Loire Valley Flashcards
Loire Valley
General Appellations
Cremant de Loire
Rose de Loire
Loire Valley
Climate and Geography
Maritime climate
Climatic factors:
- Proximity to Atlantic
- Loire River and tributaries
- Lac de Grand-lieu
- Maine River
- Sevre River
Folle Blanc Synonym
Gros Plant
What percent alcohol do Muscadet wines show best at?
12%
Sur Lie
Wine msut originate from land qualifying for one of the three sub-appelations.
Wines labeled by subzone (Clisson, Le Pelet, Gorges) may not include “Sur Lie on label”
Wines must be kept on its lees (in tank or barrel) after fermentation until at least March 1st of the year following harvest
Bottled direclty off lees
Muscadet Appelations
West to East
Muscadet Cotes de Grandlieu
Muscadet Sevre-et-Maine
Muscadet Coteaux de Loire
Muscadet Sevre-et-Maine
Soils
Gneiss, Silica, Clay, Granite
Muscadet Sevre-et-Maine
Subzones
Official
- Clisson
- Gorges
- Le Pallet
- Goulaine
- Mouzillon-Tillières
- Monnières-Saint-Fiacre
- Château-Thébaud
Clisson soil
Sub-appelation
Granite
Gorges Soil
Clay and gabbro (igneous rock)
Le Pellet
Soil
Gneiss, quartz, gabbro (igneuos rock)
Goulaine
Soil
Gneiss, Schist
Mouzillon-Tillieres
Gabbro
Monnieres-Saint-Fiacre
Soil
Gneiss
Chateau-Thebaud
Soil
Gneiss
Coteaux d’Ancenis AOP
Est. 2011 (Pinot Gris & Gamay)
Easternmost AOP in Pays Nantais, boarders Anjou AOP
Overlaps Muscadet Coteaux du la Loire AOP
Styles / Encepagement
- Blanc: 100% Pinot Gris
- Rose: 100% Gamay
- Rouge: 100% Gamay
- Varietally labeled “Malvoisie” : 100% Pinot Gris
Fiefs Vendeens AOP
and Subzones
Est. 2011 Chenin & Gamay/Pinot Noir & Cab Franc/Negrette/Pinot N
Southernmost AOP in Pays Nantais
Subzones
- Brem
- Chantonnay
- Mareuil
- Pissotte
- Vix
Fiefs Vendeens Blanc
Min. 60% Chenin blanc, Min.10% combined: Chardonnay.
- Grolleau Gris allowed in Brem
- Sauvignon Blanc allowed in Vix
Fiefs Vendeens Rose
Principal Varieties (min 80%): Gamay and Pinot Noir
- In Brem / Chantonnay: min 50% Pinot Noir & min 20% Gamay
- In Mareuil / Pissotte / Vix: min 50% Gamay & min 30% Pinot Noir
Accessory Varieties: Cabernet Franc, Cabernet Sauvignon, Negrette
In Brem: Grolleau Gris is allowed
Fiefs Vendeens Rouge
Principal Varieties: Cabernet Franc, Negrette, Pinot Noir
- In Brem / Pissotte: min 50% Pinot Noir & min 20% Cabernet Franc
- In Chantonnay / Mareuil / Vix: min 50% Cabernet Franc & min 20% Pinot Noir
Negrette is always a min 10%
Accessory Varieties: Cabernet Sauvignon, Gamay
Gros Plant du Pays Nantais AOP
Est. 2011 (Folle Blanche) - Gros Plant
Blanc
- Principal Variety: Min 70% Folle Blanche (Gros Plant)
- Accessory Varieties: Montils and max 10% Colombard
- “Sur Lie”
Muscadet AOP
100% Melon de Bourgogne
“Sur Lie”
Blanc Noveau / Primeur
- Min. Alcohol: 9.5%
- “Sur Lie”:10%
Must weight: 153 g/L
Sur Lie: 161 g/L
Muscadet Sevre-et-Maine
Est. 1936 - Melon de Bourgogne
- Central Pays Nantais, southwest of Coteaux de la Loire, east of Grandlieu
- Accounts for more than 80% of Muscadet production
Muscadet Sevre-et-Maine
Alcohol / Must weight
Minimum Potential Alcohol:
- Muscadet Sevre-et-Maine: 10%
- Muscadet Sevre-et-Maine (subzone): 11%
Minimum Must Weight:
- Muscadet Sevre-et-Maine: 161 g/l
- Muscadet Sevre-et-Maine (subzone): 178 g/l
Muscadet Sevre-et-Maine
Subzones
- Clisson
- Gorges
- Le Pallet
- Goulaine
- Mouzillon-Tillieres
- Chateau-Thebaud
Awaiting Ratification:
- Chamtoceaux
- Le Haye Foussaiere
- Vallet
Muscadet Sevre-et-Maine
Elevage for Subzones
Goulaine and Le Pallet: Aged on fine lees until at least April 1 of second year after
Gorges, Clisson, Mouzillon-Tillieres, Monnieres-Saint-Fiacre, and Chateau-Thebaud: Aged on fine lees until at least Oct 1 of second year after
Hermine d’Or
Adopted by Guy Bossard and others
Promotes terroir and stressaes ageability
Producers:
- Domaine de l’Ecu (Guy Bossard)
- Domine de la Louvetrie
- Domaine de la Martiniere
Muscadet Coteaux de la Loire
Est. 1936
Northeast of Sevre-et-Maine, cooler climate, lighter wines
100% Melon de Bourgogne
Sur Lie
Muscadet Cotes de Grandlieu
Est. 1994
West of Sevre-et-Maine
100% Melon de Bourgogne
Muscadet
Major Producers
Domaine Pipeau
Domaine de l’Ecu (Guy Bossard)
- Granite
- Orthogneiss
- Cuvee Classique
Domaine de la Pepiere
Jo Landron
Comte Leloup du Chatreau de Chasseloir
Sauvion
Gadais
Chereau-Carre
Pays Nantais
Major Producers
Guy Bossard (Domaine de l’Ecu)
Domaine de la Pepiere
Andre-Michel Bregeon
Domaine Pierre Luneau-Papin
Domaine de Louvetrie
Anjour-Saumur
General
Continental climate
45% of Anjou production is rose, dominated by Grolleau grapes
1/3 of Anjou’s plantings are cabernet franc
Anjou-Saumur
Soils by location
North & West = Carboniferous rocks and schist
South & West = Whiter, limestone-rich soils to the south and west
Saumur-Champigny - Tuffeau = Chalky, fine-grained micaneous limestone
Savennieres - Steep slopes of blue schist with volcanic debris
Anjou-Saumur
Appelations
- Anjou (est. 1936) - Blanc, Red, Nouveau, Mousseux
- Anjou-Villages (est. 1991) - RED ONLY = Cabernet Franc and Cabernet Sauvignon ONLY - 9/1 after
- Anjou Villages Brissac (est. 1998) - RED ONLY = Cabernet Franc and Cabernet Sauvignon ONLY - 7/15 after
- Anjou-Coteaux de la Loire (est. 1946) - Chenin Blanc (Min. 34 g/l)
- Bonnezeaux (est. 1951) - Chenin Blanc (Min. 51 g/l)
- Cabernet d’Anjou (est. 1964) - Cabernet Franc and Cabernet Sauvignon
- Cabernet de Saumur (est. 1964) - Cabernet Franc and Cabernet Sauvignon
- Coteaux de l’Aubance (est. 1950) - Chenin Blanc (Min. 34 g/l)
- Coteaux du Layon (est. 1950) - Chenin Blanc (Min. 34 g/l)
- Coteaux de Saumur (est. 1962) - Chenin Blanc (Min. 34 g/l)
- Haut-Poitou (est. 2011) - Sauvignon Blanc, plus Sauvignon Gris & Cabernet Franc
- Quarts de Chaume (est. 1954) - Chenin Blanc (Min. 85 g/l)
- Rose d’Anjou (est. 1957) - Grolleau (Groslot), Grolleau Gris, Cab Franc, Cab Sauv, Cot, Gamay, Pineau d’Aunis
- Styles / Encepagement
- Saumur (est. 1936) - Chenin & Cab Franc plus (30) Cab Sauv and Pineau d’ Aunis
- Saumur-Champigny (est. 1957) - Cab Franc plus (15) Cab Sauv, Pineau d’Aunis
- Savennieres (est. 1952) - Chenin Blanc
- Savennieres Coulee de Serrant (est. 2011) - Chenin Blanc
- Savennieres Roche Aux Moines (est. 2011) - Chenin Blanc
Anjou AOP
- 1937
- Blanc: Chenin Blanc, plus max. 20% Chardonnay and Sauvignon Blanc
- Rouge: Cabernet Franc and Cabernet Sauvignon, plus max 30% Pineau d’Aunis and Grolleau (max. 10% Grolleau)
- Anjou Gamay: 100% Gamay
- Vin Mousseux Blanc: Min. 70% Chenin Blanc, plus Cabernet Franc, Cabernet Sauvignon, Grolleau, Grolleau Gris, Pinneau d’Aunis, Gamay, and max 20% Chardonnay (traditional method, min 9 months on the lees)
- Vin Mousseux Rose: Cabernet Franc, Cabernet Sauvignon, Cot, Gamay, Grolleau, Grolleau Gris, Pineau d’Aunis (traditional method, min. 9 months on lees)
Dry, Still, red wine only appellations of Anjou-Saumur
Anjou-Villages AOP
Anjou-Villages Brissac AOP
Saumur-Champigny AOP
Anjou-Villages AOP
Est. 1991
RED ONLY = Cabernet Franc and Cabernet Sauvignon ONLY - 7/15 after
Styles / Encepagement
- Rouge: Cabernet Franc and Cabernet Sauvignon
Aging Requirements
- Wines may not be released until Sept. 1st of the year following harvest
Anjou-Villages Brissac AOP
(est. 1998) - RED ONLY = Cabernet Franc and Cabernet Sauvignon ONLY - 7/15 after
Styles / Encepagement
- Rouge: Cabernet Franc and Cabernet Sauvignon
Aging Requirements
- Wines may not be released until July 15th of the year following harvest
Soils
Anjou Noir = Dark Schist
Anjou Blanc = Limestone
Anjou-Coteaux de la Loire AOP
Est. 1946
Minimum Residual Sugar - 34 g/L - very sweet
Styles / Encepagement
- Blanc: 100% Chenin Blanc
- Minimum must weight: 221 g/L
Bonnezeaux AOP
Est. 1951
- Aspect: South-Facing
- Size: 104 ha
- Enrichment: Unlike Quarts de Charme, chaptalization is legal
- Jean Boivin is credited with helping create this AOC in 1951
- Styles / Encepagement
- Blanc: 100% Chenin Blanc
- Minimum Residual Sugar: 51 g/L
- Min. Must Weight: 238 g/L
- Aging Requirements: wines not released until April 1 of the year following harvest
Bonnezeaux AOP
Producers
- Rene Renou
- Chateau de Fesles
- Domaine de Gagneries
- Domaine de la Variere
- Domaine Les Grandes Vignes
- Domaine de Petits Quarts
Cabernet de Saumur AOP
(Est. 1964) - Cabernet Franc and Cabernet Sauvignon - ROSE ONLY
- Rose Only
- Styles / Encepagement
- Rose: Cabernet Franc and Cabernet Sauvignon
- Max Residual Sugar: 7 g/L
Coteaux de l’Aubance AOP
Est. 1960 - Chenin Blanc
- Styles / Encepagement
- Blanc: 100% Chenin Blanc
- Selection de Grains Nobles (SGN)
- Minimum Residual Sugar: 34 g/L
- Harvesting: For all wines, grapes must be harvested in successive tries. Presence of botrytis is required in grapes harvested for SGN wines
Coteaux du Layon AOP
(Est. 1950) - Chenin Blanc
- Styles / Encepagement
- Blanc: 100% Chenin Blanc
- Selection de Grains Nobles (SGN): Botrytis affected grapes
- Minimum Residual Sugar
- Coteaux du Layon: 34 g/L
- Coteaux du Layon Chaume Premier Cru: 80 g/L (68 g/L prior to 2011)
- Enrichment: Chaptalization is not allowed for Chaume Premier Cru or SGN wines
- Harvesting: Manual harvesting in successive tries is mandatory for Chaume 1er Cru
Coteaux de Layon AOP
Subzones / Villages
- Faye d’Anjou / Faye
- Rochefort-sur-Loire / Rochefort
- Rablay-sur-Layon / Rablay
- Beaulieu-sur-Layon / Beaulieu
- St. Aubin de Luigne / St. Aubin
- St. Lambert du Lattay / St. Lambert
- Chaume (“Premier Cru”)
- 60 ha
- Situated on the northern edge of the Coteaux du Layon area, right on the Layon River
- Max Yields: 25 hl/ha (vs. 30 for other cru/villages and 35 just for Coteaux du Layon)
- Min. Must Weight: 272 g/L (vs. 238 for other cru/villages)
Coteaux de Layon AOP
Aging Requirements
- Coteaux du Layon Chaume Premier Cru: not released until September 1st of the year following harvest
- Coteaux du Layon SGN: not released until June 15 of second year after harvest