The Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries and the Natural Environment modifies the specifications of Vi de la Terra Mallorca

The Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries and the Natural Environment, through the General Directorate of Agri-Food Quality and Local Product and at the request of the Regulatory Council, has modified the regulations that govern the production and marketing of wines under the protected geographical indication Vi de la Terra Mallorca. The Order of the Minister Joan Simonet has already been published in the Official Gazette of the Balearic Islands (BOIB). The Director General of Agri-Food Quality and Local Product, Joan Llabrés, has stated that this measure "responds to a demand from wine producers in Mallorca, as the regulations are updated to adapt to the new climatic conditions of wine production, as well as to the demands of consumers in its marketing."

In this regard, it should be noted that the first modification refers to the minimum total acidity of wines, which has gone from 4.5 to 3.5 g/l of tartaric acid. The Regulatory Council has presented a study prepared by the University of the Balearic Islands (UIB) and the Institute of Agro-Environmental Research and Water Economy (INAGEA), which explains that climate change impacts not only on grape harvests and the quality of wine vintages, but also has a direct effect on the physical-chemical parameters of the must.

Specifically, rising temperatures and changes in rainfall patterns are causing the natural acidity of must to become increasingly lower. Acidity is a fundamental parameter in winemaking and influences the taste balance, microbiological stability, colour preservation and longevity of the product. This low natural acidity of musts has meant that in recent years the dosage of tartaric acid has had to be increased to reach the minimum set by the regulations. Excessive addition of tartaric acid can have negative consequences on the sensory profile of the final product. On the other hand, reducing the minimum acidity level has no negative impact on the quality of the wine.

The second modification is the elimination of the identifying logo established in 2013, when the protected geographical indication Vi de la Terra Mallorca was created. The Regulatory Council has prepared a study to assess the knowledge of the logo and its implementation in the social sphere, both among consumers and winemakers in Mallorca. The report concludes that it is not necessary to establish an image that forms part of the regulations. In this way, all producers will be able to voluntarily use the new logo of the geographical indication. "Without a doubt, this will allow the Regulatory Council to have more freedom when updating the corporate image of the quality seal," Llabrés stressed.