COMMISSION IMPLEMENTING DECISION

of 14 March 2018

on the publication in the

Official Journal of the European Union

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

(Chianti Classico (PDO))

(2018/C 100/09)

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) Italy has sent an application for amendment of the specification for the name ‘Chianti Classico’ in accordance with Article 105 of Regulation (EU) No 1308/2013.

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

(3) In order to allow for the presentation of statements of opposition in accordance with Article 98 of Regulation (EU) No 1308/2013, the application for amendment of the specification for the name ‘Chianti Classico’ should be published in the

Official Journal of the European Union

,

HAS DECIDED AS FOLLOWS:

Sole Article

The application for amendment of the specification for the name ‘Chianti Classico’ (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 confers the right to oppose the amendment of the specification referred to in the first paragraph of this Article within two months of the date of its publication in the

Official Journal of the European Union

.

Done at Brussels, 14 March 2018.

For the Commission

Phil HOGAN

Member of the Commission

(1)  

OJ L 347, 20.12.2013, p. 671

.

ANNEX

‘CHIANTI CLASSICO’

PDO-IT-A1235-AM02

Date of application: 24.12.2015

REQUEST FOR AMENDMENT TO THE PRODUCT SPECIFICATION

1.   

Rules applicable to the amendment

Article 105 of Regulation (EU) No 1308/2013 – Non-minor modification

2.   

Description and reasons for amendment

2.1.   

Amendment to Article 4 of the product specification

This amendment proposes that Chianti Classico wine may only be sold once certification has been obtained by the relevant control body. It is felt that the amendment to the specification will provide greater assurance of the quality of the product that will henceforth be able to be transferred from the production cellar for commercial purposes only if certification has been provided. The amendment is therefore intended to enhance the average quality of Chianti Classico and maximise the authenticity and typical nature of the product.

This amendment does not concern the single document.

2.2.   

Amendment to Article 5 of the product specification

The amendment to Article 5 introduces a new type of Chianti Classico product, qualifying it with the words ‘Gran Selezione’, indicating the technical production methods used. The intention is to obtain a type of product which can be placed at the top of a new ‘quality pyramid’ for Chianti Classico. The ‘Gran Selezione’ Chianti Classico wine has specific chemical, physical and organoleptic properties, more restrictive than Chianti Classico vintage or ‘Riserva’ wines, and is only bottled by the producer, which must therefore choose (select) its optimum Chianti Classico wine.

This amendment appears in the single document:

— under point 4 ‘Description of the wine(s)’ under the title ‘Chianti Classico Gran Selezione’;

— under point 5 ‘Winemaking practices’ under the title ‘Essential oenological practices’;

— under point 9 ‘Essential further conditions’ under the title ‘Chianti Classico Gran Selezione’.

2.3.   

Amendment to Article 6 of the product specification

The organoleptic requirements for Chianti Classico have been slightly amended and from a chemical point of view, the minimum sugar-free extract limit has been increased. In recent years, owing also to the use of new Sangiovese clones, vintage and ‘Riserva’ Chianti Classico wines have become more structured and the minimum sugar-free extract has increased, as it is almost never below the new limits established (24 g/l for vintage and 25 g/l for the Riserva). Lastly, it is proposed that for Chianti Classico Gran Selezione, the extract should be 26 g/l, on the basis that this category includes wines which have been aged for a long time and that are therefore more full-bodied.

For Chianti Classico Riserva, the amendments contain a proposal to standardise this production as much as possible.

This amendment appears in the single document:

— under point 4 ‘Description of the wine(s)’ under the titles ‘Chianti Classico’, ‘Chianti Classico Riserva’ and ‘Chianti Classico Gran Selezione’.

2.4.   

Amendment to Article 7 of the product specification

The amendments contained in Article 7 only relate to the figurative ‘Gallo Nero’ (Black Rooster) logo. Pursuant to Article 17(7) of Legislative Decree No 61/2010, the distinguishing feature of ‘Chianti Classico’ is the image of a black rooster, which, since 2005, must appear on all bottles of Chianti Classico DOCG wine. In the proposed amendment to the product specification, the style and colour of the black rooster image have been changed slightly; this new version has therefore replaced the previously used logo.

The figurative logo and the words ‘Gallo Nero’ cannot under any circumstances replace the name of the PDO Chianti Classico. The brand in question is merely an additional feature that must be placed on bottles of PDO Chianti Classico wine.

This amendment appears in the single document:

— under point 9 ‘Essential further conditions’ under the titles ‘Chianti Classico’, ‘Chianti Classico Riserva’ and ‘Chianti Classico Gran Selezione’ (final element).

2.5.   

Amendment to Article 8 of the product specification

The proposing Consortium has decided to prohibit the use of the Tuscan ‘fiasco’ basket for Chianti Classico Riserva and Chianti Classico Gran Selezione, in keeping with the proposed amendments designed to increase the quality of the product and its standing at the higher end of the market.

This amendment does not concern the single document.

SINGLE DOCUMENT

1.   

Registered name

Chianti Classico

2.   

Geographical indication type

PDO — protected designation of origin

3.   

Categories of grapevine products

1.

Wine

4.   

Description of the wine(s)

Chianti Classico

—   

Colour

: ruby red, varying intensity;

—   

Aroma

: intense, floral, characteristic;

—   

Flavour

: dry, fresh, sapid, slightly tannic which matures over time;

—   

Minimum total alcoholic strength by volume

: 12,0 %;

—   

Minimum sugar-free extract

: 24,0 g/l.

General analytical characteristics

Chianti Classico Riserva

—   

Colour

: intense ruby red, tending to garnet with age;

—   

Aroma

: intense, fruity and long-lasting;

—   

Flavour

: dry, well-balanced and very tannic;

—   

Minimum total alcoholic strength by volume

: 12,5 %;

—   

Minimum sugar-free extract

: 25,0 g/l.

General analytical characteristics

Chianti Classico Gran Selezione

—   

Colour

: intense ruby red, tending to garnet with age;

—   

Aroma

: spicy and long-lasting;

—   

Flavour

: dry, lasting and balanced;

—   

Minimum total alcoholic strength by volume

: 13,0 % vol.

—   

Minimum sugar-free extract

: 26,0 g/l.

General analytical characteristics

For all wines concerned, the other analytical characteristics are in line with the relevant European legislation.

5.   

Wine making practices

a.   

Essential oenological practices

Specific oenological practice

Chianti Classico Gran Selezione

Chianti Classico Gran Selezione can only be obtained from grapes produced from vineyards operated by the bottling company.

b.   

Maximum yields

Chianti Classico, Chianti Classico Riserva and Chianti Classico Gran Selezione:

52,5 hectolitres per hectare

Chianti Classico, Chianti Classico Riserva and Chianti Classico Gran Selezione:

7 500 kg of grapes per hectare

6.   

Demarcated area

The production area of Chianti Classico wines (including the ‘Riserva’ and ‘Gran Selezione’ varieties) is located in the centre of the Tuscany Region, in the territory of the provinces of Florence and Siena. Its boundaries were defined by the Interministerial Decree of 31 July 1932.

Description:

Beginning with a description of the boundaries of the part of this area located within the province of Siena and starting at the point where the border between the provinces of Siena and Arezzo intersects the Borro Ambrella della Vena gully near Pancole in the municipality of Castelnuovo Berardenga.

From that point, the boundary follows the Ambra river and one of its tributaries, which is unnamed, as far as the Ciarpella farm, then the mule track leading to the Casa al Frate farm. From there, it follows a virtual line as far as Ombrone (altitude 298 meters).

Then it follows a mule track and descends to an altitude of 257 meters, where it meets a cart path leading to the road to Castelnuovo Berardenga. That road climbs to a height of 354 meters and then follows the Malena Morta ditch to its confluence with the Borro Spugnaccio gully. The boundary continues along the Malena Morta ditch to Pialli (altitude 227 meters) and then follows the Malena Viva ditch for a short stretch before proceeding along a virtual line toward Santa Lucia (altitude 252 and 265 meters) and the Arbia river. Upon reaching that river, the boundary follows it upstream along the administrative border between the municipalities of Siena and Castelnuovo Berardenga.

The production area’s boundary continues along the administrative borders of Siena, Castelnuovo Berardenga, Castellina, Monteriggioni and Poggibonsi until it meets, at the Borro di Granaio gully, the border of the province of Florence, which it follows as far as the Le Valli farm. Afterwards, it follows the municipal road, passing by San Giorgio and the Cinciano springs and continuing along that line until it re-joins the provincial border, which is also the border between Poggibonsi and Barberino. It then follows the Drove river until it enters the province of Florence. Description of the boundaries of the part of this area located within the province of Florence: Initially, the boundary follows the Drove river as far as Mulino della Chiara, where it meets the administrative border between the municipalities of Tavarnelle and Barberino, which it follows for a short distance. It then bends around towards the east along another small stream, passing Biricucci and Belvedere before reaching immediately afterwards the San Donato-Tavarnelle road. It follows that road to Morocco and then traces a virtual line that, passing by Figlinella, reaches Sambuca and the Pesa river. Still following the course of the river, the boundary coincides with the administrative border between the municipalities of San Casciano Val di Pesa and Tavarnelle initially and then returns to the river after Ponte Rotto. From this point, the area’s boundary coincides with the administrative border of the municipalities of San Casciano and Greve. The boundary of the Chianti Classico production area then re-enters the province of Siena and follows the administrative border of the municipalities of Radda in Chianti and Gaiole and, for a short distance, that of Castelnuovo Berardenga before reaching the point of departure of the description of this zone.

7.   

Main wine grapes

Sangiovese N. - Sangioveto

8.   

Description of the link(s)

Chianti Classico, Chianti Classico Riserva and Chianti Classico Gran Selezione

Morphologically the area is a complex of hills of between 200 m and 600 m above sea level, the slopes of which are not long but are sometimes steep. Geologically the body of the region is a shield of shale (galestro) with areas of scaly clay alternating with fine calcareous sandstone and alberese soil. The soil is generally shallow, recent, and ranging from sandy-clay to pebbly with medium percentages of clay; chemically it is characterised by low organic matter, a reduced presence of assimilable phosphorous and a high number of exchangeable cations. The hilly terrain creates torrential streams and causes considerable difficulty in controlling the waters, including in relation to specific rainfall patterns. The area has a continental climate: temperatures in winter can be very low and summers are dry. The daily temperature range is moderate and annual rainfall is around 850 mm.

The winemaking tradition in the territory is age-old, with records from Etruscan and Roman times linked to the world of wine. From the end of the Middle Ages large areas were dedicated to the cultivation of vines, which became financially significant and gained an international reputation. The wine produced has been mentioned in historical documents since 1200 and the first notarial deed in which the name Chianti appears in reference to wine produced in this area dates back to 1398. The Chianti Classico area was the first winemaking area in the world to be defined in a 1716 proclamation by Cosimo III, Grand Duke of Tuscany; this specified the boundaries of the area in which Chianti wines could be produced. Chianti wine was produced using only the Sangiovese grape variety. Between 1834 and 1837, Baron Bettino Ricasoli, an Italian statesman who was the Italian Prime Minister in 1861, published the most suitable composition for obtaining a pleasant, semi-sparkling red wine, which would subsequently become the basis for the official composition of Chianti wine: 70 % Sangiovese, 15 % Canaiolo, 15 % Malvasia; and application of the ‘Governo all’uso Toscano’ technique.

As production in the area could not meet the growing demand, neighbouring areas also started to produce wine using the same systems and grape blends as those in the Chianti area. Therefore, in 1924, 33 producers founded the consortium to protect Chianti wine and its mark of origin, and, in 1932, a decree granted wine from the oldest Chianti wine-growing area the right to use the ‘Classico’ label as wine produced in the historic area. In 1996, after a procedure lasting 70 years, Chianti Classico was recognised as being independent from the standard Chianti and given its own separate product specification.

Producers of this wine have always preferred to use the native Sangiovese vine variety, and they continue to preserve growing techniques that do not affect the particular characteristics of the grapes.

The traditional vine training methods are the Guyot ‘Tuscan arch’ system and the spurred cordon. The grape and wine yields per hectare have also be fixed, at 7,5 tonnes of grapes or 52,5 hl of wine, the lowest in Italy. Vintage wine may not be released for consumption before 1 October of the year after the harvest.

The combination of natural and human factors gives Chianti Classico wine a fruity, round, dry, flavourful taste, a deep-red colour, good structure, alcoholic strength of not less than 12 % and moderate acidity.

Sangiovese, the main grape variety in Chianti Classico wine, is sensitive to external factors and has the distinctive quality of being able to interpret the characteristics of the soil and adapt to the ground in which it grows. It is no coincidence that the Sangiovese grape performs best in only a few areas of Tuscany. An organoleptic feature that characterises Chianti Classico is its floral bouquet of iris and violet typical of the sandstone soil of this area, with an aroma of wild berries deriving from the calcareous content.

The climate, hilly terrain and morphology of the land create an environment that is full of light and thus ideal for the grapes to ripen properly. High summer temperatures, plenty of sunshine continuing until September and October and a fairly high daily temperature range allow the grapes to ripen slowly and create the typical organoleptic and chemical characteristics of Chianti Classico, in particular its colour, bouquet and alcohol content. The low grape yield per hectare affects the grapes by bringing about sugar levels that are compatible with an alcoholic strength of no less than 12 °. Wine-making techniques may differ for the different vine varieties; these are usually made into wine separately to give their organoleptic properties full expression.

The professionalism of the Chianti wine growers as demonstrated by the history of this territory allows the reputation of Chianti Classico and its history to endure.

9.   

Essential further conditions

Chianti Classico, Chianti Classico Riserva and Chianti Classico Gran Selezione

Legal framework:

EU legislation

Type of further condition:

Bottling within the demarcated area

Description of the condition:

The provisions on bottling within the demarcated area have been laid down in line with EU law (Article 8 of Regulation (EC) No 607/2009), and with national law (Article 10(3) and (4) of Decree-Law No 61 of 8 April 2010, now Article 35(3) and (4) of Law No 238/2016). In accordance with the above legislation, with the exception of specific pre-existing situations referred to in Article 5 of the specification, bottling must take place within the demarcated geographical area to safeguard the quality and reputation of Chianti Classico, guarantee its origin and ensure the effectiveness of the relevant checks. The particular characteristics and qualities of the Chianti Classico wine, which are linked to the geographical area of origin and the reputation of the designation, are better guaranteed if the wine is bottled in the production area, as the application of and compliance with all the technical rules concerning transport and bottling are entrusted to holdings in the area with the necessary knowledge and know-how as well as an interest in preserving the reputation earned. Moreover, the requirement ensures that wine producers are subject to an efficient system of bottling checks by the competent bodies, as all the potential risks of transporting the product outside the area for bottling are avoided. This provision therefore benefits the wine producers themselves who are mindful of and responsible for safeguarding the quality and reputation of the designation.

Chianti Classico Gran Selezione

Legal framework:

EU legislation

Type of further condition:

Additional provisions related to labelling

Description of the condition:

In accordance with Article 66(1) of Regulation (EC) No 607/2009, wines marketed in the Community may label indications referring to certain production methods. The ‘Gran Selezione’ type is used to describe wines made using restrictive grape production and wine processing methods. Specifically, the wines may only be obtained from grapes produced from vineyards operated by the bottling company; they may not be enriched with external products and must have superior chemical/physical and organoleptic characteristics to the ‘Riserva’ type. In summary, the intention was to ensure that grape production and bottling were carried out by the same holding, without placing any further restrictions on the bottling area compared to those laid down and justified for the designation as a whole. ‘Gran Selezione’ is the top of the Chianti Classico range and it is obtained through the careful selection of the best vineyards and grapes by wine growers under their own responsibility. The additional condition of the requirement for producers of ‘Gran Selezione’ wine to bottle the wine themselves stems from the need to guarantee the achievement of all the specific characteristics of a product that is particularly complex and unique. It is therefore necessary, even more so for this type than for the standard Chianti Classico, for the phases of production, vinification and bottling to be carried out by a single entity in order to place responsibility for the quality of the product on a single operator.

Chianti Classico, Chianti Classico Riserva and Chianti Classico Gran Selezione

Legal framework:

National legislation

Type of further condition:

Additional provisions relating to labelling

Description of the condition:

Pursuant to Article 17(7) of Legislative Decree No 61/2010, now Article 41(9) of Law No 238/2016, the distinguishing feature of ‘Chianti Classico’ is the image of a black rooster, which, since 2005, must appear on all bottles of Chianti Classico DOCG wine.

The figurative logo and the words ‘Gallo Nero’ cannot under any circumstances replace the name of the PDO Chianti Classico. The brand in question is merely an additional feature that must be placed on bottles of PDO Chianti Classico wine.

Link to the product specification

https://www.politicheagricole.it/flex/cm/pages/ServeBLOB.php/L/IT/IDPagina/8292