LOIRE Flashcards
What is Loire Valley annual production?
45 million cases (75% AOC level)
What is the origin of the Loire River
Massif Central in Southern France
What are the four main wine regions of the Loire?
Pays Nantais (maritime climate), Anjou-Saumur, Touraine and Upper Loire (continental climate)
What are the 4 international varieties of red grapes in Loire?
Cabernet Franc, Cabernet Sauvignon, Gamay, Pinot Noir
What are the 3 indigenous red grapes of the Loire?
Grolleau, Negrette, Pineau d’Aunis
What are the 4 international varieties of white grapes in Loire?
Chardonnay, Chenin Blanc, Pinot Gris, Sauvignon Blanc,
What are the 2 indigenous white grapes of the Loire?
Folle Blanche, Melon de Bourgogne (Pays Nantais only)
What is Chenin Blanc known as in Loire?
Pineau de la Loire
What areas of Loire are known for Chenin Blanc?
Vouvray (Touraine), Savennieres (anjou)
What areas of Loire are known for Sauvignon Blanc?
Upper Loire (Sancerre, Pouilly-Fume)
What are Cabernet Franc/Malbec known as in Loire
Breton and Cot, respectively
Which areas are known for Cabernet Franc / Pinot?
Chinon, (Touraine) Saumur Champigny (Saumur) / Sancerre, Menetou-Salon (Upper Loire), and Cheverny (Touraine), respectively.
What is the main grape in Loire sparkling wines (“fines bulles”)?
Chenin Blanc
What is the regional appellation for Loire
IGP Val de Loire
What is the leading wine of the Pays Nantais and which grape variety is used and what % of vineyard acreage does it comprise?
Muscadet/Melon de Bourgogne/75% of vineyards in Pays Nantais
What is the leading sub-appellation in Muscadet AOC and what % of Melon Bourgogne must be used?
Muscadet Sevre-et-Mains (which accounts for 80% of Muscadet AOC production) ( / 100% (stricter than the 90% minimum required by the Muscadet AOC)
What wine is the Saumur AOC most known for and what are the grape varieties?
Sparkling wines using 60% minuimum of Chenin Blanc for white and Cab Franc for red; Samur is also chief source of grapes for Cremant de Loire
Which appellation is the Anjou AOC primarily known for?
Chenin Blanc from the Savennieres AOC
What are the rose appellations in the Anjou?
Rose d’Anjou (Grolleau) and Cabernet d’Anjou (Cab Sauv/Cab Franc) and Rose d’Loire (covers Anjou/Saumur/Touraine and used mostly by dry rose producers)
What are the sweet wine appellation of Anjou?
Coteaux de Layon (sub-zones Bonnezeaux/Cotes de Layon Premier Chaume [grand cru])
What is the red-wine-only AOC of Saumur?
Saumur-Champigny (85% Cab Franc/15% CS/Pineau d’Aunis aka Chenin Noir)
What are the most well-known AOCs for white in the Touraine?
Vouvray and Montlouis-sur-Loire (Chenin Blanc)
What are the most well-known AOCs for red in the Touraine?
Chinon (also makes a small amount of Chenin Blanc), Bourgueil, St.-Nicolas-de-Bourgueil (Cab Franc)
What is the main white wine varietal of the Touraine AOC
Sauvigon Blanc; most vineyards for this AOC come from East of Vouvray where climate is more similar to Upper Loire (continental)
What grapes are used in the whites and reds of the Cheverny AOC in Easternmost part of Touraine?
Sauvignon Blanc/Gris blend, Pinot Noir/Gamay blend (Malbec optional)
What are the most well-known AOCs for white in the Upper Loire?
Sancerre, Pouilly-Fume
Which wine is known as “the most cerebral in the world”?
Chenin Blanc from the Savennieres AOC in Anjou-Saumur
What are the main wines/grapes of the Anjou area?
red from Cab Fran/CS and Gamay, white from Chenin Blanc (80%)+Semillon/SB, Rose from Grolleau, sparkling from Gamay, and dessert using Chenin Blanc
Which appellations of the Upper Loire are on the river Cher?
Quincy, Reuilly and Menetou-Salon
What are the basic red/white wines of the Anjou AOC made from?
Red: Cab Franc and/or Cab Sauv
White: Chenin Blanc (min 80%) with up to 20% SB or Chard
