COMMISSION IMPLEMENTING DECISION

of 6 February 2019

on the publication in the

Official Journal of the European Union

of the single document referred to in Article 94(1)(d) of Regulation (EU) No 1308/2013 of the European Parliament and of the Council and of the reference to the publication of the product specification for a name in the wine sector

(Los Cerrillos (PDO))

(2019/C 57/10)

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) Spain has sent an application for protection of the name ‘Los Cerrillos’ in accordance with Section 2 of Chapter I of Title II of Part II of Regulation (EU) No 1308/2013.

(2) In accordance with Article 97(2) of Regulation (EU) No 1308/2013 the Commission has examined that application and concluded that the conditions laid down in Articles 93 to 96, Article 97(1), and Articles 100, 101 and 102 of that Regulation are met.

(3) In order to allow for the submission of statements of objection in accordance with Article 98 of Regulation (EU) No 1308/2013, the single document referred to in Article 94(1)(d) of that Regulation and the publication reference of the product specification made in the course of the preliminary national procedure for examining the application for protection of the name ‘Los Cerrillos’ should be published in the

Official Journal of the European Union

,

HAS DECIDED AS FOLLOWS:

Sole Article

The single document established in accordance with Article 94(1)(d) of Regulation (EU) No 1308/2013 and the reference to the publication of the product specification for the name ‘Los Cerrillos’ (PDO) are contained in the Annex to this Decision.

In accordance with Article 98 of Regulation (EU) No 1308/2013, the publication of this Decision shall confer the right to object to the protection of the name specified in the first paragraph of this Article within two months from the date of its publication in the

Official Journal of the European Union

.

Done at Brussels, 6 February 2019.

For the Commission

Phil HOGAN

Member of the Commission

(1)  

OJ L 347, 20.12.2013, p. 671

.

ANNEX

SINGLE DOCUMENT

‘LOS CERRILLOS’

PDO-ES-02228

Date of application: 11.8.2016

1.   

Name to be registered

Los Cerrillos

2.   

Geographical indication type

PDO — Protected Designation of Origin

3.   

Categories of grapevine products

1.

Wine

4.   

Description of the wine(s)

Tempranillo red wine, Tempranillo and Cabernet Sauvignon red wine, and Syrah red wine.

Red wine with a purplish or cherry-red colour and hints of violet. Its aroma is characterised by fruit with floral fragrances. On the palate, it is pleasant, fresh and well-structured.

The value for maximum total alcoholic strength shall be within the legal limits in accordance with the relevant EU legislation.

General analytical characteristics

Tempranillo and Cabernet Sauvignon red wine (Private Collection) and Cabernet Sauvignon red wine (Family)

Cherry-coloured with hints of garnet/terracotta. Aroma of ripe fruits characterised by notes of liquorice and balsam. It is fleshy, potent and structured on the palate, with rich and creamy hints of ageing.

The value for maximum total alcoholic strength shall be within the legal limits in accordance with the relevant EU legislation.

General analytical characteristics

5.   

Wine making practices

a.   

Essential oenological practices

Specific oenological practice

The varietal wines are made in stainless steel containers. They undergo a long pre-fermentation cold maceration for two to five days at a temperature of 10 to 15 °C, followed by maceration during fermentation for one or two weeks at temperatures of between 20 and 28 °C, until alcoholic fermentation is complete.

The wines that are intended for ageing in barrels are made in stainless steel and undergo maceration during fermentation for 15 to 25 days at temperatures of between 25 and 30 °C. Throughout this process, ‘délestage’ is carried out to encourage extraction of the colour and the phenolic compounds present in the cap during fermentation on skins.

Restriction relevant to vinification

The vinified grapes are not pressed but instead undergo static draining to obtain the ‘drip’ wines. The rest of the marc undergoes gentle dynamic draining, resulting in very low yields.

Once malolactic fermentation is complete, the wines are clarified naturally by decanting rather than being chemically treated, and they are transferred for ageing into 225-litre oak barrels, which are used for a maximum of six years.

The wines are then bottled for the reduction process to take place and for the wine to reach its optimum drinking state.

— Tempranillo: 100 % Tempranillo kept in oak barrels for at least 30 days.

— Syrah: 100 % Syrah, aged in oak barrels for at least six months.

— Tempranillo and Cabernet Sauvignon: blend of Tempranillo and Cabernet Sauvignon, matured in oak barrels for at least six months.

— Private Collection: blend of Tempranillo and Cabernet Sauvignon, matured in oak barrels for at least 13 months.

— ‘Cabernet Sauvignon de Familia’ (Family Reserve Cabernet): 100 % Cabernet Sauvignon. Matured for at least 24 months in barrels. The ageing process is completed by resting in bottles for 18 months.

Cultivation practice

During the growing period, green pruning is carried out to restrict natural growth and improve yield, and therefore the quality of the grapes.

The grapes are harvested between 5 o’clock and 11 o’clock in the morning to avoid them being harvested at high temperatures, thereby ensuring a proper cold maceration.

b.   

Maximum yields

Tempranillo

12 000 kilograms of grapes per hectare

81,60 hectolitres per hectare

Cabernet Sauvignon

10 000 kilograms of grapes per hectare

68,00 hectolitres per hectare

Syrah

13 000 kilograms of grapes per hectare

88,40 hectolitres per hectare

6.   

Demarcated geographical area

The demarcated area includes the following parcels in the municipality of Argamasilla de Alba (Ciudad Real):

AREA/PARCEL

7.   

Main wine grapes variety(ies)

 

TEMPRANILLO — CENCIBEL

 

CABERNET SAUVIGNON

 

SYRAH

8.   

Description of the link(s)

Environment (natural and human factors)

Los Cerrillos is a specific area that covers the whole Vega Alta section of the Guadiana River. It is an area of over 60 km

2

that begins at the source of the Guadiana River, 3 km upstream of the Peñarroya dam, and extends over 7 km downstream of the dam towards Argamasilla de Alba, also shown on the military map of Spain drawn up in 1975.

The Guadiana river runs through the demarcated area, which is located next to the Peñarroya reservoir at an altitude of 695 metres, surrounded by hills that act as a topographical brake on the growing cycle, bypassing the high night-time temperatures that considerably boost the polyphenolic ripening of the grapes, and bringing about strong ventilation.

The soil is mostly limestone. The rock is predominantly marl, a mixture of unconsolidated limestone and clay. It has a loamy texture and a pH of around 8.

The area has a continental Mediterranean climate, characterised by hot summers and cold winters. Fluctuations in temperature can sometimes reach 45 °C and there is a wide range between day-time and night-time temperatures throughout the year. The skies are clear for 80 % of the year; there are usually over 2 500 hours of annual sunshine.

There are considerable differences between Los Cerrillos and its neighbouring areas because of its proximity to the Guadiana river. It has much higher rainfall that the rest of Castile-La Mancha, while its temperatures are not as extreme as those of the surrounding areas to the south and west. The harvest takes place around 15 to 20 days later than in the rest of the area.

A ‘délestage’ process is applied throughout alcoholic fermentation: wine-making techniques are used in which the vinified grapes are not pressed, but instead undergo static draining to obtain the ‘drip’ wines, resulting in hectolitre per hectare yields of 62-68 %, and the wines are clarified naturally by decanting.

Description of the wine

Red wine with a purplish or cherry-red colour and hints of violet or maroon-russet. Aroma with predominance of fruit with floral fragrances or mature fruit with hints of liquorice and balsam. Fresh and pleasing in the mouth, well-structured on the palate with rich and creamy hints of ageing.

As a result of all the above, the alcoholic strength of the wines can exceed 14 %. Combined with an adequate acidity, this alcoholic strength blends in perfectly, making it very important to determine the optimum moment for harvesting by closely monitoring the ripening of the grapes.

The wines have a polyphenol content of up to 80 milliequivalents per litre and they are rich in extracts, aromatic and well-coloured, reaching up to 18 u.a. (sum of the absorbances at 420, 520 and 620 nanometres) in points of colour and an anthocyanin content of up to 800 milligrams per litre.

Link

The location of the demarcated area with its Plio-Quaternary loose materials, hard limestone, marl and ochre clay results in well-coloured wines with the characteristic mineralisation, reaching as many as 18 points of colour.

The Los Cerrillos vineyards, which are located beside the Peñarroya reservoir at an altitude of 695 metres and surrounded by hills. This means it is an area of cool temperatures, which — together with the later harvest — encourages photosynthesis and the formation of the berries and sugars. It reduces the pH, increases the acidity level and gives rise to a phenolic compound content of up to 80 milliequivalents per litre and a higher concentration of anthocyanins (up to 800 milligrams per litre).

The ‘délestage’ process throughout alcoholic fermentation, the practice of not pressing the grapes and the natural clarification process by decanting, gives rise to wines with more floral than fruity aromas and aged wines with spiced, roasted notes and touches of liquorice and balsam.

Although the demarcated geographical area is surrounded by the La Mancha PDO, its characteristics are substantially different to the adjoining demarcated area as regards the following factors:

Given the limy soil, the marl rock, the altitude and the influence of the river, there is only one wine-producing vineyard estate in the demarcated area and it is owned by the applicant.

It is important to note that the demarcated area covers 1 570 hectares belonging to different owners but that no other vines have been planted and there are no other wineries there. Therefore, the demarcation was carried out on the basis of the environmental conditions, as described above.

Moreover, other producers may use the registered name if they set up in the demarcated geographical area in the future, provided that they meet the conditions set out in the specification. Considering that the demarcated area covers 1 570 hectares, it is perfectly possible for other wineries to be set up there.

9.   

Essential further conditions

Legal framework:

In national legislation

Type of further condition:

Packaging in the demarcated geographical area

Description of the condition:

The wines will be bottled in the production area because in all cases the process is concluded with a second stage of ageing in bottles. There is a reduction process in this period, which enhances the quality of the wines, rounding out their flavour. They are ready for consumption when they attain the organoleptic characteristics set out in the specifications for each type of wine.

Link to the product specification

http://pagina.jccm.es/agricul/paginas/comercial-industrial/consejos_new/pliegos/Los_Cerrillos_pliego_condiciones_20180719.pdf