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WSET 4 D4 by Sarp Sarac > D4.C7. Loire Valley > Flashcards

D4.C7. Loire Valley Flashcards

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1
Q

In total, how many sparkling wine appellations are there in the Loire?

A

Seven

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2
Q

Total sparkling wines account for about how many per cent of all Loire appellation wines?

A

13%

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3
Q

Where is the production of sparkling wines in the Loire centered?

A
  • Saumur for Crémant de Loire and sparkling Saumur
  • Vouvray for sparkling Vouvray
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4
Q

Why is there a Champagne connection in the Loire for both Crémant and sparkling Saumur?

A

Major companies are owned by Champagne houses:
- Bouvet-Ladubay was owned by Taittinger
- Gratien & Meyer is owned by Champagne Alfred Gratien
- Langlois-Chateau is majority-owned by Bollinger

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5
Q

Historically why are the first sparkling wine cellars in the Loire based around Saumur?

A

Due to the availability of caves suitable for ageing wine

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6
Q

What are the general characteristics of Crémant de Loire?

A
  • About 90% is white
  • Chenin Blanc-dominant wines
  • Medium intensity apple and citrus flavours
  • Light toasty autolytic notes
  • Wines with 2-3 years of age can develop honeyed aromas
  • High acidity
  • Most wines are Brut in style, but Demi-Sec is also made
  • Brut Nature is increasingly popular
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7
Q

What is the price category for Crémant de Loire?

A

Mainly mid-priced, with a few wines at premium prices

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8
Q

How is the vineyard area changed for Crémant de Loire between 2012 to 2017?

A

Increased from 1,600 ha to more than 2,100 ha

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9
Q

How many Crémant producers are there in Loire?

A

About 500

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10
Q

What is the average annual production of Crémant de Loire?

A

112,000 hL

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11
Q

Where is the fruit for Crémant grown in Loire?

A

In the middle Loire districts of Anjou-Saumur and Touraine only (the zone south and south-west of Saumur is the source of most of the fruit)

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12
Q

What is the climate of Crémant de Loire appellation?

A

Cool continental with mild cooling influence from the Atlantic Ocean

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13
Q

Why is the climate of Crémant de Loire appellation ideal for sparkling wine production?

A

The cool climate helps to produce grapes with low potential alcohol and high acidity levels

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14
Q

Which viticultural hazards can be seen in Crémant de Loire appellation?

A
  • Fungal diseases
  • .Untimely rain (during flowering, fruit set and at harvest)
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15
Q

What kinds of soils are there in Crémant de Loire appellation?

A
  • Clay-limestone
  • Flint-clay
  • Sand
  • Gravel
  • Tuff
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16
Q

Compare the soil in Anjou and Tourraine.

A
  • Anjou: More schist and limestone
  • Tourraine: More chalk
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17
Q

Overall, what are the key properties of the soils in Loire?

A

Good drainage and water retention characteristics of limestone elements

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18
Q

How is the tuff rock beneficial in Loire?

A

As in Champagne, excavated caves are ideal maturation chambers for lees-ageing sparkling wines as there is little fluctuation in temperature and humidity

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19
Q

What are the common properties of the vineyards dedicated for Crémant production in Loire?

A
  • Less well-exposed sites
  • Higher proportion of clay
20
Q

Why are the soils with excessive clay are not classified within the appellation?

A

They would be too cold and lack good drainage

21
Q

Which rootstocks are preferred in Loire? Why?

A

Due to high lime content in the soils, rootstocks with high tolerance of lime such as Fercal and Riparia Gloire de Montpellier are used to protect the vines from chlorosis.

22
Q

Which grapes can be used to produce Crémant de Loire?

A
  • Chenin Blanc
  • Cabernet Franc
  • Cabernet Sauvignon
  • Grolleau Noir and Gris
  • Pineau d’Aunis
  • Pinot Noir
  • Chardonnay
23
Q

What is the maximum amount Cabernet Sauvignon and Pineau d’Aunis allowed in Crémant de Loire, together or separately?

A

30%

24
Q

Is Sauvignon Blanc allowed in Crémant de Loire? Why?

A

No, its aromatic profile is typically not well suited to traditional method

25
Q

What is the maximum yield allowed for Crémant de Loire?

A

74 hL/ha

26
Q

When should the producers declare to make Crémant de Loire?

A

July

27
Q

What are the common winemaking practices/choices during Crémant de Loire production?

A
  • Pneumatic presses (low phenolics)
  • Stainless steel tanks for base wines (However, some top cuvées are fermented in oak (e.g. Bouvet-Ladubay’s Cuvée Trésor) )
  • Practice varies regarding malolactic conversion
  • Wines from different areas within the Crémant de Loire appellation may be blended before second fermentation in the bottle to maintain consistency in the larger brands
  • Time on lees varies from the minimum nine months (preserving primary fruit) to up to two years for a more obviously autolytic style
  • Use of reserve wines is not typical in mid-priced bottlings but is more common in premium wines
28
Q

What is “Prestige de Loire”?

A

It is a new top tier sparkling Loire category, launched in 2018, aiming to establish the wine at a minimum price of €10 in France

29
Q

Prestige de Loire applies to which appellations?

A

It applies across the Crémant de Loire, Anjou, Saumur and Vouvray appellations

30
Q

What are the prerequisites for Prestige de Loire?

A
  • White only
  • Made from Chenin Blanc, Cabernet Franc, Chardonnay and Pinot Noir, singly or blended
  • Minimum of 24 months’ ageing on lees
  • Vintage only
  • Brut style only (Brut Nature and Extra Brut)
  • Producers must also achieve a set of environmental standards, aiming at sustainable viticulture, within 5 years
31
Q

How is the Crémant de Loire production divided?

A
  • 19 merchant houses
  • 10 co-operatives
  • 400 producers
  • 9 large houses account for 80% of the production
32
Q

What are the important companies for Crémant de Loire production?

A
  • Ackerman
  • Bouvet-Ladubay
  • Gratien & Meyer
  • Veuve-Amiot
  • Langlois-Chateau
33
Q

How many percent of the crop is grown in their own vineyards for Langlois-Chateau?

A

25–30%, the rest being bought as grapes

34
Q

What is the advantage of buying grapes rather than must for the merchant houses?

A

The health of the grapes can be checked and then pressed according to requirements

35
Q

What is the percentage of domestic and export market for Crémant de Loire?

A

50-50

36
Q

What are the main export markets for Crémant de Loire?

A
  • Germany
  • USA
  • UK
37
Q

Sparkling wines account for about how many per cent of all wines in Saumur and Vouvray?

A

60%

38
Q

What is the average annual production of Saumur Mousseux?

A

10.6 million bottles, from around 1,300 ha

39
Q

What are the stipulations for Saumur Mousseux?

A
  • Must be a minimum of 60% Chenin Blanc and may contain a maximum of 10% Sauvignon Blanc
  • Rosé wines must be a minimum of 60% Cabernet Franc and may contain a maximum of 10% Sauvignon Blanc
  • Mechanical harvest is allowed
  • More juice can be extracted (100 L from 130 kg) than for Crémant
40
Q

What is the average annual production of Vouvray Mousseux?

A
  • 8.2 million bottles from around 1.200 ha
  • There is also a tiny production of Vouvray Pétillant (lightly sparkling) and a growing fashion for Pet Nat
41
Q

Which grapes can be used to produce Vouvray Mousseux?

A
  • Chenin Blanc is the dominant variety, which must make up the great majority of the blend (can be 100%)
  • One other grape variety permitted is Orbois (a white variety local to the Loire), which must make up the minority of a blend
42
Q

What are the maximum yields for sparkling wines for Vouvray and Saumur?

A
  • Vouvray: 65 hL/ha
  • Saumur: 67hL/ha
43
Q

Why is it common for producers in Saumur and Vouvray who focus mainly on still wines to entrust the secondary fermentation stage to a specialist?

A

Because a number of producers have neither the equipment nor the expertise to complete the production of sparkling wines

44
Q

Name the best well-known specialist in Saumur and Vouvray performing secondary fermentation for the growers?

A

Berger Elaborateur in Saint-Martin-le-Beau (Cher Valley)

45
Q

Why is making sparkling wine in Saumur and Vouvray can be an attractive option for growers?

A
  • Less risk: Grapes picked early avoiding the possibility of late season rain or botrytis spoiling or reducing the crop
  • Higher permitted yields

WSET 4 D4 by Sarp Sarac (22 decks)

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