Loire Flashcards
CREMANT DE LOIRE- highlights
Where is sparking wine grown in Loire?
7 sparkling wine appellations in the Loire
3 major ones: Crémant de Loire, Vouvray, and Saumur
- account for 13% of Loire Appellation wines
- production centered around Saumur for Crémant de Loire and sparking Saumur.
CREMANT DE LOIRE- highlights
describe the typical Cremant de Loire?
90% is white, Chenin Blanc dominant
med intensity apple, citrus, light toasty autolytic notes
-wine with 2-3 years age can develop honeyed aromas
-high acidity, most brut in style but Demi-Sec is also made
Brut Nature increasingly popular
priced mid priced with few premiums
CREMANT DE LOIRE- Crémant de Loire
Cremant de Loire covers what regions?
vineyard area declared for production have increase from 1,600Ha in 2012 to 2,100Ha in 2017.
Fruits grown in districts of Anjou-Saumur and Touraine only
200km stretch of river Loire and tributaries
river moderates temperature
most fruit is sourced zone south and south-west of Saumur
CREMANT DE LOIRE- Crémant de Loire
Climate?
Atlantic Ocean extends cool, mile influence to just east of Tours
covering most of the delimited appellation
Tours is in the center or Touraine
___ produces w/ low potential alcohol, high acidity level
hazard fungal disease and untimely rain (flowering/ fruit set, harvest)
CREMANT DE LOIRE- Crémant de Loire
Soils?
Wide range of soils – clay-limestone, flint-clay, sand, gravel, tuff
ANJOU- schist and limestone
TOURAINE- chalk
- good drainage and water retention characteristic of limestone
- Tuff rock excavated for building -castles make caves for maturation chambers for lees ageing
CREMANT DE LOIRE- Crémant de Loire
Soils best exposed sites?
Lower % of clay sites are kept for still wines, and will be a little warmer -producing fruit with concentration and ripeness
Higher % of clay sites are made into sparkling wines,
-takes longer to get warm
-higher acidity b/c not as ripe at harvest
Highest % of clay not in appellation as it would be too cold and lack good drainage
CREMANT DE LOIRE- Crémant de Loire
choice of root stock?
due to the lime content in soil and need to protect against chlorosis the following are used:
Fercal
Riparia Gloire de Montpellier
rootstock: Riparia Gloire de Montpellier
, are tolerant of water-logged soil and so can be useful in regions with high rainfall and water-retaining soils. In areas where salinity (high levels of salt in the water) is a problem,
– Rootstocks can be used to moderate or enhance the vigor of the vine. Low vigor rootstocks can advance ripening, which may be useful in cool climates.
CREMANT DE LOIRE- Crémant de Loire
Grape varieties
Chenin Blanc of the most part
Cab franc, Cab sauv, Grolleau Noir, Gris, Pineau d’aunis, PN and Chardonnay
- max of 30% of Cab sauv and Pineau d aunis is allowed either together or separately
Suav Blanc not suited for traditional method
CREMANT DE LOIRE- Crémant de Loire
Winemaking
Pneumatic press to produce the juice
1st ferm in steel tanks, oak flavors not desired mostly
some top cuvess are fem in oak
- MLF choices of all. part, and none
- may be blended before 2nd ferm
- 9mts to 2 years lees ageing - time on lees varies
- reserve more typical as premium wine
CREMANT DE LOIRE- Crémant de Loire
prestige de Loire
2018 launch
aim to establish wine at a minimum price
white wine from Chenin Blanc, Cab franc, chard, PN
single or blended 24mts on lees age required
vintage dated
brut style including nature and extra brut
producers achieve enviro standards, aiming sustainable viticulture in 5 years
CREMANT DE LOIRE- Crémant de Loire
structure of industry
19 houses 10 co -ops 400 producer
9 large houses account for 80% of production
Ackerman, Bouvet-Ladubay, Gratien & Meyer, Veuve-Amiot and Langlois-Chateau
- larger house grow own grapes and buy fruit
- buying grapes vs buying must means health of fruit can be checked before pressing
- around ½ sparking wine is exported to Germany, US, UK
CREMANT DE LOIRE- Saumur Mousseux and Vouvray Mousseux
highlights?
Saumur and Vouvray make both still and sparking
ratio approx. 60:40
deep cellars carved from tuff are feature of both area and ideal for lees aging
Mousseux is an option w/in __ appellations to make still white
CREMANT DE LOIRE- Saumur Mousseux and Vouvray Mousseux
Saumur Mousseux
must be minimum 60% Chenin Blanc
may contain 10% Sauv blanc
Rose: must be 60% Cab Franc and can have 10% sauv blanc
Machine harvest allowed
more juice can be extracted than for crémant 100 L from 130Kilos
enabling producers to make more wine, cheaper, potentially lower quality
CREMANT DE LOIRE- Saumur Mousseux and Vouvray Mousseux
Vouvray Mousseux
Chenin Blanc dominant
Orbois also permitted to take minority blend
Vouvray Petillant (lightly sparking) and grow fashion for PetNat