COMMUNICATION OF APPROVAL OF A STANDARD AMENDMENT

(Article 24 of Regulation (EU) 2024/1143)

‘Metliška črnina’

EU reference number: PDO-SI-A1579-AM01 – 17.4.2026

1.   Name of product

‘Metliška črnina’

2.   Geographical indication type

☑

PDO

☐

PGI

3.   Sector

☐	Agricultural products

☑

Wines

☐	Spirit drinks

4.   Country to which the geographical area belongs

Slovenia

5.   Member State authority communicating the standard amendment

Title

Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Food

6.   Qualification as standard amendment

The proposed amendments (i) do not concern the name or its use or the category of the product with the protected designation of origin, (ii) preserve the link with the geographical area in the single document, and (iii) do not include additional restrictions on the marketing of the product, which is why they are considered to be standard in accordance with Regulation (EU) 2024/1143 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 11 April 2024. As the product specification published on eAmbrosia was drawn up on the basis of Council Regulation (EC) No 1234/2007, which was repealed 11 years ago, and numerous other pieces of EU and national legislation that are no longer in force, the specification’s format and content have been adapted to the applicable Regulation (EU) No 1308/2013 and it has been updated to reflect the other applicable regulations. The grammar and style of the text have been revised as well.

7.   Description of the approved standard amendment(s)

Title

Standard amendment to bring the entry in eAmbrosia into line with the national rules and to make minor technical corrections

Description

The applicant is submitting an application for a standard amendment because the specification published in the European Commission’s online register, eAmbrosia, is not the same as the one governed by the applicable national Rules on wine with the recognised traditional name Metliška črnina and wine with the recognised traditional name Belokranjec (Uradni list RS (UL RS; Official Gazette of the Republic of Slovenia) No 112/22, hereinafter ‘Rules’).

The applicant has not amended the basic text of the specification, other than to correct stylistic and grammatical errors. The applicant has changed the text only insofar as necessary to introduce the changes required by the applicable national Rules. In addition to the above-mentioned amendments based on the Rules (the maximum permitted average production of grapes of each variety per hectare, the required and permitted percentage of each variety, the permissible values of chemical parameters for actual alcohol and total acidity), the applicant has made the following technical amendments to the specification:

—

as regards the other varieties which may be added to Metliška črnina on the basis of an exception, the applicant has explicitly specified that only the RED grape varieties authorised in national legislation for the Bela Krajina wine-growing area may be used, because the previous provision was too general (‘other varieties’);

—	the applicant has taken over [...] from the applicable national legislation;

—	the applicant has removed from the list of unauthorised oenological practices the practice of tartrate stabilisation by electrodialysis and treatment with cation exchangers;

—	the applicant has added ‘bag in box’ with a capacity of up to 5 L as permitted packaging for conditioning;

—	the applicant has removed the prohibition on placing the product on the market before 30 November of the year of production.

☑	The amendment affects the single document.

SINGLE DOCUMENT

Designations of origin and geographical indications of wine

‘Metliška črnina’

EU reference number: PDO-SI-A1579-AM01 – 17.4.2026

1.   Name(s)

‘Metliška črnina’

2.   Geographical indication type

☑

PDO

☐

PGI

3.   Country to which the demarcated geographical area belongs

Slovenia

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

1.

Wine

6.   Description of the wine or wines

Grapevine product

Red

Organoleptic characteristics

Visual appearance

Still red wine, intense red to ruby in colour.

Aroma

Primary aroma of red varieties in the first year after the harvest, subsequently supplemented by ripe aromas typical of the varietal composition.

Taste

Primary aroma of red varieties in the first year after the harvest, subsequently supplemented by ripe aromas typical of the varietal composition. Medium tannic strength, which gives the wine a pleasant astringency.

Additional information regarding organoleptic characteristics

Metliška črnina has the following varietal composition based on the declarations for individual varieties in accordance with the regulation governing grape harvest declarations:

—	up to 60 % Modra Frankinja N;

—	20 % to 40 % Zametovka N;

—	between 5 % and 20 % of all other varieties together (Portugalka N, Šentlovrenka N, Gamay N, Modri Pinot N, Zweigelt N).

Irrespective of the preceding paragraph, Metliška črnina may also be produced from the grapes of other red grape varieties which, in the range of grape varieties of the Republic of Slovenia that applies at any particular time, are designated as authorised and recommended varieties for the Bela Krajina wine-growing region. Grapes of these varieties may be used in the proportion indicated for all other varieties in the third indent of the preceding paragraph.

Irrespective of the provision of the second paragraph of this point, the proportion of varieties referred to in the preceding paragraph, including grapes not separately declared by individual variety, in Metliška črnina may not exceed 10 %.

Analytical characteristics

Maximum total alcoholic strength (in % volume):	12,5
Minimum actual alcoholic strength (in % volume):	10,5
Minimum total acidity:	4,5
Minimum total acidity unit:	in grams per litre expressed as tartaric acid
Maximum volatile acidity (in milliequivalents per litre):	13,3
Maximum total sulphur dioxide (in milligrams per litre):	130

Additional information regarding analytical characteristics

The chemical analyses used to measure the characteristic properties of Metliška črnina, and the required content of its components, are as follows:

—	actual alcohol: between 10,5 % vol. and 12,5 % vol.;

—	total sugars (expressed in terms of fructose and glucose): not exceeding 3,0 g per litre;

—	sugar free extract: at least 20 g/l;

—	ash: at least 1,6 g/l;

—	total acidity (expressed as tartaric acid): between 4,5 g/l and 7,0 g/l;

—	volatile acidity (expressed as acetic acid): not exceeding 0,8 g per litre.

☑	Any analytical characteristics not indicated in this section are within the limits laid down in the applicable EU legislation.

7.   Wine making practices

7.1.   Specific oenological practices used to make the wine or wines, relevant restrictions on making them

Winemaking practice

Minimum sugar content of the grapes

Type of oenological practice:

Relevant restriction on making the wines

Description:

The minimum sugar content, calculated as the average of the sugar content of the grapes from which Metliška črnina is made, is as follows for the grape varieties concerned:

—	Modra Frankinja N and Zweigelt N: 169,3 g/l;

—	Modri Pinot N and Šentlovrenka N: 163,7 g/l;

—	Portugalka N and Gamay N: 158,1 g/l; and

—	Zametovka N: 142,6 g/l;

—	average natural alcohol of all varieties: minimum 9,0 % vol.

Winemaking practice

Maceration

Type of oenological practice:

Relevant restriction on making the wines

Description:

When Metliška črnina is produced, the grapes are first destemmed and then macerated.

During maceration the solid part of the mash must always remain in contact with the grape must.

Winemaking practice

Prohibitions in the making of the wine

Type of oenological practice:

Relevant restriction on making the wines

Description:

The following are not permitted in the production of Metliška črnina:

—	interruption of alcoholic fermentation;

—	sweetening of wines; and

—	addition of potassium sorbate.

Winemaking practice

Enrichment

Type of oenological practice:

Relevant restriction on making the wines

Description:

In years when weather conditions for ripening the grapes are unfavourable and grapes fail to ripen, the must for the production of Metliška črnina may be enriched with a maximum of 2 % vol. of alcohol.

7.2.   Maximum yields

All wines / category / variety / type

Zametovka N, Portugalka N, Gamay N, mixed varieties

Maximum yield:

Maximum yield:	11 000
Maximum yield unit:	kilograms of grapes per hectare

All wines / category / variety / type

Modra Frankinja N, Šentlovrenka N, Modri Pinot N, Zweigelt N

Maximum yield:

Maximum yield:	10 000
Maximum yield unit:	kilograms of grapes per hectare

8.   Indication of the wine grape variety or varieties from which the wine or wines are produced

—

Gamay N

—

Merlot

—	Modra Frankinja N – Frankinja

—	Modri Pinot N

—	Portugalka N

—	Rdeca Zlahtnina Rs

—

Scheurebe

—	Zweigelt N

—	Šentlovrenka N

—	Zametovka N

9.   Concise definition of the demarcated geographical area

Both Metliška črnina itself and the grapes from which it is made are produced exclusively in the territory of the Bela Krajina wine-growing region.

The boundary of the Bela Krajina wine-growing region runs from the national border with Croatia in the Gorjanci hills along the 500 m contour line above the settlements of Ravnace, Drage and Dole, before crossing the Novo Mesto-Metlika road below the settlement of Mačkovec pri Suhorju and running along the 500 m contour line past the settlements of Maline pri Štrekljevcu, Osojnik and Sv. Lovrenc pri Semiču as far as the Semenič hill, after which it descends to the road leading to the settlement of Gaber pri Semiču, before passing along the Kočke rebri slope above the settlement of Kot pri Semiču, crossing to the 400 m contour line and running along it as far as the northern boundary of the cadastral municipality of Talčji Vrh, passing along that boundary around Vinska mountain, crossing to the 400 m contour line and running along it above the settlements of Rožič Vrh, Stražnji Vrh and Mavrlen as far as the Bistrica-Dobliče road, then running along that road as far as the settlement of Grič pri Dobličah, then along the 350 m contour line as far as Sv. Ana church, then along the Sv. Ana-Tanča Gora-Kvasica-Dragovanja Vas-Anjeli-Dobliče-Jelševnik-Tušev Dol-Talčji Vrh-Otovec road, along the Črnomelj-Semič railway line to the Rožanec-Mihelja Vas road, then along that road as far as the Črnomelj-Semič road, then along that road to the southern boundary of the cadastral municipality of Kot, along the eastern boundary of the cadastral municipality of Kot as far as the southern boundary of the cadastral municipality of Semič, then passing around the settlement of Vavpča Vas, running along the road towards the locality of Semič, then along the Semič-Vrtača pri Semiču road, along the path below the village of Oskoršnica, along the road to Črešnjevec pri Semiču, along the Črešnjevec pri Semiču-Krvavčji Vrh-Metlika road, encompassing Krvavčji Vrh and the KZ Metlika winery, following the road towards the settlement of Drašiči, branching off before the settlement along the 220 m contour line in a south-easterly direction, encompassing the settlement of Drašiči, following the road to the settlement of Krmačina, taking in that settlement, running along the road as far as the national border with Croatia and following along that border.

The Bela Krajina wine-growing region also includes the following areas:

—	Vinji Vrh pri Semiču, which encompasses the area around Sv. Trojica church located above the road;

—

Velika Plešivica, the boundary of which follows the 240 m contour line to the north of the path that runs under Velika Plešivica hill from the settlement of Dolenjci to the settlement of Pribinci, along the 240 m contour line towards the north, before turning south-east, running under the chapel at the edge of the forest and returning to the Dolenjci-Pribinci path;

—	Preložnik, the boundary of which passes around Preložnik hill along the 260 m contour line and, to the south, runs along the Purga-Velika Sela path;

—	Mala Plešivica, the boundary of which runs from the branch of the path from the settlement of Gorenjci pri Adlešičih leading to the settlement of Mala Sela to the west and north along the 250 m contour line before turning to the south-east and taking in the southern slopes of Mala Plešivica hill;

—	Preloka, the boundary of which runs from the Vinica-Adlešiči road under Krtinjek peak along the 230 m contour line towards the east and north, passing around the settlement of Preloka and turning towards the west across Krtinjek peak to the Vinica-Adlešiči road;

—

Perudina-Žeželj, the boundary of which runs from the village of Golek along the 230 m contour line towards the north-west along the Vinica-Perudina road to the settlement of Perudina, after which it turns to the north as far as the forest before running in a south-easterly direction under Žeželj peak as far as the village of Podklanec, then turning in a southerly direction and running along the 230 m contour line as far as the village of Golek;

—	Radenci, the boundary of which runs from the Stari Trg-Vinica road along the road to the settlement of Gornji Radenci, in a westerly direction, and along the path above the settlements in a northerly and easterly direction as far as the Stari Trg-Vinica road;

—

Stari Trg, the boundary of which runs from the settlement of Sodevci in an easterly and northerly direction, taking in the settlement and running in a north-easterly direction under the settlement of Stari Trg, passing around the settlement of Kot, joining the Stari Trg-Kot road and running along it as far as the settlement of Kot and in a south-easterly direction as far as the settlement of Sodevci.

The Bela Krajina wine-growing region is divided into three wine-growing sub-areas, as follows:

—	the wine-growing sub-area of Metlika,

—	the wine-growing sub-area of Črnomelj,

—	the wine-growing sub-area of Semič.

10.   Link with the geographical area

Category of the grapevine product

1.

Wine

Summary of the link

In geological terms, the territory of Bela Krajina is low-lying karst, bordered to the east by the river Kolpa, to the north by the Gorjanci hills and to the west and south by the Roška plateau. The vineyards are mainly located on the southern edges of the Gorjanci hills, continuing in a semi-circle towards Semič and then along the eastern edges of the Roška plateau towards Maverlen and Dobliče. There are also some relatively small functional vineyard areas on the sunny edges of Velika and Mala Plešivica, near Adlešiči and in Perudina (Žeželj), Preloka and Vinji Vrh pri Semiču.

The geology and morphology of the edges of the Bela Krajina basin, where the vineyards are located, is quite distinctive. The wide variety of inclines and exposure is reflected in the great diversity of microclimate conditions. The vineyards reach their lowest point close to the bottom of the Bela Krajina basin at about 210 m above sea level, and their highest point at about 390 m above sea level. Since this is karstic territory, it is not rare for isolated blocks of limestone to be present in the middle of vineyards.

The low-lying karst of Bela Krajina is made up of Cretaceous limestones, which are covered in places by a thick layer of Pleistocene loam, whereas the edges of the Bela Krajina basin, where most of the vineyards are located, is made up of Jurassic limestone and dolomites. Only on the easternmost edge, under the Gorjanci hills on the Slovenian-Croatian border, are Tertiary marls found in certain places. Rainfall, temperature conditions, sunshine and other climatic factors have a significant impact on the growth and fertility of the vines. The vineyards often have very different mesoclimatic characteristics owing to the highly varied nature of the relief (dominated by the Gorjanci ridge, above all), the exposure, altitude and incline of the terrain, the forests, etc. The average accumulated effective temperature during the growing season in the Bela Krajina wine-growing region ranges from 1 245,7 °C (Dobliče) to 1 329,0 °C (Metlika), with the average being 1 287,4 °C. The accumulated effective temperature in exposed wine-growing locations is thought to be 15-20 % higher (between 1 480 °C and 1 545 °C), with an average of about 750 mm of rain – or 64 % of total annual precipitation – falling during the growing season.

All this geological and climatic diversity of the Bela Krajina wine-growing area is reflected in the great diversity of varieties grown, all of which have a characteristic freshness and drinkability. The right combination of varieties and their characteristics produces a typical Metliška črnina wine.

11.   Further applicable requirements

Title of the requirement/derogation

Training system

Legal framework

By an organisation which manages the PDO/PGI, where provided for by Member States

Type of further requirement/derogation

—

Description of the requirement/derogation

Only the guyot cultivation method and variants thereof may be used to cultivate the grape varieties from which Metliška črnina is made.

Title of the requirement/derogation

Number of vines per hectare

Legal framework

By an organisation which manages the PDO/PGI, where provided for by Member States

Type of further requirement/derogation

—

Description of the requirement/derogation

For the production of Metliška črnina the number of vines per unit of net vineyard area must exceed 4 000 per hectare, calculated on the basis of the planting distances determined in accordance with the Rules governing the Register of Agricultural Holdings.

Notwithstanding the preceding paragraph, on terraced areas where the incline exceeds 20 %, the number of vines must exceed 3 100 per hectare.

Title of the requirement/derogation

Organoleptic assessment

Legal framework

By an organisation which manages the PDO/PGI, where provided for by Member States

Type of further requirement/derogation

Additional provisions relating to labelling

Description of the requirement/derogation

Metliška črnina must obtain at least 16,5 points in the organoleptic assessment. Before wine tasters carry out an organoleptic assessment, they must be informed that they are assessing a wine which, on the basis of the data in the register of grape and wine producers and the results of the chemical analysis, fulfils the conditions to be called Metliška črnina if it passes the organoleptic assessment.

Title of the requirement/derogation

Conditioning the wine and placing it on the market

Legal framework

By an organisation which manages the PDO/PGI, where provided for by Member States

Type of further requirement/derogation

Packaging within the demarcated geographical area

Description of the requirement/derogation

Only Metliška črnina in its original packaging may be placed on the market.

Metliška črnina is conditioned in bottles with a capacity of up to 1,5 l, in bag-in-box packaging with a capacity of up to 5 l or in larger containers. The larger containers (stainless steel casks) used for conditioning may have a capacity of up to 50 litres. This packaging must allow the wine to be extracted by means of a dispenser using increased pressure or an appropriate pump so as to prevent the oxidation of the wine.

Title of the requirement/derogation

Designation of wine-growing sub-area and vineyard

Legal framework

By an organisation which manages the PDO/PGI, where provided for by Member States

Type of further requirement/derogation

Additional provisions relating to labelling

Description of the requirement/derogation

One or both of the following indications may be added to Metliška črnina that has been awarded at least 17,5 points in the organoleptic assessment, in accordance with Article 55 of Commission Delegated Regulation (EU) 2019/33 (OJ L 269, 23.10.2019, p. 13, as amended) and the rules governing the list of geographical indications for wine:

—	the geographical indication of the wine-growing sub-area where the grapes were grown;

—	the geographical indication of the vineyard where the grapes were grown.

Electronic (URL) reference to the publication of the product specification

https://www.gov.si/novice/2026-03-31-ministrstvo-je-potrdilo-spremembo-specifikacije-za-vino-metliska-crnina-in-belokranjec/

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(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).