Loire

Question 1

Annual AOC Production

Answer 1

45 million cases

Question 2

Geography

Answer 2

Starts at Sancerre and Pouilly sur Loire goes to the Atlantic 300 miles along the Loire River

Question 3

What are the 4 segments (wine growing areas) in the Loire from west to east?

Answer 3

Pays Nantes - Maritime Climate, Anjou Saumur, Touraine, The Upper Loire (Sancerre, Pouilly Fumé) continental climate

Question 4

Wine Styles

Answer 4

Most diverse producer of styles in France.

Dry whites, sweet whites, dry and sweet rosés, sparkling wines, dry reds

Question 5

Grape Varieties

Answer 5

Cabernet Franc -44,000 acres
Melon de Bourgogne - 34,000
Chenin Blanc - 24,500
Gamay - 12,000
Sauvignon Blanc - 8,300
Chardonnay - 5,000
Pinot Noir - 3,600
Cabernet Sauvignon - 1,300

Question 6

Pays Nantais Appellations for Melon de Bourgogne grape

Answer 6

Muscadet AOC, Muscadet Coteaux de la Loire AOC, Muscadet Cotes de Grandlieu AOC and Muscadet Sevre et Maine AOC

Question 7

3 new Pays Nantes AOC’s created in 2011

Answer 7

Gros Plante du pays Nantes AOC - based on Folle Blanche variet also know as Gros Plant
Coteaux d’Ancenis AOC - white 100% Pinot Gris sometimes called Malvoise, rose 100% Gamay or red 100% Gamay
Fiefs Vendéens AOC - whites, reds and rose with typical Loire varieties - chenin blanc, Gamay, Pinot Noir and Cabernet Franc

Question 8

Anjou-Saumur Styles

Answer 8

Central Loire - produces reds, whites, roses, sparkling and sweet desert wines.

Question 9

Anjou appellations

Answer 9

The Anjou AOC - red wine primarily from Cabernet Franc with some Cab Sauv., whits wine primarily from Chenin Blanc with up to 20% Sauv. Blanc or Chardonnay. And sparkling wine Mousseaux and lightly sparkling petillant, and for red wine from Gamay.
North bank- Savennières know for Chenin Blanc

Question 10

Anjou Regional appellations

Answer 10

2 Rose appellations - both somewhat sweet
Rose d’Anjou - Groulleau
Cabernet d’Anjou - Cab Franc and Cab Sauv
Dry roses use the Rose dee Loire appellation which covers Anjou, Saumur, and Touraine - 30% of either Cab.

Question 11

Anjou’s specialty

Answer 11

Sweet desert wines because conditions favour the development of Botrytis. All 100% Chenin Blanc
Coteaux du Layon AOC with 2 subregions Bonnezeaux, Quarts de Chaume - 1st and only Loire Grand Cru
Coteaux du Layon Premier Cru Chaume

Question 12

Samurs appellations

Answer 12

Parallel regional appellations to Anjou Saumur AOC for reds and whites.
Saumur Champigny - red wine only from Cab France with up to 10% cab Sauv. or Pinaut d’aunis sometimes called Chenin Noir. A unique spicy red wine.

Question 13

Saumur’s specialty

Answer 13

Sparkling wines:
Samur Brut or Saumur Mosseaux - Traditional method with Chenin Blanc with any other regional grapes and can be white or rose and dry or semi sweet.
Samur is also the chief source of grapes for the Crement de Loire a sparkling wine that can come from anywhere in the Central Loire.

Question 14

Touraine Red wine appellations

Answer 14

All 3 must be 90% Cbernet Franc - they can be 100% CF or 90% CF with 10% CS. Chinon is considered the most elegant of the 3
Chinon
Bourgueil
St. Nicolas de Bourgueil

Question 15

Touraine Regional appellations

Answer 15

Touraine AOC for red, white and rose.
Touraine Mosseaux for sparkling wines
East of Vouvray the wines are similar to the Upper Loire where the wines are made from Sauv. Blanc and Gamay or Piniot Noir
Cheverny AOC - the easternmost AOC SB and Gamay

Question 16

Upper Loire Appellations -

Answer 16

Sancerre - west bank - chalky limestone give the wine a crispness. Sancerre also produces a small amour of red wine from Pinot Noir.
Pouilly Fumé - east bank - flinty soil give the wine a smoky flavour.
Both 100% Sauv. Blanc
Menetou-SalonAOC west of Sancerre
Reuilly and Quincy 30 miles to the west on the river Cher
All 3 also make Sauv. Blanc and Reuilly produces a sm. amt. of Pinoit Noir as well.

Question 17

Pineau de la Loire

Answer 17

Regional name used for Chenin Blanc used in the Loire

Question 18

Grape variety used in Muscadet

Answer 18

Melon de Bourgogne

Question 19

Breton

Answer 19

Regional name used for Cabernet Franc

Question 20

2 sub regions of the Coteaux du Layon

Answer 20

Bonnezeaux, Quarts-de-Chaume

Question 21

Loire Valleys only grand Cru

Answer 21

Quarts-de-Chaume

Question 22

Grape Variety of Vouvray

Answer 22

chenin Blanc

Question 23

3 red wine appellations of Touraine

Answer 23

Chinon, Bourgueil, St. Nicolas de Bourgueil

Question 24

Grape variety of Sancerre

Answer 24

Sauvignon Blanc (white), Pinot Noir (red)