France - The Loire Valley: Pays Nantais

Question 1

Location

Where does the name come from

Principal variety and % of plantings

Answer 1

• located close to the Atlantic.
• takes its name from the city of Nantes.
• principal variety: Melon de Bourgogne = 60% of the plantings.

Question 2

Overall climate (description)

Main climatic challenges (2)

Significant extreme weather event and its consequences

How is frost managed in this region? (overview)

Answer 2

• cool maritime climate (cool springs, warm & humid summers, with rainfall spread over the season).
• main climatic challenges: a) rainfall (spring = flowering / autumn = harvest); b) spring frosts (proximity to the Atlantic).
• 1991: serious frost wiped out the region, which led to the loss of its booming export market to the UK.
• frost has been a serious issue recently.
• how to manage the risk of frost: a) wind machines; b) heaters; c) burning straw bales.

Question 3

Topography (altitude, hills?)

Soil types (eg from Vallet and St-Fiacre)

Answer 3

• gently ondulated terrain.
• soil types: clay (Vallet), schist and granite (St-Fiacre), from the Massif Armoricain.
• preferred soil types are well-drained to help offset the regular rainfall.

Question 4

Budding & ripening

Advantages (3) & disadvantges (3)

Wine style

Quality & price levels

Other considerations

Answer 4

• only variety allowed in the Muscadet appellations.
• early budding / early ripening.
• advantages: a) hardy vine variety; b) reduced risk of rain at harvest; c) produces high yields (commercial / bulk wine).
• disadvantages: a) vulnerable to spring frosts; b) susceptible to botrytis & downy mildew (tight bunches, humid climate); c) high-yielding (quality / premium wines).
• wine style: low intensity of green apple & citrus; low to (low end of) med alc, high acid, light body.
• quality: good to v. good
• price: inexpensive to mid-priced
• other considerations: often made sur-lie

Question 5

Climate & vineyard management

Frost management considerations (4)

Canopy management considerations (3)

Answer 5

• humid climate: growers must monitor closely / spray to prevent fungal diseases.
• frost management: a) wind machines; b) heaters; c) burning straw bales; d) vines trained higher.
• canopy management: a) marginal climate - canopies are more open (leaf removal) for optimal sun exposure / reduced the risk of fungal diseases; b) care needs to be taken with rows facing the afternoon sun (echaudage); c) ripeness of skin / seeds to determine harvest date (hot years: too much alc / not enough ripeness).

Question 6

Chaptalization

Winemaking style

Fermenting & ageing vessels (2)

Malolactic conversion

Sur-lie considerations (4)

New trends (2)

Answer 6

• chaptalization: permitted up to 12%; practiced in cooler years.
• neutral / protective winemaking.
• fermenting / ageing vessels: a) stainless steel; b) shallow, glass lined concrete vats.
• Malolactic conversion is usually avoided.
• sur lie considerations: a) highly typical in Pays Nantais; b) adds body to the wines; c) usually 1 racking to remove gross lees; d) lees ageing retains freshness / small amoutn of CO2.
• new trends: a) skin contact; b) different fermentation vessels: barrel, amphora or concrete eggs.

Question 7

How many appellations? (largest / smaller)

Yields (Muscadet AOC / other AOCs)

Sur-lie labelling regulations

Cru communaux: number, examples.

Cru communaux regulations (3)

Overall style

Quality & price levels

Answer 7

• 4 appellations: a) Muscadet AOC; b) Muscadet Sevre et Maine (2 largest); c) Muscadet Coteaux de la Loire AOC; d) Muscadet Cotes de Grandlieu (much smaller AOCs).
• Muscadet AOC: a) yield - 70 hL/ha; b) up to 10% Chardonnay permitted.
• Muscadet Sevre et Maine, Muscadet Coteaux de la Loire, Muscadet Cotes de Grandlieu and Sur-Lie: 55 hL/ha.
• Sur Lie: a) can be added in any of the 4 AOC’s; b) must be bottled between 1 March and 30 November after harvest; c) later bottling adds cost; d) due to regulations, negociants can only buy grapes, must or finished wine.
• Muscadet cru communaux: a) 10 comunes (Clisson, Gorges, Le Pallet, etc); b) lower yields - 45 hL/ha; c) kept on less for 18 months (Le Pallet) or 24 months (Clisson, Gorges); d) typically rounder and more complex, with longer finsh.
• overall style: typically dry, low intensity of green apple, citurs and grassy notes, high acid, light body, light alc.
• quality level: acceptable to good (some very good)
• price level: inexpensive to mid-priced.

Question 8

1980’s success (size of land under vines)

1991 frost: impact (2)

Current business considerations (3)

Negociants - considerations (3)

Export x domestic markets

InterLoire

Answer 8

• Muscadet was a huge success in UK in 1980’s = 13,000 ha.
• 1991 frost: a) production dropped by 2/3s; b) prices increased at a time when NW wines were becoming pop (specially Aussies).
• Currently: a) Muscadet is positioning itself as terroir specific wines; b) high quality; c) good value for money.
• Negociants: a) account for over 50% of sales; b) importance is declining; c) M&A: smaller local negociants being bought by larger ones (Castel, Ackerman, etc).
• Exports x domestic markets: 15% export, 85% domestic.
• Pays Nantais promotes its wines together with Anjou-Saumur via InterLoire.