Loire Flashcards
What is the only PDO or PGI to cover the entire Loire Valley?
Val de Loire IGP
There isn’t a region-wide PDO.
What is the climate of the Loire?
Cool climate
Maritime by the coast in Nantes, moving progressively more continental inland until Central Vineyards which is considered continental.
Why is Anjou (closer to the coast) warmer and drier than Touraine (further inland so should be more continental)?
Anjou is protected by the Mauges hills and some vineyards have warming stones.
Touraine: cooler, wetter climate (no protection from hills) with cooling clay soils.
In the Loire, what is the main risk associated with high levels of rainfall?
Fungal disease
The Loire has a marginal climate relative to the grapes grown. Give three factors a vineyard may have to help ripening?
Southerly aspect
Mid-slope
Facing the river for extra heat & light
What are the four sub-regions in the Loire from west to east (maritime -> continental)?
Nantes
Anjou-Saumur
Touraine
Central Vineyards
NAST-C
What are the three Central Vineyards PDOs that have a reputation for quality Sauvignon Blanc?
Pouilly-Fumé AOP
Menetou-Salon AOP
Sancerre AOP
A wine from the Loire is dry, high acidity with hints of green apple and wet stones. What is the grape variety and which sub-regions/appellations is it from?
Sauvignon Blanc
Pouilly-Fumé AOP
Sancerre AOP
Menetou-Salon AOP
Most Sauvignon Blanc in the Loire is made using gentle pneumatic pressing and temperature-controlled stainless steel vats. Give four other winemaking techniques that are occasionally used.
Old oak vessels
Lees contact
New oak
MLC
If the vintage is particularly cool in the Loire Valley, what winemaking technique may be used to help balance the wine?
MLC
In which sub-region in the Loire is the majority of Sauvignon Blanc produced?
Touraine
What is the name of Touraine’s generic regional appellation that allows varietal labelling?
Touraine AOP
Sauvignon de Touraine is an example of the Touraine AOP with varietal labelling.
In general, how does Touraine AOP differ from Sancerre AOP?
Less concentrated wines
Simple, fruity style
What grape variety produces the best wines from Anjou and Touraine?
Chenin Blanc
Chenin Blanc can ripen unevenly. How is this dealt with in the Loire?
When harvesting, multiple passes through the vineyard are made.
Hand harvesting only.
Which grape variety from the Loire can be used to make a broad range of wines from dry to sweet, still and sparkling?
Chenin Blanc
There are two ways to achieve the concentration needed to make Chenin Blanc into a sweet wine in the Loire. What are they?
Noble rot
Grapes shrivel in the sun - passerillage
Chenin Blanc from the Loire with 10-11% alcohol and green aromas would often be used to make what sort of wine?
Sparkling wines
Give the different aromas Chenin Blanc from the Loire can have, from barely ripe to fully ripe.
Green / herbaceous
Fresh apple
Tropical fruit
Flavours of apricot and citrus peel often indicate what in Chenin Blanc wines from the Loire?
Noble rot
How do still Chenin Blanc wines from the Loire develop as they age?
Richer and rounder
Aromas of honey, toast & hay.
Name the region in the Loire that has a reputation for producing still & sparkling wines in both dry & sweet styles from Chenin Blanc.
Vouvray AOC
Why are still, dry Vouvray AOC wines light to medium bodied with fresh, fruity & floral aromas?
They are from a cool climate with cooling clay soils which limits ripeness.
Saumur has a reputation for what style of Chenin Blanc?
Traditional method sparkling wine.
