18. The Loire Valley Flashcards
Describe the climate of the Loire.
- overall cool
- continental (inland, Central Vineyards)
- maritime (Nantais)
- Anjou: warmer and drier
- Touraine: cooler, wetter, clay soil
- high rainfall
Where are the most desirable vineyards located in the Loire?
- southerly aspect
- mid-slope
- facing the river (extra heat and reflected light)
What are the three main white grapes of the Loire?
Sauvignon Blanc
Chenin Blanc
Melon Blanc
What are the main areas of Sauvignon Blanc production in the Loire?
- Central Vineyards (Sancerre, Pouilly Fume)
- Touraine
What are the two most prestigious appellations of the Central Vineyards? Describe the wine from these appellations.
Sancerre
Pouilly Fume
- Sauvignon Blanc
- chalky, well-drained soil
- dry
- high acidity
- green apple
- wet stones
- generally not for aging
Pouilly Fume: subtle smoky notes
What are two famous villages and vineyards within Sancerre?
village: Chavignol
vineyard: Les Monts Damnes
highly expressive wines, good reputation
Describe the winemaking techniques for Loire Sauvignon Blanc.
- gentle pneumatic pressing
- temperature controlled stainless steel
- some ferment/mature in old oak
- some use lees contact
- few use new oak
- MLF varies (more common in cooler vintages to lower acidity of the wine)
Describe wines from Menetou-Salon. Where is this appellation located?
- west and south of Sancerre
- Sauvignon Blanc
- moderately priced wines
- similar style to Sancerre, Pouilly Fume
Where does the majority of Loire Sauvignon Blanc come from? Describe the wine.
Touraine
- less concentration
- simple, fruity style
Describe Chenin Blanc. What is strange about it?
- high acidity
- non-aromatic
- ranges from dry, sweet, still or sparkling (relates to degree of ripeness at harvest)
- fresh apple
- trpical fruit
- steely, smoky character
- can age for decades: become rounder, richer, honey, toast, hay
- common for grapes in same bunch to reach differing levels of ripeness (results in green, herbaceous aromas if care is not taken - requires several passes through the vineyard)
What types of Chenin grapes would be used for sparkling wines?
Sparkling: barely ripe
Describe Vouvray (located, climate, soil, wines).
- located to the east of the city of Tours
- cool climate, clay soil
- makes dry to sweet and sparkling Chenin
- light-to-medium body
- fresh fruity and floral notes
- rarely sees oak
Describe white Saumur (location, climate, soil, wines).
-to the west of Vouvray
- sparklin Chenin
- cool climate, clay soil
Describe white Anjou (location, climate, soil, wines).
-to the west of Vouvray
- dry wines
- often (not always) matured in new oak
- cool climate, clay soil
Describe white wine from Savennières (location, climate, soil, wines).
- west of Anjou-Saumur
- relatively warm, dry
- full-bodied Chenin (dry)
- less floral
Describe white wine from Coteaux du Layon (location, climate, soil, wines). Name two favored sites.
- west of Anjou-Saumur
- relatively warm, dry
- sweet wines (noble rot)
- River Layon
- south of the loire
- Quarts de Chaume
- Bonnezeaux
Describe Melon Blanc. What are other terms for this variety? What are the main appellations?
-Muscadet, Melon de Bourgogne
- ripens early
- frost resistant
- dry
- medium alcohol
- concrete, stainless steel
- high acidity
- light body
- subtle green fruit flavors
- drink young
- Muscadet
- Muscadet Sèvre et Maine
What is Muscadet Sèvre et Maine?
- bottled in the spring following the vintage
- spends winter on lees
- richer texture
- handled little to retain delicacy and freshness
What are the main black grape varieties of the Loire?
- Cabernet Franc
- Gamay
- Pinot Noir
Why is Cabernet Franc well suited for the Loire?
-flowers and ripens early (cool climate)
Describe wines from Touraine. What are the subregions? How does the soil determine the style?
- Red wines: Cabernet Franc
- Chinon (south of the Loire)
- Bourgueil, Saint-Nicolas-de-Bourgeuil (north)
- Sandy soils: light, fruity, early-drinking
- Limestone/Clay soils (south facing slopes): fuller bodied, more tannic
- some mature in oak
- some van evolve in bottle for years
Describe the wines from Saumur and Saumur-Champigny.
- Red wines: Cabernet Franc
- lighter in body, tannin
- juicy berry fruit
- some floral
- best drunk young, chilled
- some fuller bodied
What is the second most widely planted black grape? Where is it grown? Describe the wines.
Gamay
- Touraine, Anjou
- fruity, early drinking wines
Where is Pinot Noir planted?
- small amount
- Central Vineyards
- quite rare, light style
- most land reserved for Sauvignon Blanc
Where are the main regions for rose production in the Loire?
- Anjou-Saumur
- Touraine
- Sancerre
What is Rose de Loire?
- Anjou-Saumur
- Touraine
- always dry
- min 30% Cabernet Franc and/or Cabernet Sauvignon in the blend
What is Cabernet d’Anjou?
- medium-sweet in style
- blend of Cabernet Franc and Cabernet Sauvignon
What is Rose d’Anjou?
- less sweet
- made from Grolleau (local high yielding black grape) and Cabernet Franc
What are the rose wines of Touraine like?
- dry
- fresh
- fruity
What must Sancerre rose be made of? Describe the wine
Pinot Noir
- pale
- light
- dry
- delicate fruit
What are the two ways to make rose in the Loire?
- direct pressing
- short maceration on skins
fermented in insert, temp-controlled vessels to retain fruit flavors
