Grapes and wines of the Loire Valley Flashcards
List the subregions of the Loire Valley from east to west
Central Vineyards
Touraine
Anjou-Saumur
Nantais
Note none of these are appellations
What is the IGP for Loire Valley?
Val de Loire IGP
Describe the climates of each region
Overall cool climate Central Vineyards: continental climate Nantais: maritime climate Anjou: warmer and drier than expected due to proximity to ocean, because Mauges hills protect them (plus warm stony soils) Touraine: cooler and wetter (clay soils)
What is special about the location of Loire Valley with respect to its grapes? How does this affect Loire Valley wine?
It is at the Northern limit for their production, and variations in weather patterns lead to wide differences in vintages.
High rainfall means risk of fungal disease
Where are the best vineyards located?
With greatest exposure to sunshine and warmth, because fungal disease risks are high.
Southerly aspect, generally mid-slope, facing the river for extra heat and reflected light.
Where is Sauvignon Blanc mainly grown?
Central Vineyards (least volume) Touraine (greatest volume)
Name the best known appellations and corresponding villages in the Central Vineyards for Sauvignon Blanc
Pouilly-Fumé (prestigious)
Sancerre (Chavignol, Les Monts Damnés) (prestigious)
Menetou-Salon (moderately priced)
What soil type is associated with the premium Sauvignon Blanc vineyards in Sancerre and Pouilly-Fumé?
Very chalky and well-drained stony soil
Describe the style of a high-quality Sauvignon Blanc from Sancerre and Pouilly-Fumé
Dry, high acidity, hints of green apple and wet stones
Pouilly-Fumé is said to have subtle smoky notes.
Some particularly expressive wines may have ageing potential (i.e. those from Les Monts Damnés or Chavignol) but mostly should be drunk young
Describe winemaking practices for Sauvignon Blanc
Varies from producer to producer
Gentle pneumatic pressing, temperature-controlled stainless steel vats to create fresh and fruity wines.
Some may ferment and mature their wine in old oak vessels, and keep wine on lees to give a broader texture.
Some use new oak.
MLF depends on style, likely to be encouraged in cooler vintages to lower acidity.
Describe white Touraine
Made from Sauvignon Blanc, usually varietally labelled e.g. ‘Sauvignon de Touraine’
Less concentration than those from more prestigious appellations
Simple fruity style
Name the best known appellations for Chenin Blanc with corresponding key sites
Touraine (Vouvray)
Anjou-Saumur (Anjou [Savennières, Coteaux du Layon {Quarts de Chaume, Bonnezeaux}], Saumur)
Describe the Chenin Blanc grape and growing characteristics
High acid, non-aromatic grape
Can achieve varying levels of ripeness in a single bunch - can result in green, herbaceous aromas if care is not taken to exclude unripe grapes during harvest (several passes may be needed during harvest time)
Describe typical wine styles of Chenin Blanc based on grape ripeness
Dry or sweet
Still or sparkling
Degree of ripeness at harvest determines style:
Low ripeness = sparkling wine
Increasingly ripe to noble rot-affected (more trend to pick riper now)
Style varies based on soil and climate.
Young Chenin Blanc: flavours of fresh apple through to tropical fruit depending on grape ripeness
Dry wines have steely, smokey character
Sweet wines have apricot and citrus peel flavours of noble rot
Can age for decades, becoming richer and rounder, developing aromas of honey, toast and hay (well-balanced with high acidity)
Describe Chenin Blanc from Vouvray
Still or sparkling
Dry to lusciously sweet depending on vintage
(cool climate and clay soils) - light to medium in body, fresh fruity and floral notes, rarely fermented or matured in new oak
What is a typical style of Chenin Blanc from Saumur?
Warm stony soils, warmer climate than expected (Mauges Hills)
Saumur: sparkling wine via traditional method
Anjou: dry wines often matured in new oak
What is a typical style of Chenin Blanc from Anjou?
Anjou: dry wines often matured in new oak
Describe Chenin Blanc from Savennières, and Coteaux du Layon
Overall warm, dry climate compared to Touraine: medium to full-bodied, less floral.
Savennières:
-full-bodied dry Chenin Blanc.
-Can also produce late harvest Chenin Blanc because good air circulation in vineyard impedes noble rot development. = full-bodied, complex dry wine with ageing potential
Coteaux du Layon: Quarts de Chaume, Bonnezeaux
-Best known sweet wines (noble rot develops well in the valley of River Layon)
What are alternative names of Melon Blanc?
Muscadet
Melon de Bourgogne
Why is Melon Blanc well-suited to this region?
Ripens early, resistant to frost - well suited to cool climate
List the key appellations for Melon Blanc
Nantais region: Muscadet (Muscadet Sèvre et Maine)
Describe a typical Muscadet Melon Blanc
Dry, medium alcohol (maximum 12% permitted)
Were traditionally fermented in large oak vessels, but now stainless steel vats are more common.
High acidity, light body
Subtle green fruit flavours
Drink young
What is Muscadet (Sèvre et Maine) sur Lie?
A speciality wine from the Muscadet Sèvre et Maine appellation.
Wine is bottled in spring following vintage, having spent the winter on its lees.
Lees contact gives wines a richer texture, and the wine is handled very little to maintain delicacy and freshness
Why is Cabernet Franc well-suited to this region?
Early flowering and ripening
List the key appellations for Cabernet Franc
Touraine region: Chinon, Bourgueil (Saint-Nicolas-de Bourgeuil)
Saumur region: Saumur-Champigny
Describe Cabernet Franc from the Touraine region with respect to how location affects style
Sandy soils produce light, fruity wines for early drinking
South-facing slopes with limestone and clay soils: fuller-bodied, more tannic wine
Can mature in oak, and best examples have ageing potential
Describe the style of Cabernet Franc from Saumur-Champigny
Lighter in body and tannin than from Touraine
Juicy berry fruit and sometimes floral notes
Best drunk young
Often best served chilled
Some producers produce fuller-bodied styles capable of further ageing
What other black varieties and styles are grown in the Loire Valley? Where are they mostly grown?
Gamay (Touraine, Anjou): fruity, early drinking Pinot Noir (Central Vineyards): light style and rare
Where is Loire Valley Rose mostly produced?
Anjou-Saumur
Touraine
Sancerre
Where is Rose de Loire produced?
Mainly Anjou-Saumur
Touraine
Describe the Rose de Loire style
Always dry
Minimum of 30% Cabernet Franc and/or Cabernet Sauvignon grapes in the blend
Describe the Cabernet d’Anjou style
Highest quality of the two rose’s made in Anjou-Saumur
medium-sweet
blend of Cabernet Franc and Cabernet Sauvignon
List all the best known Rose’s of the Loire Valley
Rosé de Loire
Cabernet d’Anjou
Rosé d’Anjou
Describe a general Touraine Rose
Dry, fresh, fruity
Describe a Sancerre Rose
Pinot Noir, pale, light body, dry with delicate fruit flavours
Describe typical winemaking practices for Loire Valley roses
Direct pressing or short maceration on skins
Fermented in inert, temperature-controlled vessels to retain fruit flavours
List the major sparkling wine appellations
Crémant de Loire
Saumur
Vouvray
Which varieties can be used to make sparkling Saumur, and what method is typically used?
Range of local varieties as well as Chardonnay, Chenin Blanc, Cabernet Franc
Can also make sparkling red Saumur using Cabernet Franc
Uses traditional method with min. 9 months on lees.
Which varieties can be used to make sparkling Vouvray, and what method is typically used? Describe a typical style.
Majority made from Chenin Blanc. Naturally high acidity and does not take on as many autolytic characters as Chardonnay and Pinot noir. Where present, autolytic character is more smoky and toasty than biscuity and bready.
Made via traditional method with 9 months min. on lees.
What are the winemaking requirements for Crémant de Loire?
Traditional method, min. 9 months on lees.
