Central Vineyards

Question 1

What are the three main soils of Sancerre?

Answer 1

Silex: Flint
Terres Blanches: Kimmeridgean Clay
Caillottes: Stony, fossil-laden

Question 2

What is the sole 100% Sauvignon Blanc AOP in the Central Vineyards?

Answer 2

Pouilly-Fumé

Question 3

What are the major soil types in Pouilly-Fumé?

Answer 3

Kimmeridgean Marl
Caillottes (Oxfordian Limestone)
Silex (Flint)
Clay-Silica

Question 4

What styles and varietals are authorized for Sancerre? What other AOP has the same encépagement?

Answer 4

Blanc: 100% Sauvignon Blanc
Rouge/Rosé: 100% Pinot Noir

Menetou-Salon

Question 5

What is the grape in Pouilly-sur-Loire?

Answer 5

Chasselas

Question 6

What is Pouilly-sur-Loire AOP named for?

Answer 6

The central commune in Pouilly-Fumé

Question 7

What are the styles and varietal requirements for Quincy AOP?

Answer 7

Blanc only: Sauvignon Blanc plus max 10% Sauvignon Gris

Question 8

When was the Quincy AOP established?

Answer 8

1936 - the second delimited appellation in France after Châteauneuf-du-Pape

Question 9

What are the styles and varietal requirements for Reuilly AOP?

Answer 9

Blanc: 100% Sauvignon Blanc
Rouge: 100% Pinot Noir

Rosé: Pinot Noir and Pinot Gris

Question 10

What are the styles and varietal requirements for Coteaux du Giennois AOP?

Answer 10

Blanc: 100% Sauvignon Blanc
Rouge/Rosé: Pinot Noir and Gamay (neither may exceed 80%)

Question 11

Where is the Coteaux du Giennois AOP?

Answer 11

North of Pouilly Fumé on the Loire

Question 12

What are the styles and varietal requirements for Orléans AOP?

Answer 12

Blanc: min. 60% Chardonnay plus Pinot Gris
Rosé: min. 60% Pinot Meunier plus Pinot Noir, Pinot Gris
Rouge: min. 70-90% Pinot Meunier plus Pinot Noir

Question 13

What is the single grape in Orléans-Clery AOP?

Answer 13

100% Cabernet Franc

Question 14

Which three AOPs are located along the Cher River?

Answer 14

Valençay (Touraine)
Quincy (Central Vineyards)

Reuilly (Central Vineyards)

Question 15

Major climats of Sancerre?

Answer 15

Monts Damnés (Chavignol)
Chêne Marchand (Bué)

Question 16

Cotat Family History

Answer 16

Founded by Ferdinand Thomas (1920), handed to Paul and Francis in 1947. The brothers pooled resources and produced one wine under 2 labels. Farming was organic; fertilizer and pesticides were never adopted.
In 1990’s: Paul –> François, and Francis —> Pascal.

Question 17

François Cotat: Location and vineyards

Answer 17

Chavignol
Les Monts Damnés
Les Culs de Beaujeu
La Grande Côte
Plus .9ha of young vines between Chavignol and Sancerre, bottled as Caillottes (previously Jeunes Vignes to 2008)

Question 18

François Cotat: Winemaking

Answer 18

Harvested late, looking for ripeness.
Must goes direct to barrel with no débourbage (old barrels & demi-muids).
Bottled unfiltered.

Question 19

What is Cuvée Paul?

Answer 19

A demi-sec bottling from François Cotat, named for his father, labeled VDF.

Question 20

Pascal Cotat: Location and vineyards

Answer 20

Sancerre
Les Monts Damnés
La Grande Côte
plus other assorted Pinot Noir vines (mostly for rosé)

Question 21

Pascal Cotat: Winemaking

Answer 21

Like François: harvested late, and sometimes with a bit of RS. 
Fermented in demi-muid, and DO see debourbage before. Still no fining or filtering.
End result is richer, nearly creamy.

Question 22

Who produces Clos la Neore?

Answer 22

Edmond Vatan
From Les Monts Damnés, harvested late (like Cotat), bottled unfined/unfiltered.


Question 23

Vacheron: Viticulture

Answer 23

Biodynamic; certified as of 2004

Question 24

Vacheron: Wines

Answer 24

Cuvée Domaine: red and white, stainless steel, 70% old oak for red)
WHITE
Les Romains (flint; foudre)
Paradis (clay over limestone, 2600-3600hL foudre)
Chambrates (clay and caillottes, mix of foudre and barrel)
Guigne Chèvres (clay and caillottes, large vat)
RED
La Belle Dame (from Les Romains, flint, barrel into wooden cuve)

Question 25

Why do you see other Vacheron bottlings in the market?

Answer 25

Reine Blanche, Cailleries, etc. are names name up by merchants, renaming wines already made.

Question 26

Dagueneau: Vineyards

Answer 26

En Chailloux (first plot; no longer part of the domaine)
La Folie (flint & clay, partial franc de pied)
Le Bois de Saint-Andélain
Clos du Calvaire
Buisson Menard (heavy clay)
Les Coques
Les Monts Damnés (Sancerre)

Question 27

Dagueneau: Wines

Answer 27

Blanc Fumé de Pouilly (replaced En Chailloux; blended from multiple plots)
Pur Sang (from La Folie)
Buisson Renard (from Buisson Menard)
Silex (from Bois de Saint-Andélain)
Astéroïde (La Folie franc de pied)
Mont Damnés (first vintage 2006)
Jardins de Babylone (first release 2004)

Question 28

Dagueneau: Winemaking & Wood

Answer 28

Epic investment in the vineyards (1 worker per hectare - equal to Yquem!)
Fermentation and aging in wood (demi-muid and cigare [350-400L]) or stainless.
NO MALOLACTIC.