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French Wine Scholar > Loire Valley > Flashcards

Loire Valley Flashcards

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1
Q

Describe the path of the Loire River and its significance with regard to vineyard aspect

A
  • The source is in central France from which it flows north until Orléans where it turns west.
  • Whilst it flows north, the vineyards flank the east & west sides and whilst it flows west, the vineyards fland the north & south sides.
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2
Q

How does the Loire River impact temperatures?

A
  • As all significant bodies of water do, the river helps to warm the vineyards that flank it.
  • Temperatures near the river itself average 2-4 degrees warmer on any given day.
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3
Q

What are the main sub-divisions of the Loire Valley? What are the vineyards called here? What are the climates like

A

1) Lower Loire
- Pays Nantais (maritime)

2) Middle Loire
- Anjou, Saumur (both maritime with continental influences) & Touraine (continental with maritime influences)

3) Centre and Upper Loire (continental)

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4
Q

What percentage of Loire Valley wine is AOC?

A

75%

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5
Q

Describe the climate of the Lower Loire and what moderates temperatures.

A
  • Maritime
  • Moderated by the Gulf Stream and the river effects of the Loire and its tributaries
  • Most annual sunshine in the Loire
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6
Q

Describe the seasons in the Lower Loire

A

Springs - Cool, damp and often cloudy. Sunshine hours build towrds summer.
Summers - Warm and mild with lots of sunshine. High humidity can cause disease pressure.
Autumns - Warm and mild with occasional thunderstorms which can be detrimental to harvests.
Winters - Cold and damp with little snowfall. Threats of frosts and ice storms.

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7
Q

Is chaptalization allowed in the Loire Valley?

A

Yes but it is only done when absolutely neccesary in order to maintain alcohol levels.

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8
Q

Describe the climate of Anjou and Saumur

A
  • Maritime with continental influences

- Temps are slightly colder in winter and slightly warmer in summer than the Lower Loire.

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9
Q

Describe the climate of Touraine

A
  • Continental with maritime influences

- Maritime influences dissipate the further east you go

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10
Q

Describe the climate of the Centre and Upper Loire

A
  • Continental climate
  • Largest diurnal and seasonal temperature swings of all the 4 sub-regions.
  • Harsh climate does not support the diversity of vines found in the Middle Loire
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11
Q

Describe the seasons in the Centre and Upper Loire

A

Winter:
- Cold and prone to ice/frost

Spring:
- Short and highly variable.

Summer:
- Hot and sunny, off-setting the short spring

Autumn:
- Temperate and mild through harvest but with some humidity and fog.

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12
Q

Why are the humid conditions of the Centre/Upper Loire not a problem for Sauvignon Blanc?

A

Because the grape is hardy and resistant to fungal diseases.

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13
Q

Describe the soils of the Lower Loire

A
  • Gneiss (porous) dominates the top soils

- Crystalline igneous rocks are the sub-soils (volcanic with high mineral content)

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14
Q

Describe the soils of Anjou & Samur

A

Anjou
- Dark schist and tuffeau (white chalk)

Saumur
- Tuffeau (calcium rich chalk is great for high acid sparkling wine)

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15
Q

What soils are the sweet wine appellations of Anjou based upon?

A

Schist

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16
Q

Describe the soils of the following areas within Touraine

Hillsides
Near rivers
Vouvray & Montlouis
Chinon
Bourgueil
A

Hillsides: Tuffeau

Near rivers: perruche (flint & clay) and aubuis (limestone & clay)

Vouvray, Montlouis and Amboise: Tuffeau

Chinon: Chalky (whites)/sandy (reds)/gravely (reds)soils

Bourgueil: Sandy gravels, chalk pebbles & tuffeau.

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17
Q

Describe the 3 main soil types of the Centre Loire and what base they rest upon

A
  • Terres Blanche (marl rich in oyster fossils)
  • Caillottes (little limestone pebbles)
  • Silex (flint)

They rest upon a base of Kimmeridgean limestone

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18
Q

What effect does growing on soils of terres blanche, caillottes & silex have on the wines?

A

Terre blanche: vibrant acidity
Caillottes: less structured
Silex: vibrant acidity and smoky finish

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19
Q

Describe the soils of the Upper Loire

A
  • Limestone

- Granite

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20
Q

What are the main tributaries of the Loire and where are they located?

A

Loir - join the Loire around the town of Angers in Anjou-Saumur

Layon - West of Saumur

Cher - In the Centre Loire joining from the south

Sévre & Maine - Both in the Lower Loire east of Nantes

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21
Q

Name the prominent wine cities along the river from east to west

A

Orléans, Blois, Amboise, Tours, Chinon, Saumur, Angers & Nantes

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22
Q

What was the impact of the Dutch on the Loire Valley?

A
  • The Dutch were key players in the wine industry in the 17th century
  • The Loire became a key supplier to them
  • The Dutch influenced the French vignerons to plant more white varieties so they could produce their newly created brandewijn (burnt wine) which was distilled from Muscadet and Folle Blanche.
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23
Q

What are the synonyms of the following grapes:

  • Muscadet
  • Folle Blanche
  • Chenin Blanc
  • Pinot Gris
  • Cabernet Franc
  • Pinot Meunier
  • Malbec
  • Chardonnay
  • Pinot Noir
  • Sauvignon Blanc
A
  • Muscadet (Melon de Bourgogne)
  • Folle Blanche (Gros Plant)
  • Chenin Blanc (Pineau de la Loire, Gros Pineau)
  • Pinot Gris (Malvoisie)
  • Cabernet Franc (Breton)
  • Pinot Meunier (Gris Meunier)
  • Malbec (Côt)
  • Chardonnay (Auvernat Blanc)
  • Pinot Noir (Auvernat Noir)
  • Sauvignon Blanc (Blanc Fumé)
24
Q

What are the main white grapes of the Lower Loire?

A
  • Muscadet
  • Folle Blanche
  • Pinot Gris
25
Q

What are the main red grapes of the Lower Loire?

A
  • Cab Franc
  • Cab Sav
  • Gamay
  • Pinot Noir
  • Négrette
26
Q

What are the main white grapes of the Middle Loire?

A
  • Chenin Blanc
  • Sauvignon Blanc
  • Chardonnay
  • Romorantin (Cour-Cheverny)
27
Q

What are the main red grapes of the Middle Loire?

A
  • Cab Franc
  • Cab Sav
  • Gamay
  • Pinot Noir
  • Grolleau
28
Q

What are the main white grapes of the Centre/Upper Loire?

A
  • Sauvignon Blanc
  • Chardonnay
  • Chasselas
  • Sacy (Upper Loire)
29
Q

What are the main red grapes of the Centre/Upper Loire?

A
  • Pinot Noir

- Gamay

30
Q

Historically, what was the preferred white grape of the Centre Loire? Why is this no longer the case?

A
  • Chasselas

- Difficult to graft post phylloxera

31
Q

What is the most used grape for rosé in the Middle Loire?

A
  • Grolleau
32
Q

What are the main grapes used for rosé in the Loire?

A
  • Grolleau, Cab Franc, Cab Sav
33
Q

What are the sweetness categories of the 4 different rosé appellations?

A

Rosé de Loire: Dry
Cabernet de Saumur: RS <0.7%
Rosé d’Anjou: RS>0.7%
Cabernet d’Anjou: RS >1%

34
Q

What is the definition of Pétillant, Mousseux and Crémant?

A

Pétillant: fizzy (1-2.5 atms pressure)
Mousseux: frothy/bubbly (min 3 atms pressure and 9 months sur lie ageing)
Cremant: min 12 months sur lie ageing + 1 month in cellar.

All are traditional method sparkling wines.

35
Q

Which alternative grape is permitted in Rosé d’Anjou

A

Malbec

36
Q

Which alternative grape is permitted in Rosé de Loire

A

Pinot Noir

37
Q

What term is used to describe sparkling wines from the Loire?

A

Fines bulles (fine bubbles)

38
Q

What is the only grape that makes dessert wines? What are the two options for sweet wine making?

A
  • Chenin

- Botryris or passerillage

39
Q

Name the list of white AOCs that are Sauvignon based

A
  • Touraine, Cheverny, Mentou-Salon, Pouilly-Fumé, Quincy, Reuilly & Sancerre
40
Q

Name the list of white AOCs that are Chenin based

A
  • Anjou, Bonnezeaux, Coteaux wines, Savenniéres, Saumur, Chinon, Montlouis-Sur-Loire, Vouvray
41
Q

Name the list of red AOCs that are Cab Franc based

A
  • Anjou, Saumur, Bourgueil, Chinon, Saint-Nicolas-de-Bourgueil, Touraine
42
Q

Name the list of red AOCs that are Pinot Noir based

A
  • Cheverny, Mentou-Salon, Reuilly, Sancerre
43
Q

Which AOCs make sweet wines?

A
  • All Coteaux AOCs, Bonnezeaux, Savenniéres, Quarts de Chaume Grand Cru, Montlouis-Sur-Loire, Vouvray
44
Q

What are the names of the AOCs in the Lower Loire? What are the names of the three crus?

A 
Muscadet AOC
Muscatet Coteaux de la Loire AOC
Muscadet Côtes de Grandlieu AOC
Muscadet Sevre et Maine AOC
- Clisson
- Gorges
- Le Pallet
45
Q

What is the largest AOC in the Lower Loire?

A

Muscadet Sevre et Maine AOC (75%)

46
Q

When must wines labelled Muscadet Sevre et Maine sur lie be bottled?

A

Between the 1st of April and 30th November the year after harvest

47
Q

What can’t the 3 Muscadet crus be labelled as?

A

Sur lie

48
Q

What grapes are the wines made from in Pouilly-Sur-Loire?

A

Chasselas

49
Q

What grapes are the wines made from in Cour-Cheverny?

A

Romarantin

50
Q

What is different about the wine laws of Cheverny?

A

Wine law mandates the % of vine plantings, not the % of which varieties are in the bottle

51
Q 
In Savennieres, what are the different RS requirements for:
Sec
Demi-sec
Moelleux
Doux
A

Sec - <3g/L
Demi-sec - 3-18 g/L
Moelleux - 18-45 g/L
Doux - >45g/L

52
Q

How much of Anjou’s production is rosé?

A

50%

53
Q

What is the only monopole AOC?

A

Savennieres Coulée de Serrant AOC

54
Q

Which area is most well known for sparking wines?

A

Saumur

55
Q

Which methods are used to make rosé?

A

Direct press & saignée

French Wine Scholar (15 decks)

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