Loire Valley Flashcards
What are the percentages of the Loire planed by region?
- Central Vineyards - 10%
- Touraine - 31%
- Anjou-Saumur - 37%
- Pays Nantair - 22%
Which region is closest to the Atlantic Ocean?
Pays Nantais
What is the principal grape variety of Pays Nantais?
Melon (Melon de Bourgogne/Muscadet) > 60% of plantings
Significant volumes of Folle Blanche is grown (Gros Plant)
Where is Melon grown principally?
Pays Nantais
What is Folle Blanche?
Grape varietal grown in Pays Nantais producing very acidic domestic wines.
What is the climate of Pays Nantais
Cool maritime.
Cool springs, warm humid summers, thread of rain throughout growing season.
What is the only allowed variety in the Muscadet appelations?
Melon
When does Melon bud and what can be a problem?
Early. Therefore spring frosts can be an issue.
Why can Melon achieve high yields?
Ripens early, hence reduces threat of rain at harvest.
Good resistance to powdery mildew
Why is Melon susceptible to downy mildew and bortrytis?
What is the profile of wines made from Melon?
(Acid, body, alcohol, intensity/aroma)
High acid
Light body
Low/Low end medium alcohol
Low intensity green apple
Often made sur lie.
What change was made to the Muscadet AOC appelation in 2018?
From 2018, basic Muscadet AOC may include up to 10 per cent of Chardonnay.
What are the vineyard management considerations in Pays Nantais?
Humid climate means monitoring and spraying as necessary
Marginal climate for ripeness means canopy management (open canopies/leaf removal)
Is chaptalization permitted in Pays Nantais?
Yes, up to 12% potential alcohol
How is Muscadet typically fermented/aged? Why?
In large, shallow underground glass lined concrete vats. Stainless steel also used.
Keeps wine as neutral as possible for lees aging.
Is MLF practiced in Muscadet wines?
Typically no, to preserve high acidity.
What is “Sur Lie”
Highly typical technique in the Pays Nantais
Fills out the body of what would otherwise be very light- bodied wines.
After the alcoholic fermentation, one racking is allowed to remove the gross lees.
Wine remains in contact with the fine lees through the following winter and until bottling.
Also retains the freshness of the wine and may retain a small amount of carbon dioxide, which is part of the style of these wines.
What are the appelations of Pays Nantais?
- Generic Muscadet AOC
- Muscadet de Sevre et Maine AOC (6,400ha, largest in Loire)
Two much smaller:
- Muscadet Coteaux de la Loire AOC
- Muscadet Cotes de Grandlieu AOC
What are the maximum permitted yields in the Muscadet appelations?
Generic Muscadet AOC is 70hL/ha (for 2020, 65 prev)
The sub appelations and Muscadet sur lie are 55hL/ha
How is “sur lie” used on labels?
Can be added to any of the 4 appellations
Wines must be bottled between 1 Mar - 30 Nov in year following harvest in the winery they were made.
What is the implication for negociants of the sur lie rules?
Since the wine must be bottled in the winery they were made, negociants can only buy grapes, must or bottled wine and not wine to be aged sur lie.
What are Muscadet cru communaux?
‘Village cru’ wines grown from grapes grown in on of the defined areas.
eg. Clisson, Gorges, Le Pallet
Name can be agged to end of the AOC
What are the aging requirements for Muscadet cru communaux?
What are the implications?
Extended lees aging (18-24 months depending on the village)
They cannot be labeled sur lie as the requirement for aging means bottling after the date required for sur lie.
Typically rounder wines with more complex/longer finishes
What role to negociants play in Pays Nantais?
Around half of sales
Many smaller ones have been bought up by larger companiies
