Fws-Loire Flashcards

1
Q

How long is the Loire River?

A

634 miles

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2
Q

What are the geographic borders of the Loire wine region?

A

north of Cognac region, South of Normandy, east of the Atlantic Ocean, west of Bourgogne.

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3
Q

What is the climate of the Lower Loire?

A

maritime climate

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4
Q

What is the climate of the Middle Loire?

A

maritime climate with continental influences

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5
Q

What is the climate of the Upper Loire?

A

continental climate

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6
Q

What is the most desired vineyard orientation in the Loire Valley?

A

south-facing

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7
Q

What percent of Loire Valley wine produced is AOC category?

A

75% (compared to about 40 to 60% for all of France, depending on the vintage)

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8
Q

What was the first Loire AOC?

A

Quincy (Middle Loire)

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9
Q

Pays Nantais corresponds to which wine region?

A

Lower Loire

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10
Q

What is the primary component of topsoil in the Lower Loire? what is the primary characteristic of that soil?

A

gneiss, very porous [Gneiss is a common and widely distributed type of rock formed by high-grade regional metamorphic processes from pre-existing formations that were originally either igneous or sedimentary rocks. It is foliated.]

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11
Q

What is the primary component of sub-soil in the Lower Loire?

A

crystalline igneous rock

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12
Q

How is the naming of the Muscadet AOC different from other French AOC’s?

A

Muscadet AOC is named after the grape’s local name, not a varietal or location.

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13
Q

What is the grape in Muscadet?

A

Melon de Bourgogne

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14
Q

What is the grape used in the Gros Plant du Pays Nantais AOC?

A

Folle Blanche (known locally as Gros Plant), producing dry white wines, can be labeled “sur lies”

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15
Q

Where is Fiefs Vendeens AOC?

A

Lower Loire

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16
Q

What are the major grapes in Fiefs Vendeens AOC?

A

red: Gamay and Pinot Noir; white: Chenin Blanc

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17
Q

What is the main grape variety in Coteaux d’Ancenis Malvoisie AOC? Where is it located?

A

Pinot Gris, Lower Loire

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18
Q

What is the appellation responsible for 75% of all the AOC Muscadet bottled?

A

Muscadet-Sevre et Maine AOC

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19
Q

What are 3 sub-zones of Muscadet-Sevre et Maine AOC?

A

Clisson, Gorges, Le Pellet

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20
Q

Which Muscadet areas cannot put “sur-lie” on their label?

A

the three subzones of Muscadet-Sevre et Maine AOC cannot put “sur-lie” on their label which is ironic as they have longer sur-lie aging requirements

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21
Q

What are the tasting characteristics and soil composition of Muscadet-Sevre et Maine Clisson?

A

dried fruit (granitic gravel and galets)

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22
Q

What are the tasting characteristics and soil composition of Muscadet-Sevre et Maine Gorges?

A

minerality and a touch of smoke (clay soil rich in quartz with gabbros)

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23
Q

What are the tasting characteristics and soil composition of Muscadet-Sevre et Maine Le Pellet?

A

floral element (gneiss and gabbros)

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24
Q

What is gabbros?

A

a coursely-grained volcanic rock (found in Muscadet-Severe et Maine AOC, especially Gorges sub-zone)

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25
Q

Where is Le Jardin de la France?

A

Middle Loire (UNESCO world heritage site)

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26
Q

Name 10 Middle Loire AOC’s

A

(loosely from west to east) Savennieres, Anjou, Bonnezeaux, Coteaux du Layon, Saumur, Quarts de Chaume, Bourgueil, Chinon, Vouvray, Touraine. [mnemonic: See A Beautiful Lion Sleeping Quietly BeCause Very Tired]

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27
Q

What is the major city around the wine region Anjou?

A

Angers

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28
Q

What is the major city around the wine region Touraine?

A

Tours

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29
Q

What is tuffeau?

A

tuffeau is a porous limestone which is found in the Loire Valley, especially Vouvray, Mountlouis and Amboise.

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30
Q

What is the more common name for the grape known locally in Loire as Pineau de la Loire?

A

Chenin Blanc

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31
Q

What is the more common name for the grape known locally in Loire as grape Breton?

A

Cabernet Franc

32
Q

What is the principal red grape of the Middle Loire?

A

Cabernet Franc

33
Q

What is the principal white grape of the Middle Loire?

A

Chenin Blanc

34
Q

What is the principal difference between Rose de Loire AOC and Rose d’Anjou?

A

Rose de Loire is dry; Rose d’Anjou is off-dry with >= 0.7% RS.

35
Q

What is meaning of petillant?

A

meaning fizzy, a category of sparkling wine with half the pressure as cremant, about 1-2.5 atms

36
Q

What is meaning of mousseaux?

A

a value category of sparkling wine with at least 3 atm of pressure.

37
Q

What are the characteristics of Bourgueil AOC?

A

A Touraine region AOC making red and rose wine primarily from Cabernet Franc

38
Q

What are the important characteristics of Cheverny AOC?

A

Wine law mandates percentages of each grape variety planted (not bottled.) Whites are primarily Sauvignon Blanc and Pinot Gris (not Chenin Blanc). Reds are primarily Pinot Noir (not Cabernet Franc).

39
Q

What are the important characteristic of Cour-Cheverny AOC?

A

dry white AOC located within Cheverny AOC, 100% Romorantoin

40
Q

What is a significant difference between wine produced from Cabernet Franc from Touraine from that from southern France?

A

Increased acidity allows serving at a cooler temperature.

41
Q

How far up the Loire Valley do the maritime influences on the climate extend?

A

To the City of Orleans.

42
Q

Who did Eleanor of Aquitane marry?

A

She first married King Louis VI of France, but the marriage was annulled after 15 years. She later married the Duke of Normandy, who became King Henry II of England. Three of her sons would become kings.

43
Q

Name the top 4 tourist destinations in France in order.

A

1) Paris, 2) Riviera, 3) Provence, 4) Loire Valley

44
Q

Gneiss and igneous/volcanic rock is found in what part of the Loire?

A

Pays Nantais

45
Q

What is the smallest geographic region of the Loire Valley?

A

Upper Loire is the smallest region.

46
Q

What is the largest geographic region of the Loire Valley?

A

Middle Loire is the largest region.

47
Q

Which AOC in Loire cannot make a cremant?

A

Vouvray AOC’s. This is relevant as Vouvray Mousseux and Vouvray Petillant are often good values due to their strict aging requirement.

48
Q

What are the sweetness labels for Vouvray?

A

Sec, Demi-Sec, Moelleux, Doux (up to 0.4, 1.2, 4.5% RS)

49
Q

What is the primary grape in white Touraine AOC wine?

A

Sauvignon Blanc

50
Q

What are the primary grapes in red Touraine AOC wine?

A

Cabernet Franc and Cot blends

51
Q

What is the primary grape in wine Touraine Primeur?

A

Gamay

52
Q

What are the characteristics of St-Nicolas de Bourgueil AOC?

A

made from Cabernet Franc with lighter body, less dense pigment, supple tannins; grown on warmer soils with a higher percentage of sand

53
Q

What wine has the highest minimum RS for any non-fortified dessert wine in France?

A

Quarts du Chaume, 8.5% RS, from Chenin Blanc

54
Q

What is the only “Grand Cru” of the Loire Valley?

A

Quarts du Chaume

55
Q

What is the primary grape in white Orleans AOC wine?

A

Chardonnay

56
Q

What is the primary grape in Pouilly-Sur-Loire AOC wine?

A

Chasselas (white)

57
Q

What color wine is made in Quincy AOC?

A

Only white

58
Q

What color wine is made in Savennieres AOC?

A

Only white

59
Q

What color wine is made in Sancerre AOC?

A

white, red, rose

60
Q

What is the primary red grape in Sancerre AOC wine?

A

Pinot Noir

61
Q

Name 5 Upper Loire Valley AOC’s where the Kimmeridgean Ring surfaces?

A

Menetou-Salon, Pouilly-sur-Loire, Quincy, Reuilly, Sancere [mnemonic: MnoPQRS, MQR is the most noticeable] N.B. not Pouilly-Fume.

62
Q

Name and describe 3 soil types that sit above Kimmeridgean limestone in the Upper Loire Valley?

A

Terres Blanches, marl rich in oysters; Caillottes, little limestone pellets; Silex, flint

63
Q

Why is Sauvignon Blanc well suited for Upper Loire Valley?

A

hardy to withstand and resistant to fungal disease which could be a problem in land of frost, ice, humidity and fog

64
Q

Which AOC is the single largest producer of Loire sparkling wines?

A

Saumur, Middle Loire

65
Q

What is the sweetness level of Rose de Loire AOC?

A

dry

66
Q

What is the sweetness level of Rose d’Anjou AOC?

A

off-dry

67
Q

What is the sweetness level of Cabernet d’Anjou AOC?

A

sweet

68
Q

What is sur-lie aging?

A

the process of keeping a wine on top of its dead yeast cells

69
Q

What is passerillage?

A

the exposure of cut bunches of grapes to the sun in order to increase the concentration of sugar prior to winemaking

70
Q

What is remontage?

A

French term for the process of pulling out wine from underneath the cap of grape skins and then pumping it back over the cap in order to stimulate maceration.

71
Q

What is mutage?

A

French term for fortifying a wine by adding alcohol to the must either before fermentation (i.e. vin de liqueur) or during (i.e. vin doux naturel)

72
Q

Cot is a synonym for which grape?

A

Malbec

73
Q

What are the characteristics of Cotes d’Auvergne AOC?

A

Upper Loire Valley AOC with whites made of 100% Chardonnay. Reds and roses are >50% Gamay.

74
Q

What are the characteristics of Coteaux du Giennois AOC?

A

Upper Loire Valley AOC with whites made of 100% Sauvignon Blanc. Reds and roses are Gamay and Pinot Noir.

75
Q

What is the largest Loire Valley AOC?

A

Muscadet AOCs. This is a bit confusing as Muscadet is the principal AOC of the Lower Loire, but this area contains 4 AOCs of which the regional Muscadet AOC is not the largest in terms of production, the Muscadet-Severe et Maine AOC is.

76
Q

What is the meaning of “fines bulles” and what does it refer to?

A

fine bulles means fine bubbles and refers to the sparkling Loire wines