Loire Flashcards
Which Loire region is closest to the Atlantic Ocean?
Pays Nantais
Principal variety of Pays Nantais
Melon de Bourgogne
Climate of Pays Nantais
Cool maritime With cool springs and warm/ humid summers - threat of rain at any time but especially during flowering in spring and harvest in fall
Wet weather in Pays Nantais is offset by what
Well drained soils
Despite proximity to Atlantic, what is a major hazard in Pays Nantais and how are growers mitigating?
Spring frost - wind machines, heaters, burning straw bales
Melon in Pays Nantais features and hazards
Feature:
Hardy
Ripens early - reducing harvest rain threat
Can produce high yields
Hazard:
Early budding
Tight bunches susceptible to rot - spray $
Vineyard mgmt in Pays Nantais
Open canopy
Sprays
Leaf removal but careful to not to expose to sunburn
Muscadet fermentation
Large, shallow, underground glass lined concrete or stainless steel
Keep wine neutral to age on lees
Sur lie aging does what to wine?
Fills out body
Adds texture
Retains freshness
Retains small amount of CO2
AOCs in Pays Nantais
Muscadet Sevre et Maine
Muscadet
Muscadet Coteaux de la Loire
Muscadet Cotes de Grandlieu
Sur lie on a label means what and does what?
9 mos to a year on lees
Later bottling adds cost
Negociants can only by grapes, must, or bottled wine and not wine to be aged sur lie
Cru communaux in Muscadet are defined by what and noted how?
Specific bedrock soil
Name appendage- Clisson, Gorges, Le Pallet
Lower max yields
Longer lees aging
What % of sales are Negoviants in Pays Nantais
Over half
Top varieties in Anjou Saumur
Cab franc
Chenin
Grolleau noir
Cab sauv
Chard
Top varieties in Touraine
Cab Franc
Chenin Blanc
Sauvignon Blanc
Gamay
Cot
Chard
Anjou Saumur climate
Maritime influenced continental
Touraine climate
Continental with some Atlantic influence
What river contributes to misty conditions in Anjou, perfect for Botrytis?
Layon
What rootstock is needed in Anjou Saumur and Touraine and why?
High lime content in soil = chlorosis
Fercal or Riparia Gloire de Montpellier
Chenin Blanc hazards and features
Feature:
Botrytis for sweet
Hazards:
Buds early - spring frost
Mildew/ botrytis bunch rot
Late ripening - fall rain
Ripens unevenly - needs passes $ limits machine harvest
Cab franc hazards and features
Feature:
Winter hardy
Mid ripening - harvest before rains
Hazard:
Early budding- spring frost
Coulure- reduced yields
Needs full ripening to not taste green - canopy mgmt/ site selection
Grolleau Noir
Mid ripening
Early budding
Rose d’Anjou and Rose de Loire
Cab sauv performs better in Anjou Saumur or Touraine?
Anjou Saumur in its warmest sites
Rose and cab franc blends
Anjou Blanc AOC
Min 80% chenin
Anjou Rouge AOC
Min 70% CF and CS
Higher quality reds from Anjou AOC made in designated areas can be labeled as _______ and are what varietals?
Anjou Villages AOC
CF and/or CS
Coteaux du Layon specializes in what?
Sweet chenin either botrytized or vine dried
Two high quality appellations within Coteaux du Layon
Bonnezeaux
Quarts de Chaume - first grand cru
Savennieres specializes in what?
Dry chenin
What topography gives Savennieres its concentration and ripeness?
South facing slopes
Low fertility, rocky schist soils
Low yields
Rose appellations in Anjou Saumur and their varieties and style
Rose de Loire - CF, CS, Gamay, Grolleau Noir - dry
Rose d’Anjou - Grolleau (predominantly), CF, CS, Cot, Gamay - med dry
Cabernet d’Anjou - CF and CS - deep color - med dry
Saumur Blanc AOC
Chenin
Saumur Rouge AOC
CF predominantly
Coteaux de Saumur AOC
Sweet Chenin - over ripe or botrytized
Saumur Champigny AOC
Min 85% CF
Some light intensity
Popular in bistros
Touraine Blanc AOC
Sauvignon Blanc
Touraine Rouge AOC
CF and Cot
Vouvray AOC
95% Chenin
Slopes over Loire - River moderates
Flint soils - good drainage
Dry, Demi sec, doux (rare)
Montlouis sur Loire
Across river from Vouvray
Similar style
Bourgueil AOC
Red some rose
Min 90% CF some CS
Saint Nicolas de Bourgueil
CF in lighter style than Bourgueil
Chinon AOC
Most regarded for red
Whites from Chenin
Reds min 90% CF some CS
Range in style from light and fruity to structured
Structured examples come from clay/limestone - lighter on sand/gravel
Which produces more wine Anjou Saumur or Touraine
Anjou Saumur
Which produces more rose Anjou or Touraine
Anjou
Which produces more still wine Anjou or Touraine?
Touraine
The Central vineyards are located where?
Loire Valley, furthest east
Climate of central vineyards
Continental clinate
Principal grapes of Central vineyards
Sauvignon Blanc and Pinot Noir
Weather hazards in Central Vineyards
Spring frost
Summer hail
High rainfall for continental climate - fungus
Sauvignon Blanc in Central Vineyards hazards and features
Features:
Late budding- misses frost
Early ripening- misses fall rain
Vigorous- poor soils
Hazards:
Vigorous- canopy mgmt
Prone to powdery mildew and botrytis bunch rot
80% of CVs plantings
Fermentation temps for SB in Central vineyards relative to new world
Warmer for more restrained fruit expression
Upper part of cool lowest part of mid
Sancerre AOC
Mostly SB some PN red and rose
Frost moderations in Sancerre
Hillside slopes
Proximity to river
Soils of Sancerre and their styles
Caillottes- shallow soils over limestone- aromatic less able to age
Terres blanches- Kimmeridgian- slow ripening- some of the most famous vineyards- needs maturation
Silex- flinty, accumulate heat, early ripening- stony/smoky aromas
Pouilly Fume
SB only
Flatter land than Sancerre - more frost risk
Same soils
Rounder and less aromatic than Sancerre
Reuilly red/white/rose
Red PN
White SB
Rose PG/PN
Quincy
White only
SB min 90%
Sauv gris
Menetou Salon
Similar to Sancerre
South facing slopes- frost risk
Negociants sell what % of wine in Loire?
50% - top 10 negociants sell 82%
Loire route to market
Hospitality
Supermarkets
Exports 20% - Sancerre dominates
