This communication is published in accordance with Article 17(5) of Commission Delegated Regulation (EU) 2019/33 (1).

COMMUNICATING THE APPROVAL OF A STANDARD AMENDMENT

‘Montefalco’

PDO-IT-A0845-AM04

Date of communication: 23.10.2023

DESCRIPTION OF AND REASONS FOR THE APPROVED AMENDMENT

1.   Recognition of traditional production situations

The current production process (since the PDO/PGI was established on 30 October 1979) authorises Montefalco wine to be made and aged at certain existing traditional production sites for Montefalco in the neighbouring municipalities of Foligno and Spoleto.

With this amendment, the area of vinification and bottling has been uncoupled from the area of production of the grapes, allowing certain producers to undertake vinification and bottling operations, as long as they are in possession of all the traditional elements which are now better set out in the new specification for the ‘Montefalco’ PDO.

This amendment relates to Article 5 of the specification and the section ‘Final conditions – Derogation from production in the demarcated geographical area’ of the single document.

2.   Use of the broader geographical area ‘Umbria’

Description: the use of the broader geographical name ‘Umbria’ is allowed on the labelling and presentation of ‘Montefalco’ PDO wines. The name ‘Umbria’ must be separated from the geographical designation and from the wording ‘Denominazione di Origine Controllata’. The font size for the name ‘Umbria’ must be smaller than that of the ‘Montefalco’ designation, and the same font, style, spacing, prominence, colour and colorimetric intensity must be used for both.

Reasons: the amendment better contextualises the geographical area, providing enhanced information to better communicate the link with the area of production. It is an amendment suitable for making the designation stand out on the supermarket shelf and on the wine menu at restaurants. It is a real amendment to the geographical information, adding new and evocative content. The use of the name ‘Umbria’ has not been made obligatory but is up to the producer.

This amendment affects Article 7 of the product specification and the Section ‘Additional provisions relating to labelling’ of the single document.

SINGLE DOCUMENT

1.   Name(s)

Montefalco

2.   Geographical indication type

PDO – Protected Designation of Origin

3.   Categories of grapevine product

1.

Wine

4.   Description of the wine(s)

1.   Montefalco Bianco

CONCISE TEXTUAL DESCRIPTION

Colour: straw yellow of varying intensity, may have greenish tints.

Aroma: delicate, vinous, with notes of yellow-fleshed fruit, citrus and tropical fruit of varying intensity. Floral notes.

Taste: fresh or lightly acidic, flavoursome and long. Fruity, harmonious. Pleasant bitterness on the finish.

Minimum natural alcoholic strength by volume: 11,00 %.

Minimum sugar-free extract: 17,0 g/litre.

Any analytical parameters not shown in the table below comply with the limits laid down in national and EU legislation.

General analytical characteristics
Maximum total alcoholic strength (in % volume)
Minimum actual alcoholic strength (in % volume)
Minimum total acidity	5,0 grams per litre expressed as tartaric acid
Maximum volatile acidity (in milliequivalents per litre)
Maximum total sulphur dioxide (in milligrams per litre)

2.   Montefalco Grechetto

CONCISE TEXTUAL DESCRIPTION

Colour: straw yellow of varying intensity or tending to golden, sometimes with greenish tints.

Aroma: delicate, refined, fruity (apple, pear, peach, sometimes pineapple or citrus) and floral (hawthorn, sometimes broom or camomile).

Taste: harmonious, fresh, with a pleasant bitterness, well-structured, fruity (apple, pear, peach, sometimes pineapple or citrus).

Minimum total alcoholic strength by volume: 11,50 %

Minimum sugar-free extract: 17,0 g/litre.

Any analytical parameters not shown in the table below comply with the limits laid down in national and EU legislation.

General analytical characteristics
Maximum total alcoholic strength (in % volume)
Minimum actual alcoholic strength (in % volume)
Minimum total acidity	5,0 grams per litre expressed as tartaric acid
Maximum volatile acidity (in milliequivalents per litre)
Maximum total sulphur dioxide (in milligrams per litre)

3.   Montefalco Rosso

CONCISE TEXTUAL DESCRIPTION

Colour: ruby red.

Aroma: typical hints of cherry and forest fruits, raspberry and blueberry.

Taste: dry, harmonious, with a finely balanced body.

Minimum total alcoholic strength by volume: 12,00 %

Minimum sugar-free extract: 23,0 g/l.

Any analytical parameters not shown in the table below comply with the limits laid down in national and EU legislation.

General analytical characteristics
Maximum total alcoholic strength (in % volume)
Minimum actual alcoholic strength (in % volume)
Minimum total acidity	4,5 grams per litre expressed as tartaric acid
Maximum volatile acidity (in milliequivalents per litre)
Maximum total sulphur dioxide (in milligrams per litre)

4.   Montefalco Rosso Riserva

CONCISE TEXTUAL DESCRIPTION

Colour: ruby red, tending to garnet with age.

Aroma: intense, fruity, sometimes with spicy and balsamic notes.

Taste: dry, harmonious, well-structured, long.

Minimum total alcoholic strength by volume: 12,50 %

Minimum sugar-free extract: 23,0 g/l.

Any analytical parameters not shown in the table below comply with the limits laid down in national and EU legislation.

General analytical characteristics
Maximum total alcoholic strength (in % volume)
Minimum actual alcoholic strength (in % volume)
Minimum total acidity	4,5 grams per litre expressed as tartaric acid
Maximum volatile acidity (in milliequivalents per litre)
Maximum total sulphur dioxide (in milligrams per litre)

5.   Wine-making practices

5.1.   Specific oenological practices

1.   RISERVA

Specific oenological practice

The ‘Montefalco Rosso’ type may bear the designation ‘Riserva’ if the grapes are subject to specific annual reporting and are entered in a wine-making register, and the wine has been aged for at least 30 months, of which 12 months in barrels, from the 1st of November of the year in which the grapes were produced.

5.2.   Maximum yields:

1.	Montefalco Bianco 12 000 kilograms of grapes per hectare

2.	Montefalco Bianco 84 hectolitres per hectare

3.	Montefalco Grechetto 12 000 kilograms of grapes per hectare

4.	Montefalco Grechetto 84 hectolitres per hectare

5.	Montefalco Rosso 11 000 kilograms of grapes per hectare

6.	Montefalco Rosso 77 hectolitres per hectare

7.	Montefalco Rosso Riserva 11 000 kilograms of grapes per hectare

8.	Montefalco Rosso Riserva 77 hectolitres per hectare

6.   Demarcated geographical area

The production area of the ‘Montefalco’ PDO is situated in the municipalities of Montefalco, Bevagna, Gualdo Cattaneo, Castel Ritaldi and Giano dell’Umbria, in the province of Perugia.

7.   Wine grape variety(-ies)

Grechetto B

Sagrantino N

Sangiovese N

Trebbiano Spoletino B – Trebbiano

8.   Description of the link(s)

Montefalco PDO

Natural factors relevant to the link

The geographical area of production of the ‘Montefalco’ PDO is located in the province of Perugia, in the centre of Umbria. It is a highly productive area, with gently sloping parcels lying across hillsides crowned by medieval settlements. The cultivated area is situated at levels between 220 and 472 metres in height, across the highest hills, while the vineyard parcels vary in their degrees of incline and in their aspect. The result is a broad range of microclimates and growing conditions, which also enables individual wineries to produce wines with distinguishing characteristics of interest.

The climate is sub-continental with some Mediterranean characteristics. It has hot but not suffocating summers and winters that are rather cold but not too wet. Average summer temperatures are between 18 °C and 23 °C, winter temperatures between 4 °C and 6 °C, with average annual rainfall between 750 and 1 300 millimetres, with the minimum in summer and maximum in autumn.

Nature of the soils – In terms of soil, the production area is characterised by four sub-areas as follows:

—	river/lake conglomerates, characterised by yellow sands, sometimes compacted, giving the wines mineral characteristics;

—	lake clay and sands, producing sandy and pebbly soils with depth and excellent drainage;

—	current, recent and lower lying alluvium, mainly sandy and pebbly (Holocene), on the flatter surfaces;

—	marl, characteristic of broad areas with typical rocky outcrops from the Miocene, with typical yellowish sandstone and greyish silty marl, but also greyish silty clay.

The lands mainly planted with vines within the area consist of a limestone and clay matrix with some limited stony content and a good percentage of active limestone, with levels ranging from 5,5 % to 9,2 %.

Given the abundance of finely divided carbonates, there is always a certain level of alkalinity, at times pronounced (7,8 to 8,2), with the minimum levels on the alluvial terraces and the maximum on clay.

Organic matter is present in significant quantities ranging from 1,5 % to 2,2 %, often exceeding 1 % even at 1 metre depth. This is noteworthy given the rapid homogenisation of the soil as a result of being worked.

There are high levels of available phosphorus and exchangeable potassium, especially in soils situated on Miocene outcrops (maximum 43 and 404 ppm respectively).

As the roots descend, the thickness of each stratum gradually diminishes (from over 150 centimetres to less than 70 centimetres as the roots pass from the alluvial soils through the clay and sandy soils to the turbidites and conglomerates underneath), though always allowing sufficient area for the roots to develop. This characteristic is combined with the excellent field capacity of the soils, the wise choice of rootstocks by wine-growers and management of water resources by adopting the best growing practices throughout the year. As a result, vineyards are able to withstand any water stress in the summer and produce grapes that can reach the correct degrees of ripeness and optimal levels of acidity and structure.

Historical and human factors relevant to the link

Montefalco and the municipalities that make up the area of the designation have always been great ‘wine country’, as demonstrated by a multitude of historical sources which tell of the hills dedicated to wine-growing.

As early as 1088, there were written references to lands planted with vines. Numerous documents dating back to the 13th century provide evidence of the constant care that the area’s wine-growers dedicated to viticulture, even in the city centre and in gardens. In this way, they created an original agricultural product, still evident today along the extraordinary route of historical vines. As of the first half of the 14th century, local laws began to protect vines and wine, dedicating entire chapters and sections of municipal statutes to them.

In 1622, Cardinal Boncompagni, legate of Perugia, severely increased the penalties laid down in the municipal statutes, even establishing the ‘penalty of hanging if any person harm the grape vine’.

In 1925, at the Umbria Wine Fair, the town was described as the most important viticulture centre of the region (‘Montefalco occupies first place in the cultivation of specialised vineyards’). Documents also show the complexity of wine culture in the area, and the different wines produced at the time, both white and red.

Human factors have influenced the development of the wine-growing and production techniques of the Montefalco wines, including the technical and productive aspects laid down in the specification of the designation.

In particular, such factors include the selection of the combination of grape varieties and the traditional forms of training: originally fan-shape or ‘éventail’, spur-pruned cordon and then Guyot.

Harvesting is generally late in the ripening periods of the grapes, especially for Sagrantino, Trebbiano Spoletino, and also Sangiovese and Grechetto. Harvesting takes place when the grapes are healthy and have a high sugar content.

The practices relating to the production of wines are those traditionally established in the area. Specifically, the use of Sangiovese and Sagrantino grapes to make wine ensures the maximum expression of quality. This involves production techniques for the maximum extraction of colour and polyphenols, followed by medium to long maturation periods resulting in structured red wines. In the case of the white wines, the techniques used are intended to preserve the natural freshness and aromatic qualities. ‘Montefalco Bianco’ and ‘Montefalco Grechetto’

‘Montefalco Bianco’ wine is straw yellow of varying intensity in colour. It may have greenish tints. The aroma is delicate, vinous, with notes of yellow-fleshed fruit, citrus and tropical fruit of varying intensity and floral notes.

The flavour is fresh or lightly acidic, flavoursome and long, fruity, characteristic, harmonious with a pleasant bitterness on the finish.

‘Montefalco Grechetto’ wine is straw yellow of varying intensity or tending to golden in colour, sometimes with greenish tints. Its aroma is delicate, refined, fruity (apple, pear, peach, sometimes pineapple or citrus) and floral (hawthorn, sometimes broom or camomile). Its flavour has a bitterness, and is well-structured and fruity, specifically with hints of apple, pear, peach and sometimes pineapple or citrus.

Both wines have a good level of acidity (minimum 5 grams per litre expressed as tartaric acid), and sugar-free extract (minimum 17 grams per litre) which bring out the freshness and structure. Indeed, they are wines which can be enjoyed when young but can also improve with age.

These characteristics are due to the soil and climatic conditions of the geographical area of production. The terrain is hilly and the climate between Mediterranean and sub-continental. Summers are hot but not suffocating and winters rather cold but not too wet. These factors determine the temperature range and allow the grapes to ripen in an ideal way, with good levels of sugar, organic acids, phenolics and aromatics. Such components are then expressed in the analytical and organoleptic characteristics of the wines, and in their notes of freshness.

The generous levels of available phosphorus and potassium in the soils subsequently bring out the flavour of the wines.

Furthermore, the technical skills of the wine-growers are evident in the choice of traditional vine-training systems: spur-pruned cordon and Guyot. These systems produce low numbers of buds and are ideal for controlling vine vigour and productivity. In addition, there are the subsequent wine-making operations with modern production technology. All of these factors together bring out the aforementioned analytical and sensory characteristics of the wines.

‘Montefalco Rosso’ and ‘Montefalco Rosso Riserva’

‘Montefalco Rosso’ wine is ruby red in colour with typical notes of cherry and forest fruits, raspberry and blueberry. It is fruity with a dry and harmonious taste and finely balanced body.

‘Montefalco Rosso Riserva’ wine is ruby red in colour, tending to garnet with age. Aroma: intense, fruity, sometimes with spicy and balsamic notes.

Taste: dry, harmonious, well-structured, long.

Both wines have a good level of acidity (minimum 4,5 grams per litre expressed as tartaric acid), and sugar-free extract (minimum 23 grams per litre) which bring out the powerful structure.

The wines have a high capacity for ageing. They are able to develop in the bottle and, if kept properly, the ‘Rosso Riserva’ in particular retains its optimal characteristics beyond five years.

These characteristics are due to the soil and climatic conditions of the geographical area of production.

The hilly landscape, aspect and ban on planting on lands that are excessively wet or receive insufficient sunshine are factors that combine with the climate. The latter is Mediterranean tending to sub-continental, with hot but not suffocating summers and winters that are rather cold but not too wet, along with significant thermal ranges. The result is an atmosphere that is airy and bright, free of stagnant waters, ideal for vine-growing and for the grapes to ripen.

Furthermore, the texture and chemical and physical composition of the soils are characterised by limestone and clay with generous levels of phosphorus and potassium. These soils allows the vines to develop the phenolic and colour components in the grape skin, which will in turn provide colour, aromas and structure to the wine.

In particular, the soil and climate conditions of the production area have a positive impact on grapes of the Sangiovese variety, which are the key vines for these wines. In this area, they achieve optimal colour, structure and body, together with the innate finesse, depth and freshness of which this grape variety can boast.

Furthermore, the technical skills of the wine-growers are evident in the constant care in maintaining the land and vineyards, and in the choice of traditional vine-training systems: spur-pruned cordon and Guyot. These systems produce low numbers of buds and are ideal for controlling vine-vigour and productivity. In addition, there are the subsequent wine-making operations with modern production technology. All of these factors together produce these highly structure red wines with excellent sensory qualities.

Causal link between quality, the characteristics of the product and the geographical environment, with the natural and human factors.

9.   Essential further conditions (packaging, labelling, other requirements)

Packaging within the demarcated area

Legal framework:

In national legislation

Type of further condition:

Bottling within the demarcated geographical area

Description of the condition:

The reason for bottling within the demarcated area is the need to preserve the quality of the ‘Montefalco’ PDO wines, guarantee their origin and ensure that efficacious, cost-effective controls can be performed on a timely basis.

We would point out that transportation and bottling outside the production area can compromise the quality of ‘Montefalco’ wine, as it could be exposed to redox reactions, sudden changes in temperature and microbiological contamination. These phenomena in particular can have negative effects on the physical and chemical characteristics (minimum total acidity, minimum sugar-free extract, etc.) and organoleptic characteristics (colour, aroma and taste).

These risks increase as more distance is covered. In contrast, bottling in the area of origin, with batches of wine travelling only short distances, if they are moved at all, helps to keep the product’s characteristics and quality intact.

Over the years, the producers of the ‘Montefalco’ designation of origin have acquired experience and sound technical and scientific knowledge of the particular qualities of the wines. Combined with the above, these factors enable bottling to be carried out in the area of origin with the best technological precautions. The aim is to preserve all of the physical, chemical and organoleptic characteristics of the wines covered by the specification.

Another objective of bottling in the production area is to ensure that the competent body can carry out its monitoring duties with maximum efficiency, efficacy and cost-effectiveness. These requirements cannot be assured to the same extent outside the production area.

The control body that performs the annual check on compliance with the provisions of the specification can very swiftly schedule the inspection visits to all of the undertakings involved in the production area at the time that ‘Montefalco’ wine is being bottled, in accordance with the respective inspection plan.

The goal is to systematically ensure that consignments of ‘Montefalco’ wine can only be bottled after they have been certified as having passed the physical and chemical and organoleptic tests performed by the inspection body. This makes it possible to achieve better results in terms of the efficacy of the checks, at a limited cost to the producers, in order to offer consumers the maximum guarantees regarding the authenticity of the wine.

Furthermore, to protect pre-existing rights, bottling companies can apply for a derogation to continue bottling at their premises located outside the demarcated area, on the condition that they submit the relevant application to the Ministry of Agricultural, Food and Forestry Policy and provide documentation proving that they have bottled ‘Montefalco’ PDO wines for at least two of the five years prior to the entry into force of the amendment introducing the requirement for bottling to take place in the area. This does not have to be an unbroken two-year period.

Wine-making and ageing area

Legal framework:

In national legislation

Type of further condition:

Derogation from production in the demarcated geographical area

Description of the condition:

Mandatory vinification and ageing operations must be performed within the territory of the municipalities wholly or partly in the zone of production.

However, given the traditional situation, such operations are also allowed in wineries located outside that area as long as they remain within the administrative territory of the municipalities of Foligno and Spoleto, under specific conditions provided for in the production process.

Packaging provision

Legal framework:

In national legislation

Type of further condition:

Additional provisions relating to labelling

Description of the condition:

In accordance with national rules on the packaging of wines with a designation of origin, ‘Montefalco’ PDO wines to be released for consumption may only be packaged in glass bottles with a volume of not more than 18 litres, closed with a cork or a screw-on cap with a long skirt.

In the case of the ‘Montefalco Rosso Riserva’ type only, it remains obligatory to use a fully inserted cork.

Use of the broader geographical area ‘Umbria’

Legal framework:

In EU legislation

Type of further condition:

Additional provisions relating to labelling

Description of the condition:

The use of the broader geographical name ‘Umbria’ is allowed on the labelling and presentation of ‘Montefalco’ PDO wines. The name ‘Umbria’ must be separated from the geographical designation and from the wording ‘Denominazione di Origine Controllata’. The font size for the name ‘Umbria’ must be smaller than that of the ‘Montefalco’ designation, and the same font, style, spacing, prominence, colour and colorimetric intensity must be used for both.

Link to the product specification

https://www.politicheagricole.it/flex/cm/pages/ServeBLOB.php/L/IT/IDPagina/19834

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(1)   OJ L 9, 11.1.2019, p. 2.