ANNEX IISupplementary provisions
ANNEX II CONSOLIDATED SINGLE DOCUMENT Council Regulation (EC) No 510/2006 of 20 March 2006 on the protection of geographical indications and designations of origin for agricultural products and foodstuffs ( 1 ) ‘FOURME D’AMBERT’ EC No: FR-PDO-0217-010150-6.7.2012 PGI ( ) PDO (X) 1. Name ‘Fourme d’Ambert’ 2. Member State or third country France 3. Description of the agricultural product or foodstuff 3.1. Type of product Class 1.3. Cheeses 3.2. Description of the product to which the name in (1) applies The cheese with the designation of origin ‘Fourme d’Ambert’ is a blue-veined, unpressed, uncooked, fermented, and salted cheese, made from renneted cow’s milk and produced in the form of a cylinder between 17 and 21 cm in height and 12,5 and 14 cm in diameter, weighing from 1,9 to 2,5 kg. The cheese has a fat content of at least 50 grams per 100 grams of cheese after total desiccation and the matured cheese must have a dry matter content of at least 50 grams per 100 grams of cheese. The designation of origin ‘Fourme d’Ambert’ may not be used for the cheese until the 28th day after renneting. ‘Fourme d’Ambert’ is a cheese which has a bloom on its dry, grey to light-grey coloured rind, where white, yellow and red mould may also be present and which may have a blue sheen. The inside of the cheese, which is white to cream in colour, shows cracks and evenly distributed blue to green veining. ‘Fourme d’Ambert’ has a supple and unctuous texture. It has a subtle, scented flavour, a milky taste accentuated by a combination of flavours produced by strains of Penicillium roqueforti , and a characteristic fruity taste. A hint of salt and a slight bitterness are accepted. 3.3. Raw materials (for processed products only) — 3.4. Feed (for products of animal origin only) Throughout the year, the dairy cows are fed exclusively on fodder from the geographical area covered by the designation. The consumption and distribution of brassicas in the form of green fodder is forbidden for all animals present on the holding. ‘Grazed, wilted, pre-wilted or silaged grass makes up at least 50 % on average of the dairy cows’ annual basic ration expressed as dry matter. Grazed, wilted, pre-wilted or silaged grass makes up at least 30 % of the dairy cows’ daily basic ration expressed as dry matter. Outside the grazing period the dairy cows are given at least 3 kg of hay, expressed as dry matter, per cow per day. When grass is available, grazing is mandatory for the lactating dairy cows as soon as the weather allows. The minimum duration of grazing is 150 days a year. The dairy herd may be given an average amount of 1 800 kg of supplements and additives expressed as dry matter per dairy cow per year. Only the raw materials and additives specified in a positive list are authorised in the supplements and additives given to the dairy cows. Only plants, by-products and supplementary feed derived from non-transgenic products are authorised in the animal feed. 3.5. Specific steps in production that must take place in the defined geographical area The milk is produced and the cheese made, matured and preserved for 28 days from the date of renneting within the geographical area. 3.6. Specific rules concerning slicing, grating, packaging, etc . Cutting ‘Fourme d’Ambert’ is authorised if it does not completely alter its texture. 3.7. Specific rules concerning labelling The labelling of ‘Fourme d’Ambert’ must include the designation of origin in characters at least two-thirds the size of the largest characters used on the label and display the European Union PDO symbol. It is forbidden to place any qualifier directly next to the designation of origin, with the exception of trademarks or brand names. 4. Concise definition of the geographical area The geographical area for ‘Fourme d’Ambert’ comprises the following: Department of Puy-de-Dôme Cantons of Ambert, Ardes, Arlanc, Besse-et-Saint-Anastaise, Bourg-Lastic, Courpière, Cunlhat, Herment, Manzat, Montaigut, Olliergues, Pionsat, Pontaumur, Pontgibaud, Rochefort-Montagne, Saint-Amant-Roche-Savine, Saint-Anthème, Saint-Dier-d’Auvergne, Saint-Germain-l’Herm, Saint-Gervais-d’Auvergne, Saint-Rémy-sur-Durolle, Tauves, Thiers, La Tour-d’Auvergne, Viverols: all municipalities. The municipalities of Aydat, Bansat, Blot-l’Eglise, Bongheat, Chaméane, Champagnat-le-Jeune, Chanat-la-Mouteyre, Chanonat, La Chapelle-sur-Usson, Châteldon, Châtelguyon, Clémensat, Combronde, Courgoul, Cournols, Creste, Durtol, Egliseneuve-des-Liards, Enval, Esteil, Grandeyrolles, Isserteaux, Lachaux, Lisseuil, Ludesse, Manglieu, Mauzun, Menat, Montaigut-le-Blanc, Montmorin, Néronde-sur-Dore, Neuf-Eglise, Olloix, Orcines, Orléat, Paslières, Peschadoires, Peslières, Pignols, Pouzol, Puy-Guillaume, Ris, Romagnat, Saint-Etienne-sur-Usson, Saint-Floret, Saint-Gal-sur-Sioule, Saint-Genès-Champanelle, Saint-Genès-la-Tourette, Saint-Gervazy, Saint-Jean-en-Val, Saint-Jean-Saint-Gervais, Saint-Martin-d’Ollières, Saint-Nectaire, Saint-Pardoux, Saint-Quentin-sur-Sauxillanges, Saint-Rémy-de-Blot, Saint-Sandoux, Saint-Saturnin, Saint-Vincent, Sallèdes, Saulzet-le-Froid, Saurier, Sauxillanges, Sayat, Servant, Sugères, Teilhet, Tourzel-Ronzières, Valz-sous-Châteauneuf, Vernet-la-Varenne, Le Vernet-Sainte-Marguerite, Verrières, Vodable, Volvic. Department of Cantal Cantons of Allanche, Condat, Murat, Saint-Flour – Nord, Saint-Flour – Sud: all municipalities. Department of the Loire the municipalities of Chalmazel, La Chamba, La Chambonie, Jeansagnière, Lérigneux, Roche, Saint-Bonnet-le-Courreau, Sauvain. 5. Link with the geographical area 5.1. Specificity of the geographical area Natural factors The geographical area for ‘Fourme d’Ambert’ is situated in a mountainous region and comprises the following: — the area formed by the ‘Hautes Chaumes du Forez’ at the top of the Forez mountains, straddling the departments of Loire and Puy de Dôme. The ‘Hautes Chaumes’ — vast bare stretches on granite bedrock surrounded by mainly coniferous forest slopes — are an area of heavy rainfall (annual average precipitation of more than 1 000 mm) subject to continental and oceanic influence (annual average temperatures below 10 °C), — an area essentially consisting of crystalline and volcanic plateaus interspersed with valleys, which, because of its altitude and steep slopes also has mountainous characteristics, in contrast to the low-altitude and flat Limagne area, which has a clay-limestone substrate and a drier climate. The geographical area’s altitude and rainy climate particularly favour the growth of grass. Human factors The production of this cheese is known to date back to the early Middle ages, as evidenced by a stone sculpture in an old feudal chapel in the middle of the Forez mountains. The ‘Hautes Chaumes’ is home to mountain pasture buildings known as ‘jasseries’, which are found at higher altitude than permanent habitats, above 1 200 m, and which testify to the pastoral activity on which the traditional production of this cheese was based. This production process fitted into a very specific economic and social system which lasted until the middle of the 20th century. In the spring, the modest-sized herds were led to the summer pastures, thus freeing up the village meadows, which were used to produce hay for winter fodder. Tending the animals, making the cheese and herding the cows were the sole preserve of women, who lived up on the mountains for part of the year, while the men stayed down in the villages to produce hay and carry out the harvesting. After demoulding, the cheeses were placed on draining racks made of coniferous wood (hollowed-out half trunks) that fitted the shape of the cheeses. Farmers have continued to use grass as the staple feed for the dairy cows to the present day. Production techniques evolved as output increased in the early 20th century but practices common to all producers and specific expertise have been preserved. The production of ‘Fourme d’Ambert’ still relies on this specific expertise. The curd is cut into pieces the size of maize grains, which are then stirred to cover them with a thin film that prevents the grains sticking together after moulding. Before the curd is moulded it is first drained on a conveyor, which allows some of the whey to be separated without the grains being crushed. After moulding, the curd is drained by turning without pressing to allow discharge of the whey while preserving the cavities previously created in the cheese. The salting helps to complete the draining process. When the cheese is firm enough, after at least four days, it is pierced in order to create air inlets that allow oxygen to penetrate the cheese. During the maturing stage temperature and humidity are controlled to allow the rind to form and the growth of Penicillium roqueforti to be managed. 5.2. Specificity of the product ‘Fourme d’Ambert’ is a cheese made from cow’s milk with a characteristically cylindrical, elongated and regular shape, from 17 to 21 cm high and 12,5 to 14 cm in diameter. The paste of the cheese has cracks and evenly distributed veins caused by the growth of Penicillium roqueforti . It has a supple and unctuous texture. 5.3. Causal link between the geographical area and the quality or characteristics of the product (for PDO) or a specific quality, the reputation or other characteristic of the product (for PGI) The size of ‘Fourme d’Ambert’ resulted from the economic and social system that developed in the geographical area over time to take advantage of the natural environment which favours the growth of grass and cattle rearing. This size suited the small herds and the fact that the cheese-making was carried out by women: the cheese needed little milk to make and was easy to handle. The characteristic elongated and regular shape of ‘Fourme d’Ambert’ was particularly suited to draining in the coniferous wood gutters that were used at that time. The paste of ‘Fourme d’Ambert’ owes its evenly distributed blue veining to the special expertise applied during its production. The size of the curd grains, combined with the stirring, determines the cohesiveness of the paste and the forming of cavities which are necessary for Penicillium roqueforti to grow. This growth, which occurs during maturing, is helped by the initial drainage on conveyors and the subsequent drainage by turning without pressing, and by the intake of oxygen thanks to piercing. ‘Fourme d’Ambert’ has a supple and unctuous texture, in particular because the curd is not milled and the draining, salting and maturing are specifically tailored to the product. ‘Fourme d’Ambert’ is the product of a particular way of living and making cheese, and, as such, the expression of community life in a natural environment of medium-altitude mountains. Reference to publication of the specification [Article 5(7) of Regulation (EC) No 510/2006] https://www.inao.gouv.fr/fichier/CDCFourmeDAmbert.pdf ( 1 ) OJ L 93, 31.3.2006, p. 12 . Replaced by Regulation (EU) No 1151/2012 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 21 November 2012 on quality schemes for agricultural products and foodstuffs ( OJ L 343, 14.12.2012, p. 1 ).