France - Loire Valley Flashcards
What are the principal varieties of Pays Nantais?
- Melon
- Chardonnay
- Gamay
- Folle Blanche
- Cabernet Franc
What are the climate of Pays Nantais?
A cool maritime climate with cool springs, warm and humid summers.
The thread of rain at any time through the growing season especially in March/April (affecting flowering) and in September (affecting harvest)
Does Melon bud and ripen early or late?
It buds early and ripens early.
What are the characteristics of Melon?
- High acidity
- Light body
- low to the low end of medium alcohol
- low aromatic intensity
- often made sur lie
What diseases Melon is resistant to and susceptible to?
Good resistance: powder mildew
Susceptible: downy mildew and botrytis rot
What vineyard management techniques are often used for Melon?
- spray to prevent fungal diseases
- canopy management, leaf removal
What are the Muscadet appellations?
- Muscdet Sevre et Maine
- Muscadet
- Muscadet Coteaux de la Loire
- Muscadet Cotes de Grandlieu
What is the aging requirement of the sur lie?
Must be bottled between March 1st and November 30th of the year following harvest
Up to what percentage ABV is chaptalization permitted in Pays Nantais?
12 %
Using bullet points, briefly describe the process of ageing the wines of Pays Nantais sur lie. Include details on what effect this has on the wine.
- After the alcoholic fermentation is completed, the wine is racked off to remove the gross lees.
- The wine then remains in contact with the fine lees, usually in a glass-lined concrete tanks.
- The wine stays on the fine lees through the winter following harvest and until bottling.
- Sur lie wines must be bottled between 1 March and 30 November of the year following harvest and in the winery in which they were made.
- Ageing on the lees increases the body and mouthfeel of the wine while retaining freshness and sometimes a small amount of carbon dioxide, which is part of the style of these wines.
What are the Muscadet Cru Communaux?
- Clisson
- Gorges
(on the lees for 24 months) - La Pallet (on the lees for 18 months)
Briefly describe why multiple passes may have to be done when handpicking Chenin Blanc grapes at harvest.
Chenin Blanc does not ripen evenly within a bunch and in certain vintages i.e. cooler vintages, this can be a particular issue. To ensure the grapes are fully ripe, several passes may be made during harvest to pick the riper berries. This variety is also susceptible to botrytis. Botrytis attacks berries and multiple passes are necessary to pick the berries affected by botrytis and depending on the desired sweetness levels required for the style of wine.
What are the max yields of the sweet wine appellation with Coteaux du Layon AOC?
Quarts de Charme Grand Cru: 20 hl/ha
Coteaux du Layon Premieur Cru Chaume: 25 hl/ha
Bonnezeaux: 25 hl/ha
Coteaux du Layon + named village: 30 hl/ha
Coteaux du Layon: 35 hl/ha
Very shallow soils over limestone. Fruit grown on these soils are said to produce the most aromatic wines that are first to be ready to drink and to have less potential for ageing in the bottle.
Caillottes
The same limestone and marl that is to be found in Chablis. Fruit grown on these soils are said to produce the most structured wines that need long maturation before they are ready to drink and age well.
Terre Blanches