General Flashcards
How long west to east is the Loire Valley?
Where does it rank in size among French wine regions?
1,000 kilometers
3rd
How did Muscadet get it’s name?
Dutch traders looking for a neutral, high-acid white wine that they could add to the botanical noix de muscade (nutmeg) prior to distillation.
What is the 1577 law by the Parlement de Paris?
How did this impact Touraine?
- prohibited Parisians from purchasing wines made within a 20-league (around 88-kilometer) radius of the capital
- Touraine was one of the main areas to benefit but over the centuries the Parisian market didn’t want to pay a high price for quality. “By the beginning of the seventeenth century, Orléans wine was already banned from the royal table and it lost the last shreds of its reputation over the decades that followed.”
When did Phylloxera arrive in the Loire?
How did it impact grape varieties being planted after grafting?
1877
Sancerre switched from Pinot Noir to Sauvignon Blanc, while Cabernet Franc and Chenin Blanc gained popularity in Anjou-Saumur.
How did WWII effect the Loire?
- During World War II, the Loire Valley’s wine regions were occupied by the Germans. Saumur was a center of resistance: weapons and documents were hidden in casks that crossed the line between free and occupied France, which was situated south of the river.
- men in the region became prisoners of war, including Gaston Huet, who returned to his native Vouvray having lost one-third of his body weight
- Vineyards fell into disrepair, with no one to work in them, and without fungicides or pesticides to control the spread of disease
- Following the war, many young people left the countryside to work in cities, while those who stayed began bottling their own wines or organized themselves into cooperatives and started selling their wines in the bistros of Paris.
Which areas of the Loire Valley has the most production?
Anjou-Saumur
What percentage of production in the Loire is AOP?
VdF?
78%
12%
What are the IGPs of the Loire?
- Val de Loire- 9% of all Loire Production
- Côtes de la Charité
- Coteaux de Tannay
- Coteaux du Cher et de l’Arnon
- Puy de Dôme
What percentage of Loire Valley wine is sold in France?
75%
What are the biggest internationall markets for Loire wine?
- US
- the UK
- Germany
- Belgium
- Canada
How long would it take to drive from Muscadet to Sancerre?
Over 4 hours
What is the average cost of a hectare of vineyard land in….
Muscadet?
Vouvray?
Sancerre?
Anjou?
€7,000 in Muscadet
€26,000 in Vouvray
€210,000 in Sancerre
€18,000 in Anjou
What and where is the Armorican Massif?
- Oldest Rock formation in France
- Covers northwestern France, and the western part of the Loire
- emains of the giant Hercynian range of mountains from the Precambrian era. Looking at the landscape today, it is hard to believe that mountains were once here, as the land is low-lying, with only gentle slopes
What regions soils are formed by the Armorcian Massif?
- Muscadet and other appellations of the Nantais region and the western half of Anjou, including Savennières
- Anjou Noir (or Black Anjou) because of the dark soils that characterize the Armorican Massif. Granite, gneiss, multicolored schist, slate, and pudding stones are found here.
Where is the dividing line between Anjou Noirs and Anjou Blanc?
What major geological formation begins with Anjou Blanc?
Just east of Angers
Paris Basin
What major geological formation is further upstream, or south, on the Loire past the Paris Basin?
Massif Central
Characterize the soils of each…
Armoricain Massif?
Paris Basin?
Massif Central?
Armorician Massif - Granite, gneiss, multicolored schist, slate, and pudding stones from the giant Hercynian range of mountains from the Precambrian era 600 million years ago
Paris Basin - soft, chalky Cretaceous limestone, and some flint, formed from Cretaceous and Jurassic periods (67 to 195 million years ago)
Massif Central - younger soils Schists and granite predominate formed from decomposed Volcanoes
What parallel does the Loire Valley lie on?
47th
- Only Champagne and Alsace are further north
What is the climate of each subregion…
Nantais?
Anjou?
Saumur?
Touraine?
Central Vineyards?
Nantais - Maritime
Anjou - Temperate-oceanic
Saumur - Continental
Touraine - More Continental
Central Vineyards - Even more Continental
What is the major climate risk to Loire vineyards?
Frost
Recently - 2021, 2019, 2017, and 2016
What are other climate risks to the Loire Valley?
Hail, autumn rain, mildew
Where does the Loire Valley rank in sparkling wine production?
2nd behind Champagne
How can sparkling wine be used as an insurance policy in the Loire?
Grapes that arent able to ripen fully can be used for sparkling wine
List the rivers or tributaries of the Loire with wine growing regions from West to East and their regions
- Lay - Fiefs Vendeens - Only river that isn’t a tributary of the Loire
- Maine - Sevre-et-Maine
- Sèvre Nantaise - Sevre-et-Maine
- Layon - Coteaux du Layon (villages), Quarts de Chaume Grand Cru, Bonnezeaux
- Aubance - Anjou-Brissac, Coteaux de l’Aubance
- Thouet - Saumur, Saumur-Champigny, Anjou
- Venne - Chinon
- Loir - Anjou, Coteaux du Loir, Jasnieres, Coteaux du Vendomois
- Indre - Touraine (Azay-le-Rideau subzone)
- Cher - Montlouis-sur-Loire, Touraine (Chenonceaux), Valencay, Quincy
- Beuvron - Cheverny, Cour-Cheverny
- Amon - Reuilly
How has rising temperatures in the Loire Valley effected the impact of frost?
- Frost still takes place
- Because overall temperatures are higher, and higher earlier in the season, when frost happens the vines are more physiologically mature and susceptible to damage
How much of France’s SB is planted in the Loire?
33%
What is the likely birthplace of Sauvignon Blanc?
The Loire Valley
Why are low vigor soils and/or low vigor rootstock preferred for SB?
It helps control SBs vigor
Why are low vigor soils and/or low vigor rootstock preferred for SB?
It helps control SBs vigor
Why is NZ SB so much more exuberant than Loire Valley?
The sunlight in NZ is far more intense
How would SB in the Loire be described in 2018, 2019 and 2020?
Very ripe with lower acid and higher alcohol
What percentage of France’s Chenin Blanc is produced in the Loire?
93%
Where is Chenin Blanc native too and what was it once called?
Loire Valley
Plant d’Anjou
What is Chenin also called in the Loire Valley?
Pineau d’Anjou
Pineau de la Loire
When does Chenin Blanc bud?
When does it ripen
Early - It’s managed with late pruning and requires frost protection
Mid Ripening
How is Chenin Blanc’s vigor controlled?
Crop thinning
Pruning unwanted shoots
How can Chenin Blanc be made in multiple styles in one vintage from the same vineyard?
Multiple passes (tries) in a vineyard)
What is a synoym for Folle Blanche?
What does Folle Blanche translate too?
Gros Plant
Crazy White
What are the parents of Romorantin?
What is it named after?
Pinot Blanc and Gouias Blanc
Village of Romorantin in Cour-Cheverny even though it’s native to Burgundy
What is Pinot Gris called in the Pays-Nantais appellation of Coteaux d’Ancenis?
Malvoisie
What is the most planted red and white grape?
Cabernet Franc
Sauvignon Blanc
What is Cab Franc often called in the Loire?
Breton - Likely named after Brittany
Also, Plant de l’Abbe Breton
How did the Project Cabernet France in the 2000s encourage winemakers to handle Cab France?
- Pick riper to avoid green flavors
- Ferment cooler to preserve fragrant aromatics
- Use Oxygen to prevent reductivity and manage tannin
- Use less new oak, more like Burgundy instead of Bordeaux
What is the 2nd most planted grape in the Loire Valley?
Gamay
Describe the style “Primeur?”
Light and early-drinking
What quality of Grolleau made it widely planted historically?
Very High productivity
Describe Pineau d’Aunis
- Unusual and Ancient
- Unrelated to Pinot family
- Not a synonym for other grapes (Pineau d’Anjoiu = Chenin)
- Make pale reds with suprising tannins and fragrant aromas
What are the parents of Cot?
Magdeleine Noire des Charentes and Prunelard
What caused Muscadet to gain popularity in the 80s and 90s?
What did this gain in popularity result in?
It was a cheaper option on many lists in the UK
Caused plantings and yields to go up and quality to go down
A string of bad vintages in the 90s made demand go down and many vineyards were abandonned
What percentage of Muscadet crop was lost in 2021?
80%
There were 11 subzeron temperature nights in April
What do the yields in Muscadet AOP compared to Muscadet Sevre-et-Maine AOP, Muscadet Côtes de Grandlieu AOP and Muscadet Coteaux de la Loire AOP?
What is unique about the allowed grape varieties as well?
Muscadet is 70 hl/ha - except for Sur Lie with is 55 but Sur Lie was disallowed from 2020 vintage on
The other appellations are 55 hl/ha
Only Muscadet AOP allows Chardonnay - Up to 10%
Can wines from Muscadet Sèvre-et-Maine AOP from subzones be labeled “Sur Lie”
No
What are the tribuataries of the Loire that flow through Muscadet Sevre-et-Maine AOP?
Sevre
Maine
What are the crus of Muscadet Sevre-et-Maine and when were they recognized?
Clisson - 2011
Gorges - 2011
Le Pallet - 2011
Goulaine - 2019
Château Thébaud - 2019
Monnières-Saint-Fiacre - 2019
Mouzillon-Tillières - 2019
What is the yield requirement for Muscadet Sevre-et-Maine Subzones (Cru) designation?
45 hl/ha
How long much Muscadet Sevre-et-Maine Cru (Subzones) age on lees?
How does this compare to the normal AOP aging requirement?
- Goulaine and Le Pallet - April 1 of the second year following harvest
- The rest - October 1 of the second year after harvest
_____ - Muscadet Sevre-et-Maine AOP - None listed
- Muscadet Sevre-et-Maine AOP Sur Lie - The wine is bottled directly off its fine lees between March 1 and December 31 of the year following the harvest, and not marketed until at least March 8
What other AOP does Muscadet Coteaux de la Loire AOP boundaries almost exactly overlap?
Coteaux d’Ancennis AOP
What is the main geographical feature of Muscadet Cotes de Grandlieu AOP?
Lac de Grandlieu
List the Muscadet producing AOPs and their hectarage
Muscadet AOP - 1,647 AOP
Muscadet Sevre-et-Maine AOP - 4,912 ha
Muscadet Cotes de Granlieu AOP - 204 ha
Muscadet Coteaux de la Loire AOP - 100 ha
What styles are made in Coteaux d’Ancenis AOP?
Blanc: 100% Pinot Gris
Rosé: Gamay along with max. 10% Cabernet Franc
Rouge: Gamay along with max. 10% Cabernet Franc
Varietally-Labeled “Malvoisie”: 100% Pinot Gris
All Coteaux d’Ancenis wines may include the geographical designation “Val de Loire” on the label
What styles are made in Gros Plant du Pays Nantais AOP?
- Blanc: Principal Variety: Min. 70% Folle Blanche (Gros Plant), Montils and a max. 10% Colombard
- Blanc “Sur Lie”
- The wine is bottled directly off its fine lees between March 1 and November 30 of the year following the harvest, and not released until at least March 8
- Folle Blanche may only account for a min. 50% of the encépagement through 2030
- All Gros Plant wines may include the geographical designation “Val de Loire” on the label
List the subzones or Geographic Designations of Fiefs Vendeens
Brem
Chantonnay
Mareuil
Pissotte
Vix
What river runs through Fiefs Vendeen and which subzones?
Lay
Mareuil and Chantonnay
What is the main grape of each style in the Brem geographic subzone of Fiefs Vendeens AOP?
Blanc - Chenin Blanc
Rose - Pinot Noir
Rouge - Pinot Noir
What is the main grape of each style in the Chantonnay geographic subzone of Fiefs Vendeens AOP?
Blanc - Chenin
Rose - Pinot Noir
Rouge - Cabernet Franc
What is the main grape of each style in the Mareuil geographic subzone of Fiefs Vendeens AOP?
Blanc - Chenin Blanc
Rose - Gamay
Rouge - Cabernet France
What is the main grape of each style in the Vix geographic subzone of Fiefs Vendeens AOP?
Blanc - Chenin Blanc
Rose - Gamay
Rouge - Cabernet France
What is the main grape of each style in Pissotte geographic subzone of Fiefs Vendeens AOP?
Blanc - Chenin Blanc
Rose - Gamay
Rouge - Pinot Noir
What is the largest production region in the Loire Valley?
Anjou-Saumur - 15,463 ha
Are the majority of the AOPs in the Loire Valley on the left or right bank?
Left Bank - South Bank
Describe the macroclimate of Anjou-Saumur
Driest and Warmest in the Loire Valley
Where does Anjou rank in rose production in France?
2nd
Behind Provence
Which two AOPs account for the majority of production in Anjou-Saumur?
Cabernet d’Anjou - 45%
Rose d’Anjou - 17%
What style is made in Cabernet d’Anjou AOP?
What is the rule on RS?
Rose and Rose Primeur/Nouveau
Cabernet Franc and Cabernet Sauvginon - Blends of any porpotion or monovarietal is allowed
MIN 10 g/L RS
What style is made in Rose d’Anjou AOP?
What is the rule on RS?
Rosé: Grolleau (Groslot), Grolleau Gris, Cab. Franc, Cab. Sauvignon, Cot, Gamay, Pineau d’Aunis
Rosé Primeur/Nouveau
MIN 7 g/l RS
What regions are allowed in Rose de Loire?
What is the rule on RS?
Anjou and Touraine
MAX 3 g/L RS
What styles are grown in Anjou?
- Blanc - Chenin, max 20% Chardonnay and Sauvignon Blanc
- Rouge - Cabernet Franc and Cabernet Sauvignon, plus max. 30% combined Pineau d’Aunis and Grolleau (max. 10% Grolleau)
- Rouge Primeur/Nouveau
- Anjou Gamay: 100% Gamay
- Anjou Gamay Primeur/NouveauVin Mousseux Blanc: Min. 70% Chenin Blanc, plus Cab. Franc, Cab. Sauvignon, Grolleau, Grolleau Gris, Pineau d’Aunis, Gamay, and max. 20% Chardonnay (traditional method, min. 9 months on lees)
- Vin Mousseux Rosé: Cab. Franc, Cab. Sauvignon, Cot, Gamay, Grolleau, Grolleau Gris, Pineau d’Aunis (traditional method, min. 9 months on lees)
What were the light reds of Anjou called before typical reds became popular in the 1960s?
Rougets
What style is made in Anjou Village AOP?
How is this AOP differentiated geographically from Anjou AOP?
Rouge - Cabernet Franc and/or Cab - any porportion
Better sites - better exposure and earlier to ripen
Anjou Brissac AOP shares the same boundaries as what other AOP?
What style is made here?
What Loire tributary runs through this AOP?
Coteaux de l’Aubance
Rouge: Cabernet Franc and Cabernet Sauvignon
Aubance
Name the sweet wine producing AOPs along the Layon River?
Coteaux du Layon
Quarts de Chaume
Bonnezeaux
Name the sweet wine producing AOPs along the Layon River?
Coteaux du Layon
Quarts de Chaume
Bonnezeaux
What styles are made in Coteaux du Layon?
What are the RS requirements?
Blanc and SGN - Chenin Blanc - 100%
- Coteaux du Layon: 34 g/l
- Coteaux du Layon Chaume Premier Cru: 80 g/l (68 g/l prior to 2011)
What styles are made in Coteaux du Layon?
What are the RS requirements?
Blanc and SGN - Chenin Blanc - 100%
- Coteaux du Layon: 34 g/l
- Coteaux du Layon Chaume Premier Cru: 80 g/l (68 g/l prior to 2011)
What caused the sweet wine AOPs along the Layon river to lose reputation?
- These vineyards have steeper hillsides and the AOPs demand hand-harvest amd are difficult to farm
- Bonnezeaux and Coteaux du Layon, allow Chapatlization, but Quarts de Chaume and Coteaux du Layon Premiere Cru Chaume do NOT
- Vineyards were abadonned because cheaper sweet wines could be made in other parts of the valley with mechanical harvest and chaptliazation
- Since the 80s younger producers have realized the conditions are ideal and vineyards are being refurbished
What is the only Grand Cru appellation in the Loire Valley?
Quarts de Chaume Grand Cru AOP
When was the Grand Cru title award to Quarts de Chaume and why was it controversial?
The argument against Quarts de Chaume as a grand cru centered on the possibility that consumers would confuse the appellation with the existing Coteaux du Layon Premier Cru Chaume for reasons including the identical style of the wine, the proximity of the two vineyards (they are next to each other), and the very similar name - 2011
What soils are found in Quarts de Chaume Grand Cru?
Size and Elevation?
Broverian schists and pudding sandstones
40 ha
25 and 75 meteres
What are the difference between Quarts de Chaume Grand Cru and Coteaux du Layon Premiere Cru Chaume in….
Yield?
RS?
Must weight?
Alcohol
Quarts de Chaume Grand Cru
- 20 hl/ha
- 85 g/L RS
- 298 g/L
- 18% (11% acquired)
Coteaux du Layon Premiere Cru Chaume
- 25 hl/ha
- 80 g/L RS
- 272 g/L
- 16.5% (11% acquired)
What style is made in Bonneaux AOP?
RS?
Chaptalization?
Yield?
Alcohol?
100% Chenin Blanc
51 g/L RS
25 hl/ha
15% (12% acquired, or 11% acquired if potential alcohol is at least 19%)
What style is made in Bonneaux AOP?
RS?
Chaptalization?
Yield?
Alcohol?
100% Chenin Blanc
51 g/L RS
25 hl/ha
15% (12% acquired, or 11% acquired if potential alcohol is at least 19%)
What is the style of Coteaux de l’Aubance AOP?
RS?
Chaptalization
Yield?
Alcohol?
What other AOP has the exact same requirements above?
100% Chenin Blanc
- 34 g/L
- Chaptalization is allowed
- 35 hl/ha
- (11% acquired, or 10% acquired if potential alcohol is 18% or higher)
Coteaux du Layon AOP - excluding Chaume Premiere Cru
What style is allowed in Coteaux du Saumur?
RS?
Chaptalization?
Yield?
Alcohol?
Blanc: 100% Chenin Blanc
- 34 g/L
- Chaptalization is illegal
- 35 hl/ha
- 15% (11% acquired)
What are the 3 communes of Savennieres AOP from north to south?
Bouchemaine
Savennieres
La Possonniere
What are the soils types in Savennieres AOP?
- Steep slopes of blue schist w/volcanic debris
- patches of windblown sand and clay
Anjou Noir soils
How many producers in Savennieres AOP?
How many of them farm organically?
40
75%
In 2001, the vineyard was classified as a UNESCO World Heritage site in recognition of its long history of winegrowing and the perfect adaptation of vine to site through the skill of generations of wine growers. The INAO has called the vineyard a symbol of la douceur angevine.
When were the AOPS of Savennieres Coulee de Serrant and Savennieres Roches Aux Moines first planted?
Savennieres Roches Aux Moines - 12th century, when monks from the order of Saint-Nicolas d’Angers planted a south-facing slope overlooking the Loire that became known as La Roche aux Moines. A priory that was home to Benedictine nuns in the same period was also surrounded by vines
Savennieres Coulee de Serrant - 1130, when vines were planted by Cistercian monks
What are the soils in Saumur AOP?
chalky limestone soils characteristic of the Anjou Blanc of the southwest Paris Basin
What styles are made in Saumur?
- Blanc: 100% Chenin Blanc
- Rouge & Rosé: Cabernet Franc, plus a max. 30% combined Cabernet Sauvignon and Pineau d’Aunis
- Saumur “Puy Notre-Dame”: Cabernet Franc and a max. 15% Cabernet Sauvignon (reds only)
- Vin Mousseux Blanc: Chenin Blanc, Sauvignon Blanc, Chardonnay, Cab. Franc, Cab. Sauvignon, Gamay, Pinot Noir, Pineau d’Aunis, Grolleau, Grolleau Gris
- Vin Mousseux Rosé: As for Vin Mousseux Blanc
- All Saumur wines may include the geographical designation “Val de Loire” on the label
What is Saumur Mousseaux also known as?
Fines Bulles
Where are Cremant de Loire producers centerated?
Saumur
Production areas are Anjou-Saumur and Touraine
What are the similiarieties and differences of Saumur AOP Vin Mousseaux and Cremant de Loire?
- Grapes - Same (Chenin Blanc, Chardonnay, Orbois, Cabernet Franc, Grolleau, Grolleau Gris, Pinot Noir, Cabernet Sauvignon, Pineau d’Aunis
- Blends
- Crémant de Loire AOP - Max. 30% combined Cabernet Sauvignon and Pineau d’Aunis
- Saumur AOP Vin Mousseaux Blanc and Rose - Min. 60% Chenin Blanc, max. 10% Sauvignon Blanc
- Less Elevage - Same at 9 months
- Yields
- Crémant de Loire (74 hectoliters per hectare)
- Saumur Mousseux (67 hectoliters per hectare)
-
Harvest
- Cremant de Loire requires hand-harvest
- Saumur AOP Mousseaux does not!
What is the difference in styles between Saumur AOP and Saumur AOP Puy-Notre-Dame?
- Saumur AOP Puy-Notre-Dame is only Rouge - Cabernet Franc and a max. 15% Cabernet Sauvignon (reds only)
- grapes must have potential alcohol levels of 12%, higher than Saumur Rouge’s 10.5%.
- Yields are also lower (50 hectoliters per hectare versus 57 for Saumur)
- the wines cannot be chaptalized
What style is allowed in Saumur-Champigny AOP?
What does the name mean?
Rouge - 85% Cab Franc but in most cases it is 100%
- Latin campus ignis (field of fire), perhaps a reference to the high temperatures in this protected location
What are the major geographical features of Saumur-Champigny AOP?
Loire River to the North and east
Thouet (Thouars) River to the west
Fontevraud Forest to the South
What styles are allow in Hait-Poitou AOP?
- Blanc: Min. 60% Sauvignon Blanc, plus Sauvignon Gris
- Rouge:
- Principal Variety: Min. 60% Cabernet Franc
- Accessory Varieties: Gamay, Gamay de Bouze, Gamay de Chaudenay, Merlot, Pinot Noir
Min. 40% Cabernet Franc through the 2021 harvest for both encépagement and assemblage
- Rosé: Min. 40% Cabernet Franc, plus a min. 20% Pinot Noir and a min. 20% Gamay
- All Haut-Poitou wines may include the geographical designation “Val de Loire” on the label
What major geolographical formation does the Touraine subregion sit in?
What soils are found there?
Paris Basin
tuffeau, sand, clay, and flint, and alluvial terraces also have deposits of gravel
What is the most planted red and white grape in Touraine?
Sauvignon Blan - 43%
Gamay - 21%
Cabernet Franc - 10%
Cot - 8%
What styles are growin Touraine AOP?
- Blanc: Sauvignon Blanc and max. 20% Sauvignon Gris
- Rosé (still and Mousseux): Cabernet Franc, Cabernet Sauvignon, Cot, Gamay, Grolleau, Grolleau Gris, Meunier, Pinot Noir, Pinot Gris, Pineau d’Aunis
- Rouge:
- Principal Varieties: Min. 40% Cot. Vineyards west of Tours have a min. 90% Cabernet Franc.
- Accessory Varieties: Cabernet Franc, Gamay, Cabernet Sauvignon and Pinot Noir
- Primeur/Nouveau: 100% Gamay
- Varietal-Labeled Gamay: Min. 75% Gamay, plus Cabernet Franc, Cabernet Sauvignon, Cot, and Pinot Noir
- Vin Mousseux/Pétillant Blanc: Chardonnay, Chenin Blanc, Cabernet Franc, Grolleau, Grolleau Gris, Orbois, Pineau d’Aunis, Pinot Noir
- Touraine “Amboise”:
- Blanc: 100% Chenin Blanc
- Rosé: min. 70% Cot with Gamay
- Rouge: 100% Cot
- Touraine “Mesland”:
- Blanc: Min. 60% Chenin Blanc, max. 30% Sauvignon Blanc, max. 15% Chardonnay (the amount of Chardonnay in the vineyard may not exceed the amount of Sauvignon Blanc)
- Rosé: Min. 80% Gamay, plus Cot and Cabernet Franc
- Rouge: Min. 60% Gamay, 10-30% Cot, 10-30% Cabernet Franc
- Touraine “Azay-le-Rideau”:
- Blanc: 100% Chenin Blanc
- Rosé: Min. 60% Grolleau; plus Cot, Gamay, and max. 10% combined Cabernet Franc and Cabernet Sauvignon
- Touraine “Oisly”:
- Blanc: 100% Sauvignon Blanc
- Touraine “Chenonceaux”:
- Blanc: 100% Sauvignon Blanc
- Rouge: min. 50% Cot with min. 10% Cabernet Franc
- All Touraine wines may include the geographical designation “Val de Loire” on the label
What styles are allowed in Touraine AOP Ambroise subzone?
Touraine “Amboise”:
- Blanc: 100% Chenin Blanc
- Rosé: min. 70% Cot with Gamay
- Rouge: 100% Cot
What styles are allowed in Touraine AOP Mesland subzone?
Touraine “Mesland”:
- Blanc: Min. 51% Chenin plus Sauvignon Blanc and Chardonnay
- Rosé: Min. 51% Gamay, plus Cot and Cabernet Franc
- Rouge: Min. 51% Gamay, plus Cot and Cabernet Franc
What styles are allowed in Touraine AOP Azay-le-Rideau subzone?
Touraine “Azay-le-Rideau”:
- Blanc: 100% Chenin Blanc
- Rosé: Min. 51% Grolleau; plus Cot, Gamay, Cabernet Franc and Cabernet Sauvignon
What styles are allowed in Touraine AOP Oisly subzone?
Touraine “Oisly”:
- Blanc: 100% Sauvignon Blanc
What styles are allowed in Touraine AOP Chenonceaux subzone?
Touraine “Chenonceaux” - largest Touraine AOP sbuzone, situated along Cher River
- Blanc: 100% Sauvignon Blanc
- Rouge: min. 65-80% Cot plus min 10% Cabernet Franc
What styles are allowed in Saint Nicolas-de-Bourgueil?
Saint-Nicolas-de-Bourgueil AOP
- Rosé: Cabernet Franc plus a max. 10% Cabernet Sauvignon
- Rouge: Cabernet Franc plus a max. 10% Cabernet Sauvignon
Saint-Nicolas-de-Bourgueil wines may use the geographical designation “Val de Loire” on the label
What are the yields and pruning method allowed in Chinon and Saint Nicolas-de-Bourgueil?
55 hl/ha
Simple Guoyt
What are the yields and pruning method allowed in Chinon and Saint Nicolas-de-Bourgueil?
55 hl/ha
Simple Guoyt
What are the yields and pruning method allowed in Chinon and Saint Nicolas-de-Bourgueil?
55 hl/ha
Simple Guoyt
What are the yields and pruning method allowed in Chinon and Saint Nicolas-de-Bourgueil?
55 hl/ha
Simple Guoyt
What are the two main soil types in Saint-Nicolas-de-Bourgueil and where are they found?
What style wines do these soils produce and when do they ripen?
- Tuffeau - Upslope near the forest protecting the AOP from cold wind
- Well-drained sandy-gravel soils (alluvial) - Down slope
____ - Tuffeau - known for producing fuller bodied, longer ageable wines. Fermentation temperatures are likely to be a couple of degrees higher with longer maceration times and maturation in oak barrel
- Sandy-gravel - lighter, fruity styles; winemakers ferment the grapes at cooler temperatures and extract gently to make an easy-drinking, light-in-tannin wine with little oak influence
What is a large viticultural risk in Saint-Nicolas-de-Bourgueil AOP?
Frost
- producers have been collectively buying frost fans and sprinkler systems
- Following a severe frost in 2016, the project was enlarged. At a cost of €2 million, an area of about 420 hectares, or two-fifths of the appellation, now relies on the appellation-financed frost protection systems
What is the largest red wine producing commune in the Loire Valley?
Chinon
What style is allowed in Chinon AOP?
Chinon AOP
- Blanc: 100% Chenin Blanc
- Rosé: Cabernet Franc plus a max. 10% Cabernet Sauvignon
- Rouge: Cabernet Franc plus a max. 10% Cabernet Sauvignon
Chinon wines may use the geographical designation “Val de Loire” on the label
What rivers run through Chinon AOP?
Vienne and Loire
What are the soil types found in Chinon and where?
What styles of wine do they produce?
- Sand, Silt, and River Gravels - lower, flatter lands close to the river in the Veron Veron Peninsula
- Yellow Tuffeau mixed with clay - Coteaux (hillsides)
- Sand and clay mixed with flint - top of the hillsides and found on the hillocks, known as puys, found in the Véron peninsula
___
Sand, Silt, and River Gravels - early ripening, fresh, fruit and unoaked wines - machine harvested, light maceration
Yellow Tuffeau - Best soils and wine - elegant, densely concentrated, chalky-textured, and ageworthy - hand-harvest, up to 25% new oak (5% of producers use 75-100% new oak)
Sandy and clay mixed with flint - not considered as prestigious as the clay-limestone of the coteaux, also yield high-quality wines
What are the biggest viticultural risk in Chinon?
- Spring frosts and hail have wiped out some growers’ crops entirely in recent years. As a result, the maximum yield of 55 hectoliters per hectare is rarely reached
- Lack of water due to climate change
What is the most common rose method in Chinon?
Saignee - Direct press is also allowed
What styles are made in Vouvray AOP?
Vouvray AOP
- Vin Mousseux/Pétillant
- Vouvray wines may use the geographical designation “Val de Loire” on the label
What soils are found in Vouvray?
Tuffeau
- Most slopes have a topsoil of clay or flint, or both
- The slopes are referred to as premières côtes, where the topsoil is clay-flint, a soil known locally as perruches
What percentage of Vouvray production is sparkling?
60%
- it is rarely seen in export markets: 9 out of 10 bottles of sparkling Vouvray are consumed in France, while 2 out of 3 bottles of still Vouvray are shipped overseas
What percentage of Vouvray production is sparkling?
60%
- it is rarely seen in export markets: 9 out of 10 bottles of sparkling Vouvray are consumed in France, while 2 out of 3 bottles of still Vouvray are shipped overseas
How has climate change impacted the styles of wine made in Vouvray?
- Traditionally, Vouvray producers attempted to make all styles, from dry to sweet, in the same year and sometimes from the same vines, achieved by making several passes through the vineyard during the harvest period.
- This was not possible when the grapes did not ripen enough to make sweet styles, and thus these wines were highly prized in part for their rarity. But climate change has made it possible to achieve higher levels of ripeness more consistently and produce sweet wines annually.
- Improved ripeness levels and lower acidity levels also make the production of balanced dry whites much easier; there is no need for sugar to hide very high levels of acidity or harsh phenolics.
- In some warmer years, like 2018 and 2020, grape sugars can rise quickly, creating wines that have potential alcohol levels above 14% or even 14.5%, which are more suited to demi-sec styles than unbalanced, high-alcohol, sec styles.
- The cool 2021 season also produced many dry Vouvray wines that would have benefited from more residual sugar to counter their bracing acidity.
What are the RS requirements for Vouvray styles?
- Vouvray sec - max 8 grams per liter (the level can be adjusted depending on the acidity content); - Demi-sec - 9-18 grams per liter
- Moelleux - 18-45 grams per liter
- Doux - 45 grams per liter or more
What styles are allowed in Montlouis-sur-Loire AOP?
Montlouis-sur-Loire AOP
- Blanc: 100% Chenin Blanc
- Vin Mousseux/Pétillant
- Vin Mousseux à Fermentation Unique (ancestral method)
- Montlouis-sur-Loire wines may use the geographical designation “Val de Loire” on the label
Where is Vouvray AOP relative to the Loire river?
North
What rivers is the Montlouis-sur-Loire AOP between?
Loire
Cher
What style of sparkling wine is permitted in Montlouis-sur-Loire AOP but not Vouvray AOP?
Petillant Naturel
- 1-2 Bar
- must spend a minimum of nine months on lees
- must be disgorged, which is not always the case with pét-nat
__
Both AOPs allow for Vin Mousseaux traditional method sparkling wine
What style of sparkling wine is permitted in Montlouis-sur-Loire AOP but not Vouvray AOP?
Petillant Naturel
- 1-2 Bar
- must spend a minimum of nine months on lees
- must be disgorged, which is not always the case with pét-nat
__
Both AOPs allow for Vin Mousseaux traditional method sparkling wine
What soils are found in Montlouis-sur-Loire AOP?
What is the aspect of the inveyards here?
- topsoils are mainly a blend of clay and flint. The bedrock is yellow limestone from the Turonian era
- South - sit on a plateau or face the Cher rather than the Loire
What style is allowed in Cour-Cheverny AOP?
Describe the grape
Cour-Cheverny AOP
- Blanc: 100% Romorantin
- Cour-Cheverny wines may use the geographical designation “Val de Loire” on the label
- Blanc: 100% Romorantin
Romorantin vines produce small berries and are relatively productive. The variety is high in acidity and can often be surprisingly full in body. The wines are typically dry, but late-harvest sweet wines are occasionally produced. Some of the best wines are made from old, ungrafted vines.
What style is amde in Jasnieres AOP?
Jasnieres AOP
- Blanc: 100% Chenin Blanc
- Jasnières wines may use the geographical designation “Val de Loire” on the label
Minimum Must Weight:
Blanc Sec: 162 g/l
Blanc (with 12 g/l of residual sugar or more): 212 g/l
Residual Sugar:
Blanc Sec: Max. 8 g/l (Total acidity must be within 2 g/l of the residual sugar.)
What style is allowed in Sancerre?
Sancerre AOP
- Blanc: 100% Sauvignon Blanc
- Rosé: 100% Pinot Noir
- Rouge: 100% Pinot Noir
- Sancerre wines may include the geographical designation “Val de Loire” on the label
What style is allowed in Sancerre?
Sancerre AOP
- Blanc: 100% Sauvignon Blanc
- Rosé: 100% Pinot Noir
- Rouge: 100% Pinot Noir
- Sancerre wines may include the geographical designation “Val de Loire” on the label
What were the areas surrounding Sancerre planted with before the appellation was made in 1936?
Chasselas and Gamay
- Chasselas was planted after phylloxera, it was popular in Paris
What is the average price of a liter of exported Sancerre compared to other Loire whites?
Sancerre - €10.27
Loire. -€6.95
In 2020, exports totaled 82,147 hectoliters, worth €84.36 million
What major geological features run through Sancerre?
What soil types are found on each sides of these features?
- The Sancerre and Thauvenay fault lines run north-south through the town of Sancerre, with the land on the eastern side of the faults cascading toward the river
East of the faults - Silex
West of the faults. -Terre Blanches and Caillottes/Griottes
What soils are found in Sancerre?
- Terres blanches - named for the white appearance of the soils in the summer sunshine, are Kimmeridgian marls, which consist of clay and limestone.
- Caillottes (or griottes) refers to limestone pebbles of differing sizes.
- Silex - Flint found mostly on the eastern slopes of Sancerre
Describe the characteristics of wines grow in each soil type in Sancerre…
Terres blanches?
Caillottes?
Silex?
- Terres blanches - relatively cool, and grapes take longer to ripen than other soils. Wines are more complex and fuller bodied
- Caillottes - produce more open, fruity wines
- Silex - yields powerful, firm, and even lightly bitter styles
It is common for producers to blend grapes from different sites to create their main white Sancerre cuvées.
How many lieu dits are in Sancerre?
400
- Since the 1990s, there has also been a rise in single-vineyard cuvées and terroir cuvées, which seek to express one of more than 400 lieux-dits or a specific soil type
- Thibaut Boulay, a Sancerre vigneron and professor of history at Tours University, provides evidence that the term climat was recorded in Sancerre several centuries before the Burgundians documented it.
What percentage of Sancerre production is white wine?
85% - White
10% - Red
5% - Rose
What method is most often used to make rose in Sancerre?
Saignee
What method is most often used to make rose in Sancerre?
Saignee
What styles are allowed in Pouilly-Fume AOP?
Pouilly-Fumé/Fumé de Pouilly AOP
- Blanc: 100% Sauvignon Blanc
- Pouilly-Fumé wines may include the geographical designation “Val de Loire” on the label
What is the highest elevation point in Pouilly-Fume AOP?
Saint-Andelain
- home to its most famous producer, Domaine Didier Dagueneau (although its wines have been labeled as Vin de France since the 2017 vintage)
What soils are found in Pouilly-Fume?
Silex
Kimmeridgian Marls
caillottes
Many Pouilly-Fumé producers own or rent vineyards in Sancerre. It is no easy task to distinguish one appellation from the other, even for locals. Two wines grown on flint, in Pouilly and in Sancerre, may have more in common than two Sancerre wines tasted side by side.
What style is made in Pouilly-sur-Loire AOP?
Pouilly-sur-Loire AOP
- Blanc: 100% Chasselas
- Pouilly-sur-Loire wines may include the geographical designation “Val de Loire” on the label
What are the boundaries of Pouilly-sur-Loire AOP identical too?
Pouilly-Fume AOP
- Communes of Production in both AOPs: Garchy, Mesves-sur-Loire, Pouilly-sur-Loire, Saint-Andelain, Saint-Laurent-l’Abbaye, Saint-Martin-sur-Nohain, Tracy-sur-Loire
What percentage of Central vineyards productions come from…
Sancerre?
Pouilly-Fume?
Other appellations?
Sancerre - 50%
Pouilly-Fume - 25%
Others - 25%
What styles are grown in Menetou-Salon AOP?
Menetou-Salon AOP
- Blanc: 100% Sauvignon Blanc
- Rosé: 100% Pinot Noir
- Rouge: 100% Pinot Noir
- Sauvignon Gris planted before 31 July, 2009 permitted for white wine, but may not be replanted.
- Menetou-Salon wines may include the geographical designation “Val de Loire” on the label
What soils are found in Menetou-Salon AOP?
Portlandian and Kimmeridgian limestone
Which AOP has the most organic vineyards in the Central vineyards?
Menetou-Salon AOP
What style is made in Quincy AOP?
Quincy AOP
- Blanc: Sauvignon Blanc, plus a max. 10% Sauvignon Gris
- Quincy wines may include the geographical designation “Val de Loire” on the label
What river(s) run through Quincy AOP and Reuilly AOP?
Quincy - Cher
Reuilly - Arnon and Cher
What style is made in Reuilly AOP?
Reuilly AOP
- Blanc: 100% Sauvignon Blanc
- Rosé: Pinot Noir and Pinot Gris
- Rouge: 100% Pinot Noir
- Reuilly wines may include the geographical designation “Val de Loire” on the label
What styles are allowed in Coteaux de Giennois AOP?
Coteaux du Giennois AOP
- Blanc: 100% Sauvignon Blanc
- Rosé: Pinot Noir and Gamay (neither may exceed 80%)
- Rouge: Pinot Noir and Gamay (neither may exceed 80%)
- Coteaux du Giennois wines may include the geographical designation “Val de Loire” on the label
What is Cotes de Charite?
An IGP in the Central Vineyards
- Whites from Chardonnay and Pinot Gris
- Reds from Pinot Noir
- Small Amount of
What is Coteaux de Tannay?
Coteaux de Tannay
- IGP in Central vineyards
- White wines dominate, made from Chardonnay, Pinot Blanc, Melon B, Pinot Gris, and Auxerrois.
- Reds, based on Pinot Noir and Gamay, account for 25% of production.
- A small amount of rosé is also made.
What style is made in Orleans AOPs
Orleans AOP
- Blanc:
- Principal Variety: Min. 60% Chardonnay
- Accessory Variety: Pinot Gris
- Rosé:
- Principal Variety: Min. 60% Meunier
- Complementary Variety: Pinot Gris and Pinot Noir
- Rouge:
- Principal Variety: 70-90% Meunier
- Accessory Variety: Pinot Noir
What style is made in Orleans-Clery AOP?
Orleans-Clery AOP
- Rouge: 100% Cabernet Franc
What are teh styles allowed in Saint-Pourçain AOP?
Saint-Pourçain AOP
- Blanc: 50-80% Chardonnay, 20-40% Sacy (Tressalier), max. 10% Sauvignon Blanc
- Rosé: 100% Gamay
- Rouge: 40-75% Gamay, and 25-60% Pinot Noir
What do some producer in Saint-Pourcain AOP choose to bottle and label as Vin de Franc?
100% Tressalier (also known as Sacy)
What styles are Cotes d’Auvergne AOP?
Côtes d’Auvergne AOP
- Blanc: 100% Chardonnay
- Rosé: Min. 50% Gamay plus Pinot Noir
- Rouge: Min. 50% Gamay plus Pinot Noir
What are most notable soils of Cotes d’Auvergne AOP?
Volcanic soils on the slopes of Mount Puy
- Corent subzone which is itself an old volcano, vines grow directly on volcanic ash deposits.
What styles are allowed in subzone of Cote d’Auvergne AOP…
Boudes?
Chanturgue?
Châteaugay?
Madargue?
Corent?
Rouge only: Boudes, Chanturgue, Châteaugay, Madargue
Rosé only: Corent
What styles are allowed in Cotes du Forez AOP?
Cotes du Forez AOP
- Rosé: 100% Gamay
- Rouge: 100% Gamay
What major geological feature dominates the landscape of the Central vineyards region?
Massif Central
What are the two IGPs in the Central Loire?
IGP d’Urfé and IGP Puy de Dôme
Which AOPs are covered in the IGP d’Urfe?
Côte Roannaise and Côtes du Forez
What styles are allowed in Côte Roannaise AOP?
Côte Roannaise AOP
- Rosé: 100% Gamay
- Rouge: 100% Gamay
