EU approves Crémant d'Alsace PDO update allowing irrigation and new varieties

The European Commission has published the communication of approval of a standard amendment to the product specification of the ‘Crémant d’Alsace’ protected designation of origin (PDO), in the C series of the Official Journal of the European Union of 27 August 2026 (reference C/2026/4546). The amendment, notified by the French authorities under EU reference PDO-FR-A0917-AM03, updates the geographical area, authorises irrigation and introduces new vine varieties intended for climate adaptation.

The communication was issued under Article 24 of Regulation (EU) 2024/1143 and follows the procedure laid down in Commission Delegated Regulation (EU) 2025/27. The French authorities, through the Ministry of Agriculture, Agri-Food and Food Sovereignty, classified the changes as a standard amendment, confirming that they do not alter the name, the link to the geographical area or impose further marketing restrictions.

Updated geographical area

The list of municipalities has been brought into line with the 2025 Official Geographic Code, with several names corrected and one municipality removed.

• In Haut-Rhin, ‘Herrlisheim’ becomes ‘Herrlisheim-près-Colmar’ and ‘Soultz’ becomes ‘Soultz-Haut-Rhin’.
• In Bas-Rhin, ‘Gimbrett-Berstett’ becomes ‘Gimbrett (associated municipality, attached to Berstett)’ and ‘Oberhoffen les Wissembourg’ becomes ‘Oberhoffen-lès-Wissembourg’.
• The municipality of ‘Mittelhausen’ is deleted; the territory of the delegated municipality of Mittelhausen is now covered through ‘Wingersheim les Quatre Bans (only the territory of the delegated municipality of Mittelhausen)’.
• The dates of the most recent changes to the demarcated parcel area (30 November 2022 and 25 June 2024) are now recorded in the specification.

Irrigation and climate-adaptation varieties

The core of the amendment concerns adaptation to climate change, with new rules on irrigation and on vine varieties of interest for adaptation purposes.

• Irrigation may be authorised in accordance with Article D. 645-5 of the Rural and Maritime Fisheries Code; sprinkling of the foliage and application of fertiliser (fertigation) are prohibited.
• Where irrigation is permitted, the maximum average crop load per irrigated parcel is set at 12,000 kilograms per hectare.
• An irrigation declaration must be submitted to the protection and management body and the inspection body no later than two days before irrigation.
• Varieties of interest for adaptation purposes may be used for sparkling white wines (Voltis B, Opalor, Selenor, Souvignier Gris Rs, Johanniter B, Chenin B, Vermentino B – Rolle) and sparkling rosé wines (Coliris, Nebbiolo N, Syrah N – Shiraz), subject to an agreement signed by the National Institute of Origin and Quality (INAO), the protection and management body and the authorised operators.

Blending, planting and transitional rules

The amendment also tightens the limits on the use of the new varieties and adjusts transitional arrangements.

• The proportion of adaptation varieties must not exceed 5 % of a holding’s grape varieties for both white and rosé wines.
• In blends, the proportion of adaptation varieties must not exceed 10 % of the blend for both white and rosé wines.
• The names of adaptation varieties may not appear on the labelling.
• As of the 2034 harvest, the volume eligible for the PDO must be established on the basis of the yield set in the specification multiplied by a coefficient of 0.8.
• Covered testing of innovative practices is permitted on up to 5 % of the holding’s PDO surface area, using porous sheeting free of petrochemical-derived polymers.

The inspection body is confirmed as the National Institute of Origin and Quality (INAO), based in Montreuil, with compliance checks carried out by a delegated third-party body. The amendment affects the single document, which retains the PDO’s character as a quality sparkling wine with a maximum total alcoholic strength of 13 % after secondary fermentation and a minimum maturation of 12 months from bottling.

For Alsatian sparkling wine producers, the update provides a legal framework to respond to warmer growing seasons while preserving the designation’s identity. ‘Crémant d’Alsace’ accounts for 25 % of all protected designations of origin produced in Alsace, with exports now reaching 20 % of sales and diversifying across northern Europe.

Source: Official Journal of the European Union, C series, C/2026/4546, 27 August 2026 (official reference: C/2026/4546; EU reference PDO-FR-A0917-AM03).