cordons, or fan pruning to four arms.

Grape harvest

Wine-making restriction

The wines are made from overripe grapes (presence of noble rot and/or raisining on the plant) harvested by hand in successive selections.

Enrichment

Specific oenological practice

Enrichment is permitted as set out in the product specification.

b.   

Maximum yields

48 hectolitres per hectare

6.   

Demarcated area

The grapes are harvested and the wines made, developed and aged in the territory of the following municipalities in the department of Gironde: Arbanats, Ayguemortes-les-Graves, Beautiran, Bègles, La Brède, Budos, Cabanac-Villagrains, Cadaujac, Canéjan, Castres-Gironde, Cérons, Cestas, Eysines, Gradignan, Guillos, Le Haillan, Illats, Isle-Saint-Georges, Landiras, Langon, Léogeats, Léognan, Martillac, Mazères, Mérignac, Pessac, Podensac, Portets, Pujols-sur-Ciron, Roaillan, Saint-Médard-d'Eyrans, Saint-Michel-de-Rieufret, Saint-Morillon, Saint-Pardon-de-Conques, Saint-Pierre-de-Mons, Saint-Selve, Saucats, Talence, Toulenne, Villenave-d'Ornon and Virelade, and in the part of the municipality of Coimères corresponding to section A ‘des Herrères’ of the first page of the land register (1934 revised plan) certified to be in accordance with the updated land register on 5 November 2010.

7.   

Main wine grapes

 

Muscadelle B

 

Sauvignon B

 

Sauvignon gris G

 

Semillon B

8.   

Description of the link(s)

The geographical area of the ‘Graves supérieures’ protected designation of origin is a strip some 10 km wide situated on the left bank of the Garonne, beginning north of Bordeaux and ending south-east of Langon.

As the name suggests, the ‘Graves supérieures’ area is characterised by soils made up of shingles, pebbles, largely coarse gravel and sand mixed with silt and clay, in places on a base of calcareous rock but generally on pure sand, iron-rich sandstone (alios) or clay. The area spans 42 municipalities of the Gironde department.

These soils are the result of a long and complex geological history, closely linked to the origins of the Garonne, changes in its course and successive glacial periods during the quaternary era. During those periods Pyrenees glaciers eroded valleys, creating gravel and boulders which rivers would then carry downstream to the Bordeaux region. Gravel hillocks of all types and sizes are the only remaining traces of these successive deposits.

The soils which have since formed there are all highly permeable owing to their high gravel and shingle content. ‘Graves supérieures’ wines owe their structure and image of excellence above all to these characteristic soils, among others. By encouraging the flow of water, the slopes ensure perfect surface drainage, also supported by a large hydrographic network made up of small streams, tributaries of the Garonne. In these types of soil, the vines' water supply is strictly regulated.

The vineyards benefit from a special and favourable climate, since they are protected from harsh weather to the west by pine forests playing an important role in regulating the temperature and from high temperatures and excess humidity thanks to the proximity of the Garonne, ensuring aeration and natural ventilation. They also benefit from oceanic influences which help to mitigate spring frost. The area's vineyard landscapes, consisting of gentle slopes where bright, polished pebbles reflect light onto the grapes, are set between the river and pine forests.

Home to the great white and red wines of Bordeaux, the ‘Graves supérieures’ area is the birthplace of techniques still used to this day. In this oceanic climate, vine growing has required the use of

échalas

(support poles) since the 17th and 18th centuries, followed by widespread trellising and a severe pruning method to ensure a well distributed grape harvest and sufficient leaf area for photosynthesis and optimum ripeness.

In line with the traditional methods, the parcel area selected for the harvesting of grapes consists of parcels with natural drainage resulting from either their drainage quality or their position on a hilltop or slope. It excludes locations that are subject to spring frost for reasons of geography or topography, either because they are too far from the Garonne to benefit from the river's heat-regulating effect, or because they are encircled by forest blocking the flow of cold air masses.

The precisely defined parcels ensure optimum development of the local vine varieties which have been selected over time for their keeping and ageing qualities, allowing the wines to be transported over long distances.

Wines with the ‘Graves supérieures’ protected designation of origin are exclusively white wines with residual sugars obtained from overripe grapes harvested by hand in successive selections. They are based on the Semillon B variety which produces round, full-bodied wines with a golden colour and aromas of candied fruit. The geographical area of the designation enjoys a climate which is particularly favourable to this harvesting technique. Blending with the Sauvignon B and Muscadelle B grape varieties, harvested using the same techniques, adds a note of freshness to the wines. This freshness also reflects the nature of the sandy soils or clayey matrix on which the parcels covered by the designation are planted, giving these wines with residual sugar a good balance, finesse and floral and fruity notes. Well suited to a few years of ageing, the wines can also be enjoyed young.

The minimum planting density is high so as to ensure an adequate harvest without overloading the vines, thereby guaranteeing the grapes' ripeness and optimum fruit concentration.

The ‘Graves supérieures’ protected designation of origin acquired international renown thanks to the nearby Port of Bordeaux, where a busy trade developed to market the wines across the globe, and to the unique geographical and soil conditions of the wine-making area.

9.   

Essential further conditions

Area in immediate proximity

Legal framework:

National legislation

Type of further condition:

Derogation concerning production in the demarcated geographical area

Description of the condition:

The area in immediate proximity, defined by derogation for the making, development and ageing of the wines, comprises the territory of the following municipalities of the department of Gironde: Barsac, Beguey, Bieujac, Bommes, Cadillac, Castets en Dorthe, Fargues, Langoiran, Loupiac, Le Pian sur Garonne, Preignac, Rions, Saint-Loubert, Saint-Maixant, Saint-Pierre-d'Aurillac, Sainte-Croix-du-Mont and Sauternes.

Broader geographical unit

Legal framework:

National legislation

Type of further condition:

Additional provisions relating to labelling

Description of the condition:

Wines with this protected designation of origin may specify on their labels the broader geographical unit ‘Vin de Graves’.

The size of the letters used for this broader geographical unit 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.

10.   

Link to the product specification

https://info.agriculture.gouv.fr/gedei/site/bo-agri/document_administratif-d7275bf9-c6c4-43be-8478-caaef27859df