FR: Loire Valley Flashcards
Loire IGPs
Val de Loire
* 9% of production
* 5 IGP, the others = ~ .2% of production
[Côtes de la Charité
Coteaux de Tannay
Coteaux du Cher et l’Arnon
Puy de Dôme]
Loire plantings & production
56.9k
* 78% locally consumed, 25% exported
* 53 AOC’s count for 75% of production
* 12% VDF
Vin Gris
Very pale rosé wines - not legally regulated. Made from very brief skin contact.
3 frost fighting strategies
- Frost fans
- Candles/chauferrettes (not ecologically-friendly)
- Water spraying (access to water can be a problem) aka aspersion
- Heated electric wires (costly)
Loire frost vintages since 2015
2016
2017
2019
2021 (WORST)
At what temp does photosynthesis start to decrease
30° C/ 86° F
* photosynthesis decreases, eventually leading to the vine shutting down and delaying maturation
Melon B parents? Romorantin?
both Gouais Blanc x Pinot
Feigentraube
A German synonym for Sauvignon Blanc
Cotes de Auvergne AC
Cotes de Auvergne AC
* runs along Allier River, tributary of Loire - so classified as Loire
* 75% of production is red. Vyd is 50% Gamay, 20% PN
* only Chardonnay-focused Loire Valley AOP
* volcanic! Massif Central
AC since 2012. Puy-de-Dome IGP covers this area.
Pay Nantais’ synonym for Folle Blanche & reason for high # of plantings
Gros Plant
* highly productive, highly acidic variety traditionally used by the Dutch in the 17th century to make Cognac
Côt parents
Magdeleine Noire des Charentes x Prunelard
Massif Armoricain
W Loire: Nantais/half of Saumur
* SOILS: Granite, gneiss, multicolored schist, slate, and pudding stones.
EX: Anjou Noir
* 600 million years of weathering = Hercynian Mtns reduced to gentle slopes
5 tributaries of the Loire
Maine
Sèvre
Vienne
Indre
Allier
Loir
Layon
Thouet
Cher
Sur Lie
- 4 ACs that can use the label
- general timeframe
Autolysis = flavor, aroma, texture
- Muscadet Coteaux de la Loire
- Muscadet Sevre et Maine
- Muscadet Cotes de Grandlieu
- Gros Plant du Pays Nantais
5 - 14 months aging on lees - from March 1 until Nov 30/Dec 31 of year after harvest
**Not for Crus
Muscadet soils
TOPSOIL: clay, sand, gravel
SUBSOIL: Metamorphic/igneous mix.. gneiss, gabbro, granite, schist, clay
Muscadet Sevre-et-Maine Elevage
Basic: none mentioned
Sur Lie: March 1 to Dec 31 for bottling; can be sold as soon as March 8
CRUS:
- Goulaine/ Le Pallet: shortest elevage - fine lees until April 1 of 2nd year
- the rest…. Oct 1 of 2nd year
[Gorges, Clisson, Mouzillon-Tillières, Monnières-Saint-Fiacre, Château-Thébaud]
Muscadet “sur lie” aging requirement
On lees until March 1 of year after harvest
Can be sold as soon as March 8
Must be off lees by Dec. 31
Aging requirements for Goulaine and Le Pallet* (less aging than the other crus)
April 1 of 2nd year
(the rest mandate Oct 1)
Muscadet Crus
(7)
Complimentary geographic denominations
2011: Clisson, Gorges, Pallet
2019: Goulaine, Château Thébaud, Monnières-Saint-Fiacre, and Mouzillon-Tillières
Muscadet Cru Communaux with GRANITE
Clisson
Muscadet Cru Communaux with GNEISS
DOMINANT:
- Monnières-Saint-Fiacre
- Château-Thébaud
MIXED:
- Le Pallet: Gneiss, quartz, and gabbro
- Goulaine: Gneiss, schist
Muscadet Cru Communaux with GABBRO
- Mouzillon-Tillières: Gabbro
- Gorges: Clay and gabbro
- Le Pallet: Gneiss, quartz, gabbro
Coteaux d’Ancenis AOP
SWEET WHITES: 100% Pinot Gris (Malvoisie); 20-40gl RS
ROSÉ/REDS: 90% Gamay + max 10% Cabernet Franc
[Sweet Malvoisie = 2/3 of production, most consumed in region]
Overlaps Muscadet Coteaux de la Loire
Muscadet yields
- Muscadet AC: 70 hl/ha
- Muscadet Sevre et Maine etc: 55 hl/ha
- Crus: 45 hl/ha
3 Muscadet Cru on deck for ratification
- Champtoceaux (Coteaux de la Loire)
- La Haye Fouassière
- Vallet
Red wines in the Pays Nantais
- Coteaux d’Ancenis (Gamay w max 10% CF)
- Fief Vendeens (CF/PN/Negrette blends)
Dedicated Rosé AC’s in the Loire
- Rosé de Loire (dry)
- Rosé d’Anjou (min 7gRS)
- Cabernet d’Anjou (min 10gRS)
Cabernet d’Anjou AOP
Semi-sweet rosé
Anjou-wide; 45% of region production
* Cab Franc and/or Sauv
* MIN 10gl RS
Rosé d’Anjou AOP
Semi-sweet Rosé
Anjou-wide; 17% of region production
* Grolleau, CS, CF, Gamay, Cot, Pineau d’Aunis
* MIN 7gl RS
Rosé de Loire AOP
- grapes (7)
- max RS
Dry Rosé
Anjou-Saumur + Touraine
* Grolleau, CS, CF, Gamay, Cot, Pineau d’Aunis, PN
* MAX 3 gl RS
Anjou-Saumur AC’s for DRY WHITES (6)
Anjou AC
Coulée de Serrant AC
Haut-Poitou AC
Saumur AC
Savennieres AC
Savennieres Roche aux Moines AC
Anjou-Saumur AC’s for STILL ROSÉ (3)
Cabernet d’Anjou AC
Rosé d’Anjou AC
Haut-Poitou AC (w/r/r)
Anjou-Saumur AC’s for ROUGE (6)
Anjou
Anjou-Villages
Anjou Villages-Brissac
Haut-Poitou
Saumur
Saumur-Champingy
Anjou-Saumur AC’s for SPARKLING (2)
Anjou AC
Saumur AC
Anjou-Saumur AC’s for liquoreux (6)
Anjou Coteaux de la Loire
Bonnezeaux
Coteaux de l’Aubance
Coteaux du Layon
Coteaux de Saumur
Quarts de Chaume
Anjou AOP grapes/styles
WHITES: min 80% Chenin
REDS:
* Cab Franc, Sauv, Grolleau, Pinot d’Aunis
* varietally labelled 100% Gamay
VIN MOUSSEUX: Chenin-based whites, Cab Franc/Sauv, Cot etc Rosé
Dry whites from Anjou-Saumur’s licoreux appellations
can use Anjou AOP
Anjou-Villages AOP- what styles of wine?
Better Anjou sites recognized
* RED ONLY: Cab Franc and/or Cab Sauv
Anjou-Villages Brissac
- grapes/styles
- what does it overlap
Centered on Aubance River area
* a dry microclimate with less humidity
* SAME area as Coteaux de l’Aubance
REDS ONLY: Cab Franc and/or Sauv
Anjou Noir vs Anjou Blanc
Noir = dark schists of the Massif Amoricain
Blanc = limestones of the Paris Basin
Coteaux du Layon AOP RS levels
100% Chenin Blanc; Blanc & SGN
* min 34gl RS, 54gl RS for village
* min 80gl RS for Premier Cru
Coteaux du Layon + Village
- yields
- min RS
- villages (6)
Yields 30hl/ha (vs 35)
min 54gl RS (vs 34)
Beaulieu-sur-Layon
Faye-d’Anjou
Rablay-sur-Layon
** Rochefort-sur-Loire (Chaume)
** Saint-Aubin-de-Luigné (“pearl of layon”)
Saint-Lambert-du-Lattay
Coteaux du Layon Premier Cru Chaume
- min RS
- yields
- village
Rochefort-sur-Loire
* min 80gl RS
* max 25 hl/ha yields
* No chaptalization at this level, the others can
Quarts de Chaume AOP
- soils
- styles
- RS
- yields
- claim to fame
“Only Grand Cru in the Loire”
ROCHEFORT-SUR-LOIRE
* SOILS: sandstone, schist
* 100M - “high” for this area; overlooks the Layon River
* passerillage OR botrytis
* NO chaptalization
* Min RS 85 gl
* max 20 hl/ha
Bonnezeaux AOP
- min RS
- commune
- river
- min 51 gl RS; chaptalization is allowed
- Thouarcé = sole commune
- north bank of Layon River
Rochefort-sur-Loire
Hill of Chaume aka Quarts de Chaume, Coteaux du Layon Premier Cru Chaume
Layon River AC’s
Bonnezeaux
Coteaux du Layon
Quarts de Chaume
Coteaux de l’Aubance AOP
Aubance River
* similar to Coteaux du Layon… min 34 gl RS, max yields 35 hl/ha
Coteaux de Saumur AOP
Blanc (liquoreux)
* * min 34 gl RS - no chaptalization
* 10 hectares planted - not important
* Limestone soils (rather than Anjou schist)
Savennieres communes of production
Bouchemaine
La Possonnière
Savennières
Savennieres RS
Sec: max 4gl (8 if TA within 2gl of RS)
Demi-Sec: Max. 18gl
Moelleux: 18 - 45 gl
Doux: 45+
coulées
valleys
Savennieres soils
Anjou Noir
blue schist with volcanic debris
Coulée de la Serrant
- ownership
- 3 sections
- soils
Nicolas Joly; Monopole
3 sections:
1. Grand Clos de la Coulee
2. Clos du Chateau
3. Les Plantes
- Anjou noir: schist, volcanics
- lower yields than the reg and Roche - 30hl/ha, 25hl/ha for demi/doux
Savennieres Roche aux Moines
- name
- max RS
“Monk’s Rock”
* Max 4gl RS for Sec
* MIN Moelleux/Doux 30 gl RS
*S/SW outcrop of Amoricain Massif
* 35hl/ha, 25 for demi/doux
Ch. de Chamboreau, Dom. FL, Dom. aux Moines
Saumur rivers
Loire River mainly - all AC’s touch it
Thouet River
Main style produced in Saumur?
60% of production is sparkling
Saumur AOP grapes/styles
- WHITE: 100% Chenin
- REDS: Cab Franc + max Sauv/PdA
- PUY NOTRE DAME: Cab Franc + max 15% Sauv
- Chenin-based sparkling, Cab Franc-based sparkling rosé
Saumur Mousseux
- alternative name
- lees aging
- varieties
Fines Bulles
BLANC: min 60% Chenin
ROSÉ: min 60% Cab Franc
* min 9 months on lees
60% of total Saumur production
Cremant de Loire AOP
- styles
- lees/elevage
- grapes (3w/5r)
- min bars
Saumur + Touraine
Blanc & rosé
* Chard, Chenin, Orbois
* Cab Franc, Sauv, Grolleau, Pineau d’Aunis, Pinot Noir
** 9 months on lees, 12 months from tirage before release
** Min 4 bars pressure
**Must be hand-harvested
Saumur Puy-Notre-Dame
- where
- styles/grapes
SUBZONE of Saumur AOP
* Min. 85% Cab Franc, max 15% Sauv
*60ha around the town of that name, highest point in the region @ 80M
* lower yields (50 vs 57 for Saumur) and no chaptalization
Saumur-Champigny AOP
- meaning of name
- grapes, styles
- forest, river
- soils
Campus ignis = field of fire
* Min. 85% Cabernet Franc + Cab Sauv, Pineau d’Aunis
* Fontevraud Forest (s), Rivers Thouet + Loire
* clay + tuffeau limestone
Clos Rougeard
- vineyards/bottlings
- last vintage w the Foucaults
Saumur-Champigny superstars
Nady & Charly Foucault
* Le Clos: Cab Franc, blended sites
* Les Poyeaux, Le Bourg: single vineyard Cab Franc
* Brézè: Saumur Blanc
2016 was the last vintage before the sale
Brézè producers
Saumur AOP
Domaine Guiberteau
Arnaud Lambert
Chateau de Breze
Clos Rougeard
Domaine du Collier
Haut-Poitou AOP
Saumur
Sauvignon Blanc-based whites
Cabernet Franc-based rosé, reds
Touraine soils
Paris basin
* tuffeau, sand, clay, flint, alluvial terraces
Touraine AOP subzones
- Amboise (W/R/R: Chenin, Cot)
- Mesland (W/R/R: Chenin, Gamay)
- Azay-le-Rideau (W/Rose: Cheinin, Grolleau)
- Oisly (W: SB)
- Chenonceaux (W/R: SB, Cot)
Touraine Amboise
WHITE: 100% Chenin
ROSÉ: Cot-based
RED: 100% Cot
Touraine Oisly
WHITES only - 100% Sauvignon Blanc, lees-aged
*sand, clay soils
Touraine Chenonceaux
Largest Touraine AOP subzone
* 100% Sauv Blanc, Cot-based reds
Touraine Azay-le-Rideau
Touraine AOP subzone
100% Chenin Blanc WHITES
Grolleau-based ROSÉ
Touraine Mesland
Touraine AOP subzone
Chenin-based whites, Gamay-based Rosé and Red
Saint-Nicolas de Bourgueil AOP
- grapes, styles
- soils
Touraine, north bank of the Loire
* ROSÉ/RED: Cabernet Franc based
* SOILS: tuffeau-based clay upslope; most vineyards are on sandy gravels on an alluvial terrace
Bourgeuil AOP
- styles
- soils
Touraine, north bank of the Loire
* ROSÉ/RED: Cabernet Franc based
* SOILS: tuffeau-based clay upslope; half of vyd on sandy gravels on an alluvial terrace
Chinon - grapes/styles
100% Chenin Blanc
Cabernet Franc-based Rosé/Red
Chinon soils
varennes (alluvial sand)
tuffeau (soft limestone)
clay
Longer answer:
1. Lower, flatter land by river: sand, silt, gravel alluvial terraces (Véron Peninsula at confluence of rivers = highly sandy)
2. Tuffeau / clay mix: on the cotes. Yellow limestone. BEST SITES
** Le Clos de l’Olive, Le Chêne Vert, and La Croix Boissée = famed vineyards
3. Top of the hillsides: clay and sand mix with flint
Chinon rivers
Vienne + Loire Rivers
Vineyards/lieux-dit of Chinon
Les Beaux Monts (Breton)
La Croix Boissée (Baudry)
Les Grezeaux (Baudry)
Le Clos de l’Olive
Le Chêne Vert
Chinon Blanc producers
Dom. de la Noblaie
Bernard Baudry
Couly-Dutheuil
Pascal Lambert
Varennes
Alluvial sand and gravelly soils found along the banks of the Vienne and the Loire in Chinon
Vouvray AOP grapes/styles
Blanc: Min. 95% Chenin, max 5% Orbois (encepagement)
Vin Mousseux/Pétillant
*majority Chenin = assemblage
Vouvray Soils/Lay of the land
Tuffeau (limestone) basis
Perruches: Clay/flint topsoils
–> Premières côtes
Deeper, richer clay soils on the plateau. Cooler, damper. Sparkling wine grapes
Premieres Cotes
Vouvray - “First slope”. The steepest, rockiest section of Vouvray - home to all the “grand cru vineyards”
Huet: Le Mont, Le Bourg, Le Haut-Lieu are here
Clay & silex (perruches) on a limestone (tuffeau) bench above the Loire River
Perruches
Chinon
Clay/flint topsoil with limestone underneath
Vouvray Mousseux
60% of Vouvray production
* grapes from the cool, damp clay-rich soils of the plateau
* min potential alc = 9.5% (vs 11% for still wines)
* 90% is consumed in France, whereas 65% of still wine is exported
Vouvray RS
- sec
- demi-sec
- Moelleux
- Doux
Sec: 8gl (TA within 2gl of RS)
Demi-Sec: 9 - 18
Moelleux: 18 - 45
Doux: 45+
**Sec-Tendre: unofficial sec to demi-sec in between. Just enough sugar to round it out
Montlouis-sur-Loire
-grapes/styles
South side of Loire River - opposite Vouvray
* 100% Chenin Blanc
* Blanc, Vin Mousseux/Petillant
* Vin Mousseux Fermentation Unique (aka ancestral)
Montlouis-sur-Loire rivers
sandwiched between
Loire River (south bank) and
Cher River
Montlouis-sur-Loire Vin Mousseux á Fermentation Unique (7 rules)
- lees
- process
- rs
Ancestral method (single fermentation)
* Native yeast fermentation
* Min. 9 months on lees
* Must be disgorged
* No dosage is permitted
* hand-harvested
* vintage dated
* max 5 gl RS
Vouvray vineyards/lieux-dit
- Clos Naudin (P. Foreau)
- Le Mont, Clos du Bourg, Haut Lieu (Huet)
- Les Perrieres
Silex
Flint
Montlouis-sur-Loire producers
- Dom. de la Taille Aux Loups (Jacky Blot)
- Le Rocher des Violettes
- Francois Chidaine
Cheverny AOP
Touraine
WHITE: min. 50% Sauv Blanc/Gris + Chard, Orbois, Chenin
ROSÉ/RED: min. 85% comb. Pinot Noir/Gamay
**always blends
Cour-Cheverny AOP
Touraine
100% Romorantin
Jasnieres
Touraine
100% Chenin Blanc
Coteaux du Vendômois AOC
- river
- grapes/styles
Touraine (banks of the Loir River)
* WHITES: Chenin Blanc-based
* ROSE/RED: Pineau d’Aunis-based
Sancerre’s main soil types
- Terres Blanches: Kimmeridgian marl (clay/limestone)
- Caillottes: gravel + Oxfordian limestone pebbles
- Griottes: clay + Oxfordian limestone pebbles
- Silex: clay with flint. Predominant in villages closer to river on east side of the fault line
Les Montes Damnes, Culs de Beujeu, La Cote soil type
Terres Blanche: Kimmeridian marl with clay/limestone
(Chavignol)
Grand Chemarin, Chene Marchand soil type
Caillottes - aka Oxfordian limestone
(Bué)
Chavignol
- main soil type
- top 3 vineyards
Tiny hamlet right next to Sancerre
TERRES BLANCHE/KIMMERIDGIAN SOILS
- Les Monts Damnés
- Cul de Beujeu
- Côte d’Amigny (aka La Côte, Grand Côte)
Gerard Boulay, Pascal Cotat, Francois Cotat, Vatan
Clos la Néore
Edmond & Anne Vatan
Chavignol, Sancerre
Les Monts Damnés - parcel near the bottom
Terre Blanche
Les Montes Damnès soils
Kimmeridgian
Bué soils + key vineyards
Oxfordian limestone
- Caillottes: gravel + limestone pebbles
- Griottes: clay + limestone pebbles
Grand Chemarin, Chêne Marchand
[Lucien Crochet]
Chêne Marchand
Bué
Lucien Crochet
Oxfordian limestone
- Caillottes: gravel + limestone pebbles
- Griottes: clay + limestone pebbles
Sancerre vineyards - list the top 5
- Chêne Marchand (Bue)
- Les Montes Damnes (Chavignol)
- Cul de Beujeu (Chavignol)
- Grand Chemarin (Bue)
- Côte d’Amigny (aka La Côte, Grand Côte)
Where would you find Silex in Sancerre
Land closer to the river - east side of the n-s running fault line.
Bannay, Saint-Satur, Menetreol, Thauvenay, Vinon
Pouilly-sur-Loire AOP
Overlaps Pouilly-Fume
100% Chasselas
*early-ripening, vigorous. Ripens ~ 7 - 10 days before SB
Saint-Andelain
Village in Pouilly-Fume - highest point in the AC
* home to D. Dageneau
Pouilly-Fume producers
Louis Benjamin Dageneau
Ladoucette
Dom. du Bouchot
Gitton
Didier Dageneau
Louis Benjamin Dageneau (now)
* Saint-Andelain
* VDF since 2017
* Asteroide = Franc de Pied bottling
* En Chailloux, Pur Sang = single parcels
* cigares.. 320L oval barrels
Menetou-Salon AOP
Central Vineyards
W/R/R - Sauv Blanc, Pinot Noir
* more organic vineyards than any other Central Vineyards AC
Quincy AOP
- river
- grapes/styles
Central Vineyards
Left bank of the Cher River
WHITES ONLY: Sauv Blanc + max 10% Gris
* sand-based soils with gravel, clay, and silt
66 frost-fighting windmills
Why did Quincy fare better with frost in 2021 than other regions?
Fans
Left bank of the Cher with sandy gravel, clay, silt. Quincy is cool, humid and prone to frost. The growers purchased 66 windmills in 2000. The whole AC is densely planted and almost wholly covered by the fans
Reuilly AOP
- grapes/styles
- river
Central Vineyards; Arnon River
WHITES: Sauvignon Blanc
ROSÉ: Pinot Gris/Pinot Noir
RED: Pinot Noir
Coteaux du Giennois
- grapes, styles
- river
Central Vineyards - across the river from Sancerre, on the east bank
WHITE: Sauvignon Blanc
ROSÈ/RED: Pinot Noir/Gamay blends
SOILS: flint/limestone
Orléans AOC
Central Vineyards
WHITES: Min. 60% Chard + PG
ROSÈ/RED: Pinot Meunier dominant + Pinot Noir
Orléans-Clery AOC
Central Vineyards
Right bank of the Loire RIver
100% Cab Franc REDS ONLY
Loire Volcanique
- what regions
Growers association in the Central France
(Massif Central = volcanic formation)
Côtes d’Auvergne
Côte du Forez
Côte Roannaise
Saint-Pourçain
Central Franc AOPs
Saint-Pourçain
(W: Chard/Sacy, R/R: Gamay/PN)
Côtes d’Auvergne
(W: Chard, R: min 50% Gamay +PN)
Côtes du Forez
(R/R: Gamay)
Côte Roannaise
(R/R: Gamay)
“Gamay on Granite” - Massif Central volcanics
Saint-Pourçain AOP
Central France
WHITES: Chard, Tressalier, SB blends
ROSÈ: 100% Gamay
REDS: Gamay/PN blends
Côtes d’Auvergne AOP
Varietal Chardonnay, Gamay (w some PN) rosé & reds
* has crus.. Cornet is known for Rosé
* volcanic soils
Loire
Côtes du Forez AOP
Central France
ROSÉ/REDS: 100% Gamay
Côte Roannaise AOP
Central France
ROSÉ/REDS: 100% Gamay
Central Vineyards - rosé appellations? (6)
- Orléans
- Sancerre
- Menetou-Salon
- Reuilly
- Châteaumeillant
- Coteaux du Giennois
Central Vineyards red wine appelations (7)
- Orléans
- Sancerre
- Menetou-Salon
- Reuilly
- Châteaumeillant
- Coteaux du Giennois
- Orléans-Clery
Central Vineyards that do NOT make white wine (2)
Châteaumeillant AOP (R/R)
Orléans-Cléry AOP (Red only)
“pearl of layon”
Saint-Aubin-de-Luigné
Central Vineyards appellations NOT on the LOIRE River
- Reuilly (Arnon River Valley and by the Cher)
- Quincy (left bank of Cher)
- Chateaumeillant (Arnon River)
- Menetou-Salon (no river)
[Touraine Cher AC’s = Montlouis (S border), Valencay]
Anjou-Saumur Liquoreux AC’s (6)
- RS
- which forbid chaptalization
- Anjou-Coteaux de la Loire (min 34gl RS)
- Coteaux de l’Aubance (min 34gl RS)
- Coteaux de Saumur (min 34gl)
- Coteaux du Layon (min 34gl; 54 for village, 80 for 1er cru)
- Bonnezeaux (min 51gl RS)
- Quarts de Chaume (min 85gl RS)
** Quarts de Chaume, Coteaux du Layon SGN/Premier Cru, & Coteaux du Saumur forbid chaptalization
Name of the fossil in Kimmeridgian soils
Exogyra Virgula
Fines Bulles
Saumur Mousseux
Saumur AC’s subzone
Saumur Puy Notre Dame
Coulee de la Serrant sections
- Grand Clos de la Coulee
- Clos du Chateau
- Les Plantes
