Publication of a communication of approval of a standard amendment to the product specification for a name in the wine sector referred to in Article 17(2) and (3) of Commission Delegated Regulation (EU) 2019/33

(2022/C 390/10)

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

‘Coteşti’

PDO-RO-A1577-AM03

Date of communication: 15 July 2022

DESCRIPTION OF AND REASONS FOR THE APPROVED AMENDMENT

Addition of optional indications on labelling

Additional provisions are added to the specification regarding optional indications on the labelling of wines that refer to certain production methods (the use of terms indicating wine-making practices applied throughout the world that give the wines their distinct sensory characteristics, which are of significance to the consumer in terms of quality, maturity and ageing).

Chapter V of the specification and point 9 of the single document are amended.

SINGLE DOCUMENT

1.   Name(s)

Coteşti

2.   Geographical indication type

PDO – Protected Designation of Origin

3.   Categories of grapevine product

1.

Wine

4.   Description of the wine(s)

1.   Analytical and organoleptic characteristics of wines when released for consumption

CONCISE TEXTUAL DESCRIPTION

Fetească albă – fine wine, aromatically neutral; when fermented at low temperatures, it may develop certain fermentation aromas.

Fetească regală – lively and calming at the same time, with a delicate apple aroma, floral notes.

Galbenă de Odobești – delicate aroma, a wine with low alcoholic potential.

Tămâioasă românească – has aromatic richness in its first years, and an aroma of sweet roses; with ageing, it has an aroma of musk, raisins, honey and spices.

Șarbă – citrus, herbal notes, with liveliness, freshness, floral aromas of rose, basil.

Frâncușa – wines with moderate alcoholic strength and a neutral character.

Crâmpoșia – white-yellowish colour with greenish hues and a subtle aroma of fresh fruit.

Riesling – neutral taste.

Sauvignon – dry wines, with medium or high acidity, a marked freshness, herbal notes, or aromas of sweetish tropical fruit, often an aroma of vine flowers.

Chardonnay – different aromas, neutral, buttery, tropical; due to its acidity, it is a very good raw material for sparkling wine.

General analytical characteristics
Maximum total alcoholic strength (in % volume)	15
Minimum actual alcoholic strength (in % volume)	9
Minimum total acidity	3,5 grams per litre expressed as tartaric acid
Maximum volatile acidity (in milliequivalents per litre)	20
Maximum total sulphur dioxide (in milligrams per litre)	250

2.   Analytical and organoleptic characteristics of wines when released for consumption

CONCISE TEXTUAL DESCRIPTION

Fetească neagră – austere character, winemaking to obtain semi-dry and semi-sweet wine emphasises the specific aroma of sun-dried plums, red-violet colour in young wines.

Băbească neagră – alcoholic potential of 10-11 % by volume.

Cabernet Sauvignon – suitable for maturation and ageing, aromatic with wild, woodsy notes, aromas of green bell pepper and blackcurrants.

Merlot – medium-bodied, dominant raspberry, plum and blackcurrant aromas, preferred variety for coupage mainly with Cabernet Sauvignon.

Pinot noir – as a young wine, it has notes of cherries, plums and strawberries (ripe, red fruit); as it matures, it has notes of raisins, hay, tobacco, leather, mushrooms and black pepper, and a transparent brownish-red colour.

Syrah – wine with a powerful taste reminiscent of black forest fruits, spices, liquorice, dark chocolate and pepper. Its density is above average, and it usually has a high tannin content, making it a perfect partner for spicy food, lamb and game. In the winemaking process, it usually works very well as a stand-alone grape, but is very often combined with other varieties, usually Cabernet Sauvignon or Merlot, resulting in an elegant wine with remarkable longevity.

It has a high sugar content, high alcohol content, a bright red colour, sometimes with purplish highlights, is intense, with complex aromas of pepper, black cherries, fresh forest fruits, a balanced acidity and velvety texture.

General analytical characteristics
Maximum total alcoholic strength (in % volume)	15
Minimum actual alcoholic strength (in % volume)	9
Minimum total acidity	3,5 in milliequivalents per litre
Maximum volatile acidity (in milliequivalents per litre)	20
Maximum total sulphur dioxide (in milligrams per litre)	250

5.   Winemaking practices

5.1.   Specific winemaking practices

1.   Winemaking practices

Specific winemaking practice

White and rosé wines can be obtained from the Pinot gris and Traminer roz varieties depending on the producer’s technological choices.

5.2.   Maximum yields

1.   Sauvignon, Pinot gris, Chardonnay, Muscat Ottonel, Traminer aromat

14 000 kilograms of grapes per hectare

2.   Tămâioasă românească, Busuioacă de Bohotin, Traminer roz

14 500 kilograms of grapes per hectare

3.   Fetească albă, Riesling de Rhin, Băbească gri, Crâmpoșie selecționată, Șarba, Băbească neagră, Burgund mare, Cadarcă, Negru Aromat

15 500 kilograms of grapes per hectare

4.   Fetească regală, Riesling italian, Aligote, Frâncușă, Galbenă de Odobești, Mustoasă de Măderat, Plăvaie, Furmint

18 000 kilograms of grapes per hectare

5.   Syrah

21 500 kilograms of grapes per hectare

6.   Fetească neagră, Cabernet Sauvignon, Pinot noir, Merlot

17 500 kilograms of grapes per hectare

7.   White wines, rosé wines

135 hectolitres per hectare

8.   Red wines

130 hectolitres per hectare

6.   Demarcated geographical area

Vrancea County — Localities: Vârteşcoiu, Câmpineanca, Pietroasa, Faraoanele, Râmniceanca, Beciu, Pietroasa, Olteni; — Localities: Broşteni, Căpătanu, Pituluşa, Arva; — Localities: Cârligele, Dălhăuţi, Bonţeşti, Blidari; — Localities: Coteşti, Budeşti, Valea Coteşti, Goleştii de Sus; — Localities: Urecheşti, Popeşti, Tercheşti; — Localities: Dumbrăveni, Dragosloveni, Cândeşti, Alexandru Vlahuţă, Dumbrăveni; — Localities: Bordeşti, Bordeştii de Jos; — Localities: Tâmboeşti, Slimnic, Trestieni, Pietroasa, Pădureni, Obrejiţa; — Localities: Slobozia Bradului, Sihlea, Coroteni, Valea Beciului, Cornetu, Olăreni; — Localities: Slobozia Ciorăști, Jiliște, Armeni.

Buzau County — Localities: Grebănu, Zăplazi, Livada, Livada Mică, Plevna, Homești; — Localities: Podgoria, Oraţia, Coţatcu, Tăbăcari; — Localities: Topliceni, Răduceşti.

7.   Wine grape variety(-ies)

Aligoté B – Plant de trois, Plant gris, Vert blanc, Troyen blanc

Burgund Mare N – Grosser burgunder, Grossburgunder, Blaufrankisch, Kekfrankos, Frankovka, Limberger

Busuioacă de Bohotin Rs – Schwarzer Muscat, Muscat fioletovâi, Muscat violet cyperus, Tămâioasă violetă

Babeasca gri G

Băbească neagră N – Grossmuttertraube, Hexentraube, Crăcana, Rară neagră, Căldăruşă, Serecsia

Cabernet Sauvignon N – Petit Vidure, Burdeos tinto

Cadarcă N – Schwarzer Kadarka, Rubinroter Kadarka, Lugojană, Gâmză, Fekete budai

Chardonnay B – Gentil blanc, Pinot blanc Chardonnay

Crâmpoşie selecţionată B

Fetească albă B – Păsărească albă, Poama fetei, Mädchentraube, Leanyka, Leanka

Fetească neagră N – Schwarze Mädchentraube, Poama fetei neagră, Păsărească neagră, Coada rândunicii

Fetească regală B – Königliche Mädchentraube, Königsast, Kiralyleanka, Dănășană, Galbenă de Ardeal

Frâncuşă B – Vinoasă, Mildweisser, Mustoasă de Moldova, Poamă creaţă

Furmint B – Furmin, Șom szalai, Szegszolo

Galbenă de Odobești B – Galbenă de Căpătanu, Galbenă Uriașă, Galbenă

Merlot N – Bigney rouge

Muscat Ottonel B – Muscat Ottonel blanc

Mustoasă de Măderat B – Lampau, Lampor, Mustafer, Mustos Feher, Straftraube

Negru Aromat N

Pinot Gris G – Affumé, Grauer Burgunder, Grauburgunder, Grauer Mönch, Pinot cendré, Pinot Grigio, Ruländer

Pinot noir N – Blauer Spätburgunder, Burgund mic, Burgunder roter, Klăvner Morillon Noir

Riesling de Rhin B – Weisser Riesling, White Riesling

Riesling italian B – Olasz Riesling, Olaszriesling, Welschriesling

Sauvignon B – Sauvignon verde

Syrah N – Shiraz, Petit Syrah

Traminer Rose Rs – Rosetraminer, Savagnin Rose, Gewürztraminer

Tămâioasă românească B – Rumänische Weihrauchtraube, Tamianka

Şarba B

8.   Description of the link(s)

8.1.   Details of the geographical area

The Cotești PDO area is located on the southern side of the Vrancea foothills to the east of the Carpathian and Sub-Carpathian Mountains, forming a continuation of the Panciu and Odobești vineyards, which are located to the north. Together, the three form the well-known ‘Vrancea Vineyards’ or the ‘Putna Vineyards’. It is arranged in rows running from north to south between the valleys of the Milcov and Râmna rivers. It overlays the biological, pedological and climate foothill transition zone between the ‘Câmpia Română’ (the Romanian Plain) to the east (altitudes below 100 m) and the Sub-Carpathian arc to the west (Deleanu Hill, 698 m and Căpățânei Hill, 592 m) at an altitude of over 300 m.

Rock type – Alternation of foothill sands and gravel of the Lower and Middle Pleistocene, covered by a mantle of clayish and sandy loess sediment. This continental Pleistocene deposit lies on top of the Pliocene marine clay, sand and marl sediments.

Relief – Wide, quasi-horizontal stretches between rivers, mainly exposed to sunshine on their southern and eastern sides, although the western slopes also benefit from sufficient sunshine and, as such, are suitable for the cultivation of vines, which explains the large proportion of vineyards.

Climate – The forest steppe found in this area specifically provides excellent conditions for the growth of high quality grape varieties, mainly due to rich solar warmth and a favourable rainfall regime. The abundant radiative flux and the average sunshine hours ensure optimal conditions for vine growth, grape ripening and sugar concentration in grapes.

8.2.   Details of the product, causal interaction

The red wines are intensely coloured, medium-bodied, with dominant aromatic hints of raspberries, prunes, currants, cherries, strawberries, raisins, mushrooms and black pepper, with balanced acidity, velvety.

The white wines are fresh, usually with aromas of citrus or tropical fruits, floral aromas of rose, basil, with a fresh taste, optimal acidity, sometimes also the aroma of fresh green apples.

Due to the acidity of the soil the white wines have freshness and vinosity, with notes of fresh fruit.

The red wines are velvety with well-integrated tannins due to the specific forest-steppe climate with solar thermal resources. The average duration of sunshine ensures the optimal development of vines and concentration of sugar in the grapes.

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

Derogation on production

Legal framework:

In EU legislation

Type of additional condition:

Derogation on production in the demarcated geographical area

Description of the condition:

In certain climatic conditions which, in conjunction with the potential of certain varieties, have a positive impact on yields on plantations in the demarcated area, it is possible to process the musts and/or wines which bear the Cotești PDO also outside the demarcated area, in the neighbouring area where the wine centres offer the best capacity. The neighbouring area designated to this end for quick wine-making, wine-making at controlled temperature and fermentation at controlled temperature in order to preserve the aromatic potential of some varieties includes the following municipalities of Vrancea County: Panciu, Movilița, Odobești, Unirea, Jariștea and Bolotești.

At each stage of the production process and following assessment of the characteristics and qualities of the product obtained, the producer can reclassify the wine products into the product categories provided for in the legislation in force, in order to maintain compliance.

Additional provisions relating to labelling

Legal framework:

In EU legislation

Type of further condition:

Additional provisions relating to labelling

Description of the condition:

Some indications referring to certain production methods may also be used on a voluntary basis, as follows:

the indications ‘fermentat in barrique [fermented in barrels]’, ‘maturat in barrique [matured in barrels]’, ‘fermentat în prezența așchiilor de stejar [fermented in the presence of oak chips]’ and ‘maturat în prezența așchiilor de stejar [matured in the presence of oak chips]’ may be shown on the labelling in Romanian, or terms in languages of international use may be used to inform the consumer that the said process is employed, such as any of the following indications:

‘fume’ or ‘smoked’ or ‘toasted’ in English, whether or not accompanied by the term describing the intensity of the heat treatment applied to the oak wood used, i.e. ‘light’, ‘medium’ or ‘heavy’,

‘fumé’ or ‘fumée’ in French, whether or not accompanied by the term describing the intensity of the heat treatment applied to the oak wood used, i.e. ‘légère’, ‘moyenne’, ‘forte’ or ‘petite fumé’, ‘demi fumé’, ‘intense fumé’.

These indications may be in any other language of international use or in the language of the country in which the wine product is intended to be marketed if the wine producer so chooses, informing the consumer of the use of practices applied throughout the world to obtain wines with distinct sensory characteristics.

For wines that undergo a period of maturation or ageing on the lees, the label may include terms such as ‘sur lie’, ‘bâttonnage’ or ‘aged on the lees’.

Link to the product specification

https://www.onvpv.ro/sites/default/files/caiet_sarcini_doc_cotesti_modificat_cf_cererilor_96_2017_1836_2017_1423_2019_473_01.03.2022_no_track_changes_0.pdf

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(1)  OJ L 9, 11.1.2019, p. 2.