Official Journal
of the European Union
EN
C series
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Official Journal |
EN C series |
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C/2026/2445 |
27.4.2026 |
Publication of the communication of an approved standard amendment to a product specification of a geographical indication in accordance with Article 5(4) of Commission Delegated Regulation (EU) 2025/27 (1)
(C/2026/2445)
COMMUNICATION OF APPROVAL OF A STANDARD AMENDMENT
(Article 24 of Regulation (EU) 2024/1143)
‘Montlouis-sur-Loire’
EU reference number: PDO-FR-A0169-AM02 – 9.2.2026
1. Name of product
‘Montlouis-sur-Loire’
2. Geographical indication type
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PDO |
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PGI |
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GI |
3. Sector
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Agricultural products |
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Wines |
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Spirit drinks |
4. Country to which the geographical area belongs
France
5. Member State authority communicating the standard amendment
Name
Ministry of Agriculture and Food Sovereignty, Directorate-General for the Economic and Environmental Performance of Enterprises
6. Qualification as standard amendment
The French authorities consider that the application meets the requirements of Regulations (EU) No 1308/2013 and (EU) 2024/1143.
The amendments to this product specification are standard amendments as defined in Article 24(4) of Regulation (EU) 2024/1143.
The application for an amendment to the ‘Montlouis-sur-Loire’ PDO does not involve any of the three situations constituting a Union amendment; specifically, it does not:
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(a) |
include a change in the name or in the use of the name, or in the category of product or products designated by the geographical indication; |
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(b) |
risk voiding the link to the geographical area; |
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(c) |
entail further restrictions on the marketing of the product. |
The French authorities therefore consider that the application is for a standard amendment.
7. Description of the approved standard amendment(s)
Title
Labelling
Description
The producer group for the Montlouis-sur-Loire designation has decided to use a larger geographical unit to identify the wines, opting for the term ‘Vin de Loire’ instead of ‘Val de Loire’.
This change is in line with the direction taken by the Loire wine producers as regards communication.
The aim is to make the identity clearer and bring it more into line with the reality of the wines made by producers in the Loire basin.
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The amendment affects the single document. |
SINGLE DOCUMENT
Designations of origin and geographical indications of wines
‘Montlouis-sur-Loire’
EU reference number: PDO-FR-A0169-AM02 – 9.2.2026
1. Name(s)
‘Montlouis-sur-Loire’
2. Geographical indication type
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☑ |
PDO |
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☐ |
PGI |
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GI |
3. Country to which the demarcated geographical area belongs
France
4. Classification of the agricultural product in accordance with the Combined Nomenclature heading and code, as referred to in Article 6(1) of Regulation (EU) 2024/1143
2204 – Wine of fresh grapes, including fortified wines; grape must other than that of heading 2009
5. Categories of grapevine product as listed in Part II of Annex VII to Regulation (EU) No 1308/2013
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1. |
Wine |
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5. |
Quality sparkling wine |
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8. |
Semi-sparkling wine |
6. Description of the wine or wines
Grapevine product
Still wines
Organoleptic characteristics
The protected designation of origin ‘Montlouis-sur-Loire’ covers still white wines.
Still dry wines have fruity, floral aromas when young. These can make way for smooth notes to develop, such as honey, as the wines age.
Where they contain fermentable sugars, the wines are generally more complex and have greater ageing potential. More exuberant notes of exotic fruit or softer notes of dried fruit are therefore not uncommon, with hints of grilled almonds or quince emerging over time.
Additional information regarding organoleptic characteristics
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Analytical characteristics
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Maximum total alcoholic strength (in % volume): |
— |
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Minimum actual alcoholic strength (in % volume): |
— |
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Minimum total acidity: |
— |
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Minimum total acidity unit: |
— |
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Maximum volatile acidity (in milliequivalents per litre): |
— |
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Maximum total sulphur dioxide (in milligrams per litre): |
— |
Additional information regarding analytical characteristics
Still wines have a minimum natural alcoholic strength by volume of 11 %.
After enrichment, still wines must have a total alcoholic strength by volume not exceeding 13 %. After packaging, still wines described as ‘dry’ must have a fermentable sugar content (glucose + fructose) not exceeding 5 grams per litre and a total acidity expressed in grams of tartaric acid per litre that is not more than 2 grams per litre less than the fermentable sugar content (glucose + fructose).
The volatile acidity, total sulphur dioxide and carbon dioxide content are as laid down in EU legislation on still wines.
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Any analytical characteristics not indicated in this section are within the limits laid down in the applicable EU legislation. |
Grapevine product
Sparkling and semi-sparkling wines
Organoleptic characteristics
The protected designation of origin ‘Montlouis-sur-Loire’ is reserved for sparkling and semi-sparkling white wines.
Sparkling wines, with their fine, light foam, are often characterised by notes of citrus or white-fleshed fruit, and a hint of brioche which becomes more pronounced over time. Ageing the wines on racks for at least nine months helps them develop their brioche aromas and complexity.
The semi-sparkling wines are pleasant and generally more full-bodied than the sparkling wines.
Single-fermentation sparkling wines are characterised by their elegant, creamy bubbles. There is a certain opulence about them linked to the ripeness needed to produce them. White flowers and white-fleshed fruit supplement the balance in the product’s taste and smell.
Semi-sparkling wines are distinguished by their lower carbon-dioxide content and their more subtle bubbles, which are gentler on the palate.
Additional information regarding organoleptic characteristics
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Analytical characteristics
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Maximum total alcoholic strength (in % volume): |
— |
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Minimum actual alcoholic strength (in % volume): |
— |
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Minimum total acidity: |
— |
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Minimum total acidity unit: |
— |
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Maximum volatile acidity (in milliequivalents per litre): |
— |
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Maximum total sulphur dioxide (in milligrams per litre): |
— |
Additional information regarding analytical characteristics
The total alcoholic strength by volume of sparkling and semi-sparkling wines whose must has been enriched may not exceed 13 % after the secondary fermentation.
The volatile acidity, total acidity, total sulphur dioxide and carbon dioxide content are as laid down in EU legislation on sparkling and semi-sparkling wines.
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Any analytical characteristics not indicated in this section are within the limits laid down in the applicable EU legislation. |
7. Winemaking practices
7.1. Specific oenological practices used to make the wine or wines, relevant restrictions on making them
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Type of oenological practice:
Specific oenological practice
Description:
Sparkling or semi-sparkling wines must be produced by secondary bottle fermentation and sparkling wines by single fermentation. The total alcoholic strength by volume if the must has been enriched may not exceed 13 % after the secondary fermentation. After enrichment, still wines must have a total alcoholic strength by volume not exceeding 13 %. In addition to the above rules, the oenological practices concerning these wines must meet the requirements laid down at EU level and in the Rural and Maritime Fishing Code.
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Type of oenological practice:
Cultivation method
Description:
(a) – Planting density – the minimum planting density of the vines is 6 250 plants per hectare, with a maximum spacing between rows of 1,60 metres. The spacing between plants in the same row may not be less than 0,8 metres. (b) – Pruning rules – Vines are pruned before 1 May. – For vines which are spur pruned (in a fan shape or using the cordon de Royat method), no more than 85 800 buds may be pruned per hectare or an average of 13 buds per plant, up to a maximum of 15, with each spur having a maximum of three buds. – For vines which are cane pruned, no more than 72 600 buds may be pruned per hectare or an average of 11 buds per plant, up to a maximum of 13.
Single-fermentation sparkling wines
Type of oenological practice:
Winemaking restriction
Description:
Secondary fermentation of sparkling wines produced by single fermentation must be carried out under the following conditions: – fermentation begins in tanks or barrels; – it is only controlled through cooling; – yeasting is prohibited; – addition of tirage liqueur is prohibited; – use of calcium or sodium alginates is prohibited; – secondary fermentation may only take place in glass bottles using partially-fermented must; – use of expedition liqueur is prohibited; – the same volume as that lost during disgorgement is added from the same consignment of wine.
7.2. Maximum yields
Still wines
Maximum yield:
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Maximum yield: |
62 |
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Maximum yield unit: |
hectolitres per hectare |
Sparkling and semi-sparkling wines
Maximum yield:
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Maximum yield: |
75 |
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Maximum yield unit: |
hectolitres per hectare |
Single-fermentation sparkling wines
Maximum yield:
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Maximum yield: |
62 |
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Maximum yield unit: |
hectolitres per hectare |
8. Indication of the wine grape variety or varieties from which the wine or wines are produced
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Chenin B |
9. Concise definition of the demarcated geographical area
For still wines, the grapes are harvested and the wines made, developed and aged, and for sparkling and semi-sparkling wines the grapes are harvested and the wines made, developed, aged and bottled in the territory of the following municipalities in the department of Indre-et-Loire (list drawn up on the basis of the 2019 Official Geographic Code): Lussault-sur-Loire, Montlouis-sur-Loire, Saint-Martin-le-Beau.
10. Link with the geographical area
Category of grapevine product
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1. |
Wine |
Summary of the link
The wines are produced exclusively from the Chenin B variety. As a hardy variety, its potential varies greatly depending on the type of soil in which it is planted, this being – in the geographical area of the ‘Montlouis-sur-Loire’ protected designation of origin – close to the easternmost limit in which the variety may be cultivated in the Loire Valley.
The well-established parcel area where the grapes are harvested only includes parcels which have soils with good hydrological and thermal properties.
Thanks to these circumstances, Chenin B benefits from conditions which enable the variety to be expressed in an original and elegant way. However, they require optimum management of the plant and its production potential which has resulted in a ban on certain clones and strict vine training.
Montlouis winegrowers have adapted to the requirements of the Chenin B variety, taking advantage of this by diversifying the technical procedures and types of wines produced. Depending on where the vines are planted, how they are trained and the climate conditions of the vintage, the wines produced will have a higher or lower fermentable sugar content. By ageing the white wines, their aromatic complexity is intensified. Where the climate conditions at the end of the harvest are conducive, ‘moelleux’ (medium-sweet) or ‘doux’ (sweet) wines are produced from grapes which are harvested once concentrated as a result of drying on the vine or undergoing ‘noble rot’ by Botrytis cinerea.
The quality of ‘Montlouis-sur-Loire’ wines comes from the parcels selected for cultivating the vines and the adaptation and consistent use of the production methods put in place over time by the winegrowing community. The reputation of the wines is reflected in the fact that they have been sold for such a long time, helped originally by the Loire and Cher rivers. Very likely following on from much earlier trade, in the 16th and 17th centuries the wines were transported by water to Nantes, then shipped to northern Flanders and the Netherlands. Since then, their reputation has continued to grow, and since 2010 they have been marketed outside of France and exported around the world.
Category of grapevine product
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5. |
Quality sparkling wine |
Summary of the link
Sparkling wine production has the same background. Having noticed that bottled wines placed in cellars sometimes started to ferment again, the Montlouis winegrowers sought to both master and take advantage of this phenomenon of ‘naturally sparkling wines’. Thus, wines sold to consumers as ‘fizzy’ wines first made their appearance in the 19th century. Building on a growing understanding of oenology, tests were first carried out in the 1840s to try to produce sparkling wine by the traditional method. At the turn of the 20th century, skills were transferred by calling on specialists from the Champagne region. Cellars hollowed out from the tuffeau stone encouraged the development of these wines, which require large temperate storage and handling areas. Since the 2000s, wine producers have used their technical understanding of the vines and wine-making process to revive the production of single-fermentation sparkling wines, the first method to be used to produce sparkling wines. Made from perfectly-ripened grapes and controlled yields without adding sugar during the processing stage, these wines are a faithful reflection of the conditions of the vintage.
Drawing on experience acquired over more than a century, producers have now perfectly mastered the art of blending to make these sparkling wines. Ageing the wines on racks for at least nine months helps them develop their brioche aromas and complexity.
Category of grapevine product
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8. |
Semi-sparkling wine |
Summary of the link
In 2008, the winegrowing area covered 400 hectares, with around fifty winegrowers. Half of this area goes to producing still wines (approximately 6 000 hectolitres) and the other half to sparkling or semi-sparkling wines (approximately 9 600 hectolitres).
Semi-sparkling wine production has the same background. Having noticed that bottled wines placed in cellars sometimes started to ferment again, the Montlouis winegrowers sought to both master and take advantage of this phenomenon of ‘naturally sparkling wines’. Thus, wines sold to consumers as ‘fizzy’ wines first made their appearance in the 19th century. Building on a growing understanding of oenology, tests were first carried out in the 1840s to try to produce sparkling wine by the traditional method. At the turn of the 20th century, skills were transferred by calling on specialists from the Champagne region. Cellars hollowed out from the tuffeau stone encouraged the development of these wines, which require large temperate storage and handling areas. Since the 2000s, wine producers have used their technical understanding of the vines and wine-making process to revive the production of single-fermentation sparkling wines, the first method to be used to produce sparkling wines. Made from perfectly-ripened grapes and controlled yields without adding sugar during the processing stage, these wines are a faithful reflection of the conditions of the vintage.
Drawing on experience acquired over more than a century, producers have now perfectly mastered the art of blending to make these sparkling wines. Ageing the wines on racks for at least nine months helps them develop their brioche aromas and complexity.
11. Further applicable requirements
Title of the requirement/derogation
Derogation concerning the geographical area
National legislation
Derogation concerning production in the demarcated geographical area
The area in immediate proximity defined by derogation for making, developing and ageing still wines, and for making, developing, ageing and bottling sparkling and semi-sparkling wines comprises the territory of the following municipalities in the department of Indre-et-Loire (list drawn up on the basis of the 2019 Official Geographic Code): Amboise, Athée-sur-Cher, Dierre, Larcay, Véretz, La Ville-aux-Dames.
In accordance with Article 5(1) of Commission Delegated Regulation (EU) 2019/33, the area in immediate proximity corresponds to an area in the immediate proximity of the relevant demarcated area.
Title of the requirement/derogation
Additional provisions relating to labelling
National legislation
Additional provisions relating to labelling
– The optional terms are marked on the labels in letters that may not be larger, either in height or width, than double the size of the letters forming the name of the protected designation of origin. – The size of the letters of the geographical name ‘Vin de Loire’ may 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. – Wines with the protected designation of origin may specify a smaller geographical unit on their labels, provided that: – it is a registered location; – it appears on the harvest declaration. Single-fermentation sparkling wines must also state the vintage.
Electronic (URL) reference to publication of the product specification
https://info.agriculture.gouv.fr/boagri/document_administratif-03edf6c6-06f8-453c-a9cf-50a775f47846
(1) Commission Delegated Regulation (EU) 2025/27 of 30 October 2024 supplementing Regulation (EU) 2024/1143 of the European Parliament and of the Council with rules concerning the registration and the protection of geographical indications, traditional specialities guaranteed and optional quality terms and repealing Delegated Regulation (EU) No 664/2014 (OJ L, 2025/27, 15.1.2025, ELI: http://data.europa.eu/eli/reg_del/2025/27/oj).
ELI: http://data.europa.eu/eli/C/2026/2445/oj
ISSN 1977-091X (electronic edition)