Loire Flashcards
What are three distinct soil types of the Centre Loire?
Terres Blanches, caillottes, and silex (flint)
What two Centre Loire AOCs are located on the Cher River?
Quincy and Reuilly
What is “Passerillage”?
The technique of allowing grapes to wither and dry on the vine.
What is Touraine Noble Joué?
A vin gris made primarily from Pinot Meunier.
What grape is used to make sweet wine in the Middle Loire?
Chenin Blanc
What are the primary grapes of the Chinon AOC?
Cabernet Franc and Chenin Blanc.
What style of wine is Anjou Coteaux de Saumur AOC?
Sweet, botrytized dessert wine
What area of the Loire has volcanic soils?
The Lower Loire
Gneiss dominates the top soils, igneous rocks the sub-soils.
What does the term “silex” refer to?
Silex are flint soils found in Centre Loire
What Centre Loire AOC produces wines from Chasselas?
Pouilly-Sur-Loire
What is the principal white grape of the Centre Loire?
Sauvignon Blanc
What style of wine is made in the Coteaux du Layon AOC?
Sweet, botrytized dessert wine
What defines “Mousseux”?
The term means frothy or bubbly. These are méthode traditionelle wines with at least 3 atms of pressure
What style of wine is made in the Anjou Coteaux de la Loire AOC?
Sweet, botrytized dessert wine
What defines “caillottes”?
Little limestone pebbles; one of the three soil tupes of the Centre Loire
What style of wines are produced in Layon?
Sweet wines affected by Botrytis
What is the primary white grape of the Centre Loire?
Sauvignon Blanc
Muscadet is also known by which other name?
Melon de Bourgogne
How long must Loire Crémant spend aging on its lees?
12 Months (note most french regions require just 9 months lees aging for crémant)
What is the difference between Cabernet d’Anjou AOC and Cabernet de Saumur AOC?
Cabernet de Saumur is drier. It can contain a maximum of 0.7% sugar, while Cabernet d’Anjou must contain a minimum of 1% sugar.
What is the principal grape used for rosé production in the Middle Loire?
Grolleau
Which Middle Loire AOC is a monopole?
Savennières Coulée de Serrant
Which three AOCs in Centre Loire make white wine only?
Pouilly Fumé, Pouilly-Sur-Loire, Quincy
What are the three crus of the Muscadet Sèvre et Maine AOC?
Clisson, Gorges, and Le Pallet
What defines “terres blanches”?
A marl that is rich in oyster fossils, one if the three soil types in Centre Loire.
The Pineau de la Loire grape is more commonly known as:
Chenin Blanc
What grape variety is used in the Cour-Cheverny AOC?
Romorantin
Which sweet wine producing sub-region lies within the Anjou zone of production?
Layon
What Loire sub-region has a wholly continental climate?
The Centre and Upper Loire
What is a Loire synonym for Cabernet Franc?
Breton
What is “Breton”?
A synonym for Cabernet Franc in the Loire Valley
The Folle Blanche grape is also known as:
Gros Plant
The Gros Plant Grape is also known as:
Folle Blanche
What Loire winegrowing region is known for Kimmeridgean limestone?
The Centre Loire
What is Touraine Noble Joué?
A vins gris made primarily from Pinot Meunier
What style of wine is made from the Rosé de Loire AOC?
Dry rosé made anywhere in the Middle Loire
Other than the Loire RIver, what are the two other primary rivers of the Lower Loire?
Le sèvre Nantaise and La Petite Maine
What are the primary red grapes of the Upper Loire?
Pinot Noir and Gamay
Where is Vouvray located?
Touraine, Middle Loire
What style of wine is made in the Rosé d’Anjou AOC?
Off-dry rosé made primarily from Grolleau
What three white grapes are grown in the Lower Loire?
Muscadet (Melon de Bourgogne)
Folle Blanche (Gros Plant)
Pinot Gris
What are the three distinct soil types of the Centre Loire?
Terres Blanches, caillottes, and Silex (flint)
From West to East name the 4 distinct viticultural sections
Lower Loire
Middle Loire
Centre Loire
Upper Loire
What percentage of Loire wine production is AOC status?
75%
The Loire River flows North at first before turning West at which city?
The Loire River turns West at Orleans
Temperatures near the Loire River are warmer or cooler than the surrounding areas?
Temperatures near the river are an average of 2 to 4 degrees F warmer on any given day.
How far into the Loire Valley region do Oceanic Influences spread?
Gulf Stream breeze is funneled upriver all the way to Orleans.
Describe the climate of the Pays Nantais/Lower Loire sub-region.
Maritime Climate.
Describe the climate of the Anjou, Saumur, & Touraine / Middle Loire sub-region.
Maritime climate with continental influences.
Describe the climate of the Centre and Upper Loire sub-regions.
Continental Climate.
The city of Nantes lies within which Loire Valley sub-region?
Nantes is located in the Lower Loire, it is also known as the Pays Nantais.