PRODUCT SPECIFICATION

"TRADITIONAL BALSAMIC VINEGAR OF REGGIO EMILIA'.

PROTECTED DESIGNATION OF ORIGIN

<strong>Art. 1. Name</strong>

The protected designation of origin "Traditional Balsamic Vinegar of Reggio Emilia" is reserved for the product that meets the conditions and requirements set forth in these specifications.

<strong>Art. 2. Ampelography basis</strong>

Traditional Balsamic Vinegar of Reggio Emilia' must be obtained from grapes from vineyards composed in whole or in part of the following vines: Lambrusco (all varieties and clones);

Ancellotta, Trebbiano (all qualities and clones);

Sauvignon, Sgavetta;

Berzemino, Cat's Eye.

The product referred to in Article 1 may also be obtained from grapes of vine varieties registered as DOC in the province of Reggio Emilia.

<strong>Article 3. Production Area</strong>

Grapes intended for the production of 'Traditional Balsamic Vinegar of Reggio Emilia' must be produced in the suitable territory of the province of Reggio Emilia.

<strong>Art. 4. Raw Material Characteristics</strong>

Grapes intended for the production of 'Traditional Balsamic Vinegar of Reggio Emilia' must ensure that the must has a strength of at least 15 saccharometric degrees and the maximum grape production per hectare of vineyard in specialised cultivation may not exceed 160 quintals.

The maximum grape yield in must for concentration must not exceed 70%.

Any surplus yield can only be used for acetification.

<strong>Art. 5. Processing Method</strong>

Fresh musts intended for the production of 'Traditional Balsamic Vinegar of Reggio Emilia' may undergo a decanting and refrigeration process as long as this does not cause the watery part to freeze. The use of muted musts and/or musts with the addition of any additives and substances is prohibited.

Musts intended for the production of the designation 'Reggio Emilia' are cooked under atmospheric pressure in open vessels. Following the reduction in volume resulting from the cooking process, the minimum sugar content of the cooked must shall not exceed 40 degrees Brix.

Processing, compulsory ageing and bottling of the product must take place in the territory of the province of Reggio Emilia.

For the production of 'Traditional Balsamic Vinegar of Reggio Emilia', the cooked must undergoes sugar fermentation and acetic oxidation in traditional production premises. The premises, known in the area of origin as 'acetaie' (vinegar cellars), must meet environmental and thermal requirements such as to allow the product to mature in accordance with traditional methods, ensuring that the product itself has the necessary ventilation and is subject to natural temperature variations.

Sugar fermentation and acetic oxidation achieve optimal maturation, ageing and refinement after a suitable period of time, in any case not less than 12 years, with respect for the procedures established in centuries-old tradition and without the addition of other substances except for the possible grafting of the bacterial colonies known as 'mother'.

Refinement and ageing of 'Traditional Balsamic Vinegar of Reggio Emilia' takes place by successive decanting of cooked must into small casks or vats of different sizes and types of wood classic to the area - oak, chestnut, cherry, juniper, mulberry, ash, locust - which must be specifically numbered and marked for identification by control bodies and included in production units known as 'batteries'.

The addition of any substance not indicated in these specifications is prohibited.

The marketing of must or product suitable for producing the protected designation of origin referred to in Article 1 outside the area indicated in Article 3 shall result in the definitive forfeiture of the right to use and mention the designation itself and any reference to the production method.

<strong>Art. 6 Consumer characteristics</strong>

When released for consumption, 'Traditional Balsamic Vinegar of Reggio Emilia' must have the following characteristics: colour: dark brown, limpid, shiny; density: appreciable and free-flowing; penetrating and persistent, fragrant aroma with pleasant acidity and characteristic bouquet, also in relation to the woods used and long ageing; flavour sweet and sour well blended with appreciable acidity and aromaticity in harmony with the olfactory characters; total acidity: not less than 5 degrees (expressed in grams of acetic acid per 100 ml of product); density at 20 degrees centigrade: not less than 1,200 gr/ml.

Verification of the analytical and organoleptic characteristics of the designation is carried out at the request of the interested parties on all batches before release for consumption.

The product examined, processed as indicated in Article 5 and possessing the above-mentioned analytical characteristics, is classified according to an overall numerical judgement made by the panel of tasters during the sensory examination.

The sensory analysis considers the following characters, defining an overall score on the basis of the respective ranges:

visual characters: 27 to 60 points;

olfactory characters: 44 to 75 points;

gustatory characters: from 129 to 210 points.

Each character can in turn be represented by several specific descriptors, established with reference to tradition and developments in sensory analysis criteria.

A score below 240 identifies a product that is unsuitable for marketing and, consequently, cannot be bottled.

The product suitable for marketing is classified in the following categories:

1. scores between 240 and 269;
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2. scores equal to or greater than 270;
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3. scores of 300 or more, and ageing of not less than 25 years.

<strong>Art. 7. Analytical, Sensory and Bottling Tests</strong>

Successful completion of the analytical and sensory examination is a binding condition for marketing the product under the designation provided for in Article 1. The analytical test is carried out according to the following procedures.

Submission of batches to be bottled: Producers submit the batches of product they intend to bottle in stainless steel or food-grade plastic containers, together with a declaration specifying the number of barrels from which the sample was taken and the corresponding quantities.

Codified procedures:

1. Attribution of a sequential number to the batch presented, which is transcribed on the tags attached to the container and to the four samples (two of which are available for any further analysis), taken from the batch of product presented and sealed;
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1. send a sample to the laboratory for acidity and density analysis;
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1. if the above analyses are compliant, the sensory analysis is performed; the sample for this analysis is stored at a temperature of 20°C and identified by a method that ensures its anonymity.
2. The sample is stored at a temperature of 20°C and identified by a method that ensures its anonymity.
3. The sample is stored at a temperature of 20°C.
   

Sensory analysis is carried out according to the following procedures:

1. convocation of a panel of tasters drawn by guaranteeing their alternation from the list, which contains only the names of tasters qualified after an appropriate training course; the ability of the tasters to ensure correct and homogeneous evaluations is constantly assessed;
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1. The tasters, using a special card containing descriptors of visual, olfactory and gustatory characters combined with numerical values, identify the descriptor that is an expression of the perceived sensation and record the relevant value
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1. the sum of the above-mentioned numerical values represents the taster's assessment; the median of the individual assessments represents the panel's judgement (the median consists of the intermediate score resulting from ordering from lowest to highest the scores expressed by the individual panel members);
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1. the producer is only entitled to bottle the product found to be suitable, which has obtained a score of 240 or more.
The producer may only bottle the product found to be suitable, which has obtained a score of 240 or more.

The bottling of the product deemed suitable following the completion of the procedure set forth in this Article shall take place within the administrative territory of the Province of Reggio Emilia.

The containers in which "Traditional Balsamic Vinegar of Reggio Emilia" is packaged must be unique in shape, capable of ensuring the preservation of the quality and prestige of the product itself and must comply with the measurements and technical characteristics listed below:

type A: small transparent white glass bottle containing 100 ml of product, in the shape of an upside-down tulip: total height: cm 15; maximum diameter: cm 5.20; neck height: cm 5.00; minimum neck diameter: cm 1.80; neck mouth diameter: cm 2.90; base diameter: cm 5.00.

type B: small transparent white glass bottle containing 250 ml of product in a shape similar to a 100 ml bottle: total height: 19 cm; maximum diameter: 6.50 cm; neck height: 6.50 cm; minimum neck diameter: 2.30 cm; neck mouth diameter: 3.50 cm; base diameter: 6.30 cm.

type C: small transparent white glass bottle containing 50 ml of product in a shape similar to a 100 ml bottle: total height: 12.9 cm; maximum diameter: 4.4 cm; neck height: 4.5 cm; minimum neck diameter: 1.6 cm neck mouth diameter: 1.8 cm base diameter: 4.33 cm Single-dose containers made of transparent white glass may also be used, with a capacity of between 5 and 10 ml, shape, characteristics, packaging and sealing method free, except as provided for in Article 8.

The bottling operation is carried out in the presence of the CB, who ascertains the integrity of the seal on the container of the batch presented. Once filled, the containers are corked; the cork is tied with string; string and cork are covered with sealing wax, on which a seal bearing the acronyms ABTRE - PDO and a symbol enabling the product to be classified according to the categories referred to in Article 6 will be impressed.

The containers are then delivered to the producer, together with the corresponding number of adhesive stickers. These will bear a progressive numbering that will allow traceability of the product.

<strong>Art. 8. Appointment and presentation</strong>

The eligible product is distinguished on the basis of the classification awarded following the sensory analysis described in Article 6. A coloured sticker must be affixed to the bottle, respectively "lobster sticker" in case "a)"; "silver sticker" in case "b)"; "gold sticker" in case "c)".

The above-mentioned vignettes must conform to the following description and must be numbered consecutively as indicated in Article 7.

The dimensions of the label are 40 mm wide and 21 mm high for the 100 ml and 250 ml bottles, and 30 mm wide x 16 mm high, with proportional reduction of the characters, for the other capacities. The rectangular shape, made concave at the corners, bears the words 'ACETO BALSAMICO TRADIZIONALE DI REGGIO EMILIA' in upper case Bodoni std font - font 9, 'Denominazione di origine protetta' in Bodoni book italic std font - font 8, the indications of the series with the progressive numbering identifying the bottled batch, made up of no less than 6 digits, distinguished according to the qualitative characteristics of the product. Lobster-coloured stamps bear the indication "Lobster series No. ...", silver stamps that "Silver series No. ...", and gold stamps that "Gold series No. ...". The stamps shall be printed in the same black colour for all stamps and shall be printed on Pantone 1505 c lobster paper for the Lobster stamp, on silver paper for the Silver stamp, and on gold paper (not satin yellow) for the Gold stamp.

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The description on the label and/or pendant of the designation referred to in Article 1 must be made in clear, indelible characters of the same size and colour and large enough to be distinguishable from any other indication appearing on the label.

The designation of the name referred to in Article 1 must be immediately followed by the words 'Protected Designation of Origin' written in full and in characters no smaller than three quarters the size of those used for the designation.

The EU acronym 'Protected Designation of Origin' or 'PDO' may also appear in full and in the language of the country of destination on the label and/or tag.

The word 'traditional' may be repeated on the label in the same visual field in which the designation is indicated in characters not exceeding three times the size of those used to indicate the designation.

The addition of any qualification other than that expressly provided for in these specifications, including the adjectives "extra", "fine", "scelto", "selezionato", "riserva", "superiore", "classico" and the like, is prohibited to the designation referred to in Article 1.

• it is forbidden for "Traditional Balsamic Vinegar of Reggio Emilia" to indicate any reference to the year of production; the citation "extra old" is permitted for the product that has been aged for not less than 25 years and an assessment of relative chemical and sensory suitability in accordance with the indications described above.
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Labels and/or pendants affixed by manufacturers may bear indications or depictions that have no laudatory meaning or are such - by colour, shape or other characteristics - as to confuse or mislead the consumer as to a particular quality, production method, classification, or the actual ageing of the product.

Any consumer information on the way the product has been processed and its gastronomic positioning must be provided on a back label and/or tag in a clearly separate part from the main label.

The rules on designation and presentation laid down in this Article do not replace those laid down in the existing Community and national rules on the labelling of foodstuffs.

Each single-dose container must be placed in a package that is sealed in such a way that it cannot be reused after opening, and in such a way that all the elements of the designation and presentation indicated above can be affixed.

<strong>Article 9 - Controls</strong>

Checks on compliance of the product with the specification are carried out by an inspection body in accordance with Articles 10 and 11 of Regulation (EC) No 510/2006. This structure is the inspection body Suolo e Salute, Via Paolo Borsellino, 12/B - 61032 Fano (PU), tel./fax. +39 0721 860543, e-mail : at**@**********te.it.