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WSET ® Level 3 Wine > Loire > Flashcards

Loire Flashcards

Learn the geography, grape varieties, climate, soil, wine styles, and producers of Loire Valley.

1
Q

What is France’s longest river? In which direction does it flow?

A

The Loire River is France’s longest river.

It flows from east to west, emptying in the Atlantic Ocean.

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2
Q

From west to east, what are the 4 major regions of the Loire Valley?

A
  • Nantais
  • Anjou-Saumur
  • Touraine
  • Central Vineyards
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3
Q

What is the IGP in the Loire that covers the entire region?

A

Val de Loire IGP

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4
Q

Crémant de Loire production primarily takes place in which Loire Valley subregion?

What grape is traditionally used?

A

Subregion: Saumur

Grape: Chenin Blanc

Fun Fact: Crémant de Loire is made using Traditional Method

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5
Q

How do the climates of Pays Nantais and Central Vineyards differ?

A

The climate in Nantais is Maritime.

The climate in Central Vineyards is Continental.

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6
Q

The Mauges Hills protect which region in the Loire Valley?

A

Anjou

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7
Q

Which Loire region has pockets of stony soils and is warm and dry despite its proximity to the Atlantic Ocean?

A

Anjou

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8
Q

Which Loire region, despite being further inland, has a cooler + wetter climate than Anjou?

(Hint: it also has a lot of clay soils)

A

Touraine

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9
Q

What are two common weather threats in the Loire Valley?

A
  1. High levels of rainfall, which makes fungal pressure high;
  2. Spring frosts.
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10
Q

What are the benefits that vineyards with southerly aspect gain from facing the Loire River?

A

The river will reflect light and warmth to vineyards facing it which help vineyards at this northerly latitude.

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11
Q

The vineyards in the Loire Valley with the most advantageous positions are:

A
  • South facing (to maximize sun exposure)
  • Mid-slope (for best drainage)
  • Face the Loire River (reflected light and warmth)
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12
Q

What are the 4 predominant grape varieties of the Loire Valley and their areas of production?

A
  • Melon de Bourgogne/Melon Blanc: Nantais
  • Chenin Blanc: Anjou + Touraine
  • Cabernet Franc: Anjou + Touraine
  • Sauvignon Blanc: Central Vineyards + Touraine
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13
Q

Name some of the black grapes grown in the Loire Valley.

A
  • Cabernet Franc
  • Gamay
  • Pinot Noir
  • Grolleau
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14
Q

What are the Loire Valley’s 4 most eminent appellations growing Sauvignon Blanc?

A
  1. Sancerre
  2. Pouilly-Fumé
  3. Menetou-Salon
  4. Touraine
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15
Q

What are differences or similarities between Muscadet and Melon de Bourgogne/Melon Blanc?

A

Muscadet is an AOP in the Loire Valley that only makes dry white wines.

Melon de Bourgogne/Melon Blanc is the grape variety that goes into Muscadet AOP.

The grape Melon de Bourgogne can also be called ‘Muscadet’, just like the AOP.

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16
Q

In Muscadet, what is the alcohol level of most wines?

A

~12% ABV

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17
Q

All wines from the appellations in Muscadet have:

a. Low alcohol
b. Medium alcohol
c. High alcohol

A

Medium alcohol

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18
Q

All wines from the appellations in Muscadet are:

a. Dry
b. Off-dry
c. Sweet

A

Dry

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19
Q

What is a synonym for Melon de Bourgogne?

A

Melon Blanc

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20
Q

What does “Sur Lie” mean on a bottle of Muscadet Sèvre-et-Maine Sur Lie?

A

Sur Lie is a French word meaning “on the lees.”

  • Must be aged on its fine lees until the spring the year following harvest;
  • Lees give a bit of texture and a slight yeasty flavor to the wine.
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21
Q

The Nantais subregion produces mainly __(1)__ wine from the __(2)__ grape variety.

A
  1. Bone dry white wine
  2. Melon de Bourgogne grape variety

Melon de Bourgogne is also known as Melon Blanc

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22
Q

Rosé de Loire AOP wines are:

  • dry, off-dry, or sweet?
  • made from which grapes?
  • mainly produced in which sub-region?
A
  • Always dry;
  • A range of of grapes including Cab Sauvignon and/or Cab Franc;
  • Mainly produced in Anjou-Saumur.
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23
Q

Which is the predominant grape in Rosé d’Anjou?

A

Grolleau

It is usually blended with local grapes like Cabernet Franc, Cabernet Sauvignon, Côt, Gamay, Pineau d’Aunis.

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24
Q

What style of wine is produced in Cabernet d’Anjou AOP?

A

Still, medium-dry to medium-sweet rosés made from a blend of Cabernet Franc + Cabernet Sauvignon.

Fun Fact: They must have minimum 10 g/L of residual sugar.

25
Q

Of the still rosés produced in Anjou-Saumur, which one is the highest quality?

A

Cabernet d’Anjou

26
Q

Rosés in the Loire Valley are made by using either of these techniques:

A
  1. Direct pressing
  2. Short skin maceration
27
Q

What is the most widely grown white grape of the Touraine and Anjou subregions?

A

Chenin Blanc

It can be made into sparkling and still wines, from dry to sweet.

28
Q

What is the primary grape variety used for sweet wine in the Loire Valley?

A

Chenin Blanc

29
Q

Is Chenin Blanc an age-worthy wine?

A

Yes, Chenin Blanc is extremely age worthy.

All styles of Chenin Blanc can be aged for years or decades thanks to its natural high acidity and potential for flavor development.

30
Q

Which wine is dry and full bodied?:

  • Savennières AOP
  • Coteaux du Layon AOP
A

Savennières AOP

31
Q

What style of wine is Coteaux du Layon?

A

Sweet wine made from botrytized Chenin Blanc

32
Q

Is Coteaux du Layon on the north or south side of the Loire River?

What develops well here?

A

South side, where botrytis develops well.

33
Q

Where is Quarts de Chaume located within the Loire Valley, and what style of wine does it make?

A

Within the borders of Coteaux du Layon AOP (Anjou subregion).

It makes only sweet wines made from Chenin Blanc.

34
Q

Where is Bonnezeaux AOP located and what is it known for?

A

Located within the Anjou subregion and is known for sweet white wines made from Chenin Blanc.

35
Q

What appellations in Loire are known for red wine made from Cabernet Franc?

A
  • Chinon (Touraine)
  • Bourgueil (Touraine)
  • Saint-Nicolas-de-Bourgueil (Touraine)
  • Saumur-Champigny (Saumur)
36
Q

What is the grape in Vouvray AOP?

A

Chenin Blanc

37
Q

Vouvray makes both ______ and _______ wines.

A

Still and sparkling

38
Q

The soils in Vouvray are _____ based.

A

Clay

39
Q

Still wines in Vouvray range from:

  • dry to off-dry
  • dry to medium-sweet
  • dry to luscious
A

Dry to luscious

40
Q

Vouvray wines are:

  • rarely fermented or matured in new oak
  • often fermented or matured in new oak
A

Rarely fermented or matured in new oak

41
Q

Chenin Blancs from Anjou AOP are sometimes, but not always, matured in ____.

A

New oak

42
Q

How does the climate influence the style of the wine in Vouvray AOP?

A

While Vouvray has a Continental climate, it can receive strong Atlantic winds which affect the growing season and can cause vintage variation.

In cooler vintages, more sparkling wines will be made.

In warmer vintages with long/dry autumns, more still wines will be produced of varying sweetness levels.

43
Q

Which appellation will have less concentration and display a generally uncomplicated, more fruit-driven style of Sauvignon Blanc: Sancerre or Touraine?

A

Touraine

Touraine is a catch-all appellation that includes all of the Touraine appellations; it is not a specific, delimited appellation like Sancerre.

44
Q

Name the most important AOPs of the Central Vineyards in the Loire Valley from west to east.

A

From west to east:

  • Menetou-Salon
  • Sancerre
  • Pouilly-Fumé
45
Q

What are the weather threats in the Central Vineyards?

A
  • Spring frosts
  • Summer hail
46
Q

What is the principal white grape variety in the Central Vineyards?

A

Sauvignon Blanc

47
Q

What styles of wine can be produced in Sancerre AOP?

A

Most Sancerre is still, dry white wine but reds and rosés are also made.

  • 100% Sauvignon Blanc for white
  • 100% Pinot Noir for red and rosé
48
Q

Name a famous village in Sancerre.

A

Chavignol

49
Q

Name the most famous vineyard in Sancerre.

A

Les Monts Damnés

50
Q

What is the main soil type in Sancerre and Pouilly-Fumé?

A

Limestone-based, stony, well drained soil

51
Q

What are some of the winemaking vessels used in Sancerre and Pouilly-Fumé?

A
  • Stainless steel (for fresh, fruity style)
  • Old oak
  • New oak (used by a few)
52
Q

Is Sancerre an age-worthy wine?

When is it best to drink them?

A

There are exceptions to every rule, but generally Sancerre is not particularly age worthy. It is best drunk within 3 years of its harvest date.

The producers who have defied this rule and make age-worthy Sancerre include François Cotat, Domaine Vacheron, and Edmond Vatan.

53
Q

Under what circumstances will Sauvignon Blanc undergo MLC?

A

In particularly cool vintages where the winemaker wants to balance or lower the acidity in their wines, or if the winemaker wants their style of Sauvignon Blanc to be broader with smoothed edges.

54
Q

What is the second-most planted red grape in the Loire Valley?

A

Gamay

55
Q

What is a quirky trait of Chenin Blanc?

A

Its berries ripen at different rates even within the same bunch.

This is why producers will have to make several passes in the vineyard so they harvest grapes at the correct ripeness.

56
Q

Why is Cab Franc well suited for the Loire Valley?

A

It flowers early and ripens early (so it can be picked before autumn rains)

57
Q

Cab Franc grown in Touraine (Chinon, Bourgueil) generally comes in two different styles depending on the soils.

What are the soils and what are the styles?

A
  1. Sandy soils = light, fruity, early-drinking reds
  2. Limestone/clay soils = full-bodied, tannic styles from south-facing slopes
58
Q

Cab Franc from Saumur-Champigny tends to be:

  • lighter in body + tannin
  • fuller in body + tannin

than Cab Francs from Touraine.

A

Lighter in body + tannin

WSET ® Level 3 Wine (40 decks)

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