Loire

Question 1

Describe Pays Nantais?

Answer 1

Cool maritime
Well-draining soils
Spring frosts
Open canopies needed/leaf removal
Primary grape - Melon
Folle Blanche (Gros Plant)

Question 2

Describe Melon:

Answer 2

Early budding
Early ripening
Hardy grape
Susceptible to downy mildew and botrytis

Question 3

Describe Muscadet winemaking:

Answer 3

Muscadet AOC may have up to 10% Chardonnay
Chaptalization permitted up to 12% potential ABV
Large, shallow underground glass-lined concrete vats for aging/fermentation
MLF avoided
Sur Lie aging

Question 4

Describe a typical Muscadet:

Answer 4

Dry
Low intensity
Green apple, grassy
High acid
Light body

Question 5

Appellations for Muscadet?

Answer 5

Large:
Muscadet Sevre et Maine AOC (largest in Loire)
Muscadet AOC
Small:
Muscadet Coteaux de la Loire AOC
Muscadet Cotes de Grandlieu AOC
10 Cru Communaux: area listed after AOC; lower yields and longer lees aging

Question 6

Wine business in Pays Nantais?

Answer 6

Production dropped 2/3 in 1991 due to frost
15% export
Negociants are majority

Question 7

Climate/soil in Anjou-Saumur + Touraine?

Answer 7

Anjou - less maritime
Touraine - continental
Moderate rainfall
Misty = botrytis
Good drainage/water retention
High lime content in soil = resistant routestock

Question 8

Describe Chenin Blanc:

Answer 8

Early budding
Ripens late/unevenly
Vigorous
Prone to powdery mildew, botrytis, trunk disease

Question 9

Describe style of Chenin blanc:

Answer 9

Dry to sweet
Medium intensity
Green apple/lemon/steel/smoke
Medium alcohol
High acidity
MLF avoided

Question 10

Describe Cab Franc in Loire:

Answer 10

Med/High intensity
Red currant/raspberry/violet/leafy
Light/Med body
Med tannin
High acid
Early budding
Mid ripening - winter hardy

Question 11

Red grapes in Anjou-Saumur + Touraine?

Answer 11

Cab Franc
Grolleau Noir
Gamay Noir
Cab Sauv

Question 12

Regulations for Anjou AOC:

Answer 12

Moderate max yields (60)
Anjou Blanc - min. 80% Chenin Blanc
Anjou Rouge - min. 70% Cab Franc and/or Cab Sauv
Anjou Villages AOC - still red wine only, Cab Franc and Cab Sauv

Question 13

Describe Coteaux du Layon:

Answer 13

Anjou region for botrytis-affected Chenin Blanc
Cooked citrus/apple/honey
Pronounced intensity
Sweet
Med+ body
Med alc
High acid

Question 14

Anjou appellations for sweet wine, in descending max yield and ascending min. potential alcohol order?

Answer 14

Coteaux du Layon AOC
Coteaux du Layon AOC + village
Bonnezeaux AOC
Coteaux du Layon AOC Premier Cru Chaume
Quarts de Chaume Grand Cru AOC

Question 15

Describe Savennieres?

Answer 15

Prestigious Anjou appellation
South-facing slopes
Low fertility, rocky soils
Low yields
Austere in youth
2 sub-AOC’s:
Savennieres La Roche aux Moines AOC
Coulee de Serrant AOC (owned exclusively by Nicolas Joly - biodynamic)

Question 16

Describe Anjou-Saumur rose’s:

Answer 16

Rose de Loire AOC: Cab Franc, Cab Sauv, Gamay, Grolleau Noir

Rose d’Anjou AOC: primarily Grolleau; medium dry; most popular of the styles

Cabernet d’Anjou AOC: Cab Franc + Cab Sauv only; deeper color, medium dry

Question 17

Key Saumur appellations?

Answer 17

Saumur AOC (variety)
Coteaux de Saumur AOC (botrytis Chenin Blanc)
Saumur-Champigny AOC (min 85% Cab Franc)

Question 18

Key Touraine appellations:

Answer 18

Touraine AOC
Vouvray AOC
Montlouis-sur-Loire AOC
Bourgueil AOC
Saint-Nicolas-de-Bourgueil AOC
Chinon AOC

Question 19

Describe Touraine AOC:

Answer 19

Sauv Blanc is primary white
Cab Franc and Cot are primary reds
Six sub-zones that can be added after Touraine AOC - stricter yields

Question 20

Describe Vouvray:

Answer 20

Min. 95% Chenin Blanc
Max 52hL/ha
Flint/clay/limestone - good drainage
Dry to demi-sec

Question 21

Describe Montlouis-sur-Loire:

Answer 21

100% Chenin Blanc
Max 52hL/ha
Cheaper, lesser known than Vouvray
High proportion of organic/biodynamic

Question 22

Compare the 3 red appellations of Touraine:

Answer 22

Cab Franc, but 10% Cab Sauv allowed
Max 55hL/ha
Sand, gravel, clay-limestone
Saint-Nicolas - lightest style
Chinon - most regarded; also makes Chenin Blanc

Question 23

Wine business in Anjou-Saumur and Touraine:

Answer 23

20% export
Anjou-Saumur produces 2x Touraine
Anjou: more rose and sparkling
Touraine: more white and red

Question 24

Describe Central Vineyards of Loire:

Answer 24

Continental climate
Sauv Blanc (70%) and Pinot Noir (20%)
8 AOCs
Spring frosts, summer hailstorms
Long day lengths + low light intensity
High rainfall

Question 25

Describe Sauv Blanc:

Answer 25

Late budding
Early ripening
Vigorous
Needs canopy management to avoid shading
Prone to powdery mildew, botrytis, Esca, Eutypa Dieback

Question 26

AOCs of Central Vineyards?

Answer 26

Sancerre AOC
Pouilly-Fume AOC
Reuilly AOC
Quincy AOC
Menetou-Salon AOC

Question 27

Describe Sancerre:

Answer 27

Largest Central vineyards AOC
Most commercially successful
Higher max yields (65/63/59)
3 soil types:
Caillottes (shallow over limestone - aromatic)
Terre Blanches (most structured)
Silex (flinty)

Question 28

Describe Pouilly Fume:

Answer 28

Sauv Blanc only
More prone to frost
Rounder, less aromatic style than Sancerre

Question 29

Wine business in Central Vineyards:

Answer 29

BIVC - Bureau Interprofessionnel des Vins du Centre (promotional body)
Negociants most important
20% export - US, UK, Germany
Natural winemaking popular
Nicolas Joly founded Renaissances des appellations, group of biodynamic producers with many in Loire