18. Loire Valley Flashcards
1
Q
4 regions from east to west
A
- Central Vineyards
- Touraine
- Anjou-Saumur
- Nantais
2
Q
generic appellation for Loire? Rosé de Loire? Crémant de Loire? IGP?
A
- unlike most other French region there’s no regional generic appellation for the whole of Loire
- Rosé: from Anjou
- Crémant: Saumur
3
Q
climate in sub-regions? Central Vineyards? Nantais? Anjou - why? Touraine?
A
- different climatic influences, but overall cool
- Central vineyards: continental
- Nantais: maritime climate
- Anjou: slightly warmer and drier than expected given proximity to ocean, protected by the Mauges hills & stony soils
- Touraine: cooler, wetter, clay soils
4
Q
climate challenges? best vineyards?
A
- vineyards lie at norther limit for grape production
- strong variations in weather patters lead to large variations in vintages from year to year
- fungal diseases due to high rainfall can be an issue
- best: most sunshine and warmth, therefore southerly, mid-slope, facing river for extra heat and reflected light
5
Q
Sauvignon blanc - where? volumes? most prestigious appellations? soil? wine style? expressive wines? ageing?
A
- Central Vineyards and Touraine
- Central Vineyards by far smallest production in four sub-regions
- Sancerre, Pouilly-Fumé
- very chalky, well-drained stony soils
- dry, high acidity, hint of green apple and wet stone
- Pouilly-Fumé: said that it has subtle smoky notes
- Les Monts Damnés & Chavignol (both Sancerre) very expressive wines, some of those age well
- Generally Sancerre and Pouilly-Fumé not made for ageing
6
Q
Sauvignon blanc - winemaking techniques - fresh & fruity? broader texture? oak? MLF?
A
- fresh&fruity: gentle pneumatic pressure, temperature-controlled stainless steel
- more texture: ferment in old oak, on lees
- few use new oak
- MLF: mostly if cooler vintages to reduce acid
7
Q
Menetou-Salon? where? what?
A
- Sauvignon blanc west of Sancerre/Pouilly Fumé
- tributairies of Loire
- moderately priced but same style as Sancerre & Pouilly-Fumé
8
Q
Most Sauvignon Blanc? appellation? varietal label?
A
- Touraine region
- Touraine=a white wine from generic appellation covering all of Tourraine
- varietal label: Sauvignon de Touraine
- less concentrated than more prestigious regions and in simple, fruity style
9
Q
Chenin Blanc - style? where? pecularity? resulting in?
A
- high-acid, non-aromatic grape
- greatest whites of Anjou-Saumur and Touraine
- pec: on same bunch individual grapes can reach different levels of ripeness
- res: green, herbacous aromas if unripe grapes are not excluded, i.e. several passes through vineyard may be required
10
Q
Chenin blanc - styles of wine? grapes? recent years trend?
A
- depending on degree of ripeness of fruit
- barely ripe: sparkling wine (10-11% alc)
- increasing ripeness: still, dry to medium to sweet (even shrivelled in sun or noble rot)
- trend: even for dry wines use increasing ripeness to get higher alcohol and some residual sugar
11
Q
Chenin blanc - flavours? young? dry? sweet? aged?
A
- young wines: from fresh apple through tropical fruit, depending on ripeness
- dry: can have steely, smoky character
- sweet: citrus zest and abricot (typical for noble rot)
- age: still & sweet wines can age for decades, becoming rounder and richer, getting tastes of honey, hay and toast that balances well with high acidity common to all those wines.
12
Q
Chenin blanc- impact of climate and soil? where? wine style? (A)
A
- different climates and soils that impact style of wine
- Vouvray (east of Tours): sparkling and still, cool climate and clay soil leading to wines light/medium body, fresh fruity and floral notes, rarely fermented or matured in oak
- Saumur&Anjou: similar climates and soils. Saumur known for sparkling wine made by traditional method (Crémant de Loire). Anjou known for dry wines often matured in oak
13
Q
Chenin blanc- impact of climate and soil? where? wine style? (B)
A
- Savennières & Coteaux du Layon: west of Anjou-Saumur
- relatively warm climate compared to Touraine
- dry wines with medium-to full body, less floral
- Savennières: full body, air circulation around well-exposed vineyards impedes noble rot but enables late-harvested Chenin Blanc graped for full-bodied, complex dry, best can evolve for decades
- Coteaux du Layon: some of best renowned sweet wines, sheltered valley of River Layon, noble rot develops well - 2 favoured sites are Quarts de Chaume and Bonnezeaux = world’s greatest sweet wines
14
Q
Melon Blanc - names (2)? characteristics?
A
- Muscadet, Melon de Bourgogne
- ripens early, frost-resistant, i.e. well suited for cool climate
15
Q
Melon Blanc - where? name? appellations? major appellations (2)? alcohol? traditionally fermented in…? style?
A
- Nantais region, south of Loire flowing into Atlantic
- usually as Muscadet
- number of different appellations, so name is usually with Muscadet in title + name of appellation
- largest appellation: Muscadet
- most regarded appellation: Muscadet Sèvre et Maine
- alcohol: dry with medium alcohol (12% max permitted),
- traditionally fermented in large oak vessels but now also stainless steel and concrete vets more common
- style: high acidity, light body, subtle green fruit flavours, should be drunk young
16
Q
Muscadet speciality?
A
- Muscadet (Sèvre et Maine) sur Lie
- bottled in spring following the vintage
- spent winter on it lees (French: “Lie”) to give a richer texture
- wine handled very little keep delicate freshness
17
Q
Cabernet Franc - why suitable? where in Touraine? impact of soil?
A
- flowers and ripens early
- Touraine: Chinon (south of Loire), Borgueil & Saint-Nicolas-de-Borgueil (north)
- sandy soil: light, fruity
- limestone and clay soil with south-facing slopes: full-bodied, more tannic
- some mature in oak
- best wines can age for years
18
Q
Cabernet Franc- Saumur? style? when and how to drink?
A
- Saumur & Saumur-Champigny
- lighter in body and tannin than Touraine
- juicy berry fruits and sometimes floral notes
- best drunk young, especially Saumur
- often served chilled
- few fuller-bodied wines capable of ageing
19
Q
other black varieties (2)?
A
- Gamay= 2nd most common black grape in Loire, mainly in Touraine and Anjou, mostly fruity, early drinking wines
- Pinot Noir: small volumes in Central Vineyards, usually quite rare and light in style as best sites usually for Sauvignon Blanc
20
Q
Rosé Wines - mostly where? 3 types in Anjou-Saumur?
A
- mostly in Anjou-Saumur but also significant in Touraine and Sancerre
- types:
- Rosé de Loire: mostly Anjou-Saumur (but also Touraine), at least 30% Cabernet Franc and/or C. Sauvignon, dry
- Cabernet d’Anjou: alway medium sweet, always blend of C. Franc and C. Sauvingon
- Rosé d’Anjou: less sweet, mostly from Grolleau (local high-yielding black grape) blended with C. Franc and/or others
21
Q
Rosé from Touraine? style? grapes? Sancerre rosé? techniques?
A
- usually dry, fresh, fruity
- made from array of several different black varieties
- Sancerre: most be made of Pinot Noir, usually pale in colour, light in body, dry with delicate fruity flavours
- techniques: usually direct pressing or short maceration, inert, temp-controlled vessels to retain fruit flavours
