Loire Valley Flashcards
Is the Loire river the longest river in France?
Yes
What is the Loire Valley known as?
Jardin de la France
What are the main wine regions of the Loire Valley from West to East?
Pays Nantais
Anjou- Saumur
Touraine
Central Vineyards
Winemaking in the Loire dates to at least…..
the first century CE
conclusive evidence of the grape’s presence in the Loire Valley does not arrive until the….
16th century
When did phylloxera hit the Loire Valley?
1880’s
True or False: The Loire Valley produces more white wine than any other French region and is second only to Champagne in sparkling wine production.
True
What the classic white varietals for the Loire Valley?
Chenin Blanc
Sauvignon Blanc
Melon de Bourgogne
What international white grapes can be found throughout the valley?
Chardonnay Orbois (Arbois/Menu Pineau) Romorantin Gros Plant (Folle Blanche) Chasselas
What is Cabernet Franc locally known as?
Breton
What are the main red grapes of the Loire Valley?
Cabernet Franc (Breton) Pinot Noir Gamay Cabernet Sauvignon Malbec (Côt) Pineau d’Aunis Groslot (Grolleau)
Where are the Pays Nantais vineyards?
The vineyards of the Pays Nantais sweep from the south toward the northeast of the city of Nantes near the Atlantic coast.
What is Pays Nantais known for?
Muscadet
What is the climate of Pays Nantais?
a cool, wet maritime region planted primarily to the Melon de Bourgogne grape.
What is the main grape of Pays Nantais?
Melon de Bourgogne
Today, four appellations exist for Melon de Bourgogne. What are they?
Muscadet AOP
West to East
Muscadet Côtes de Grandlieu AOP
Muscadet Sèvre-et-Maine AOP
Muscadet Coteaux de la Loire AOP
At what abv does Muscadet show best at?
12% or under
What is the basic appellation for Melon de Bourgogne?
Muscadet AOP
Does the Muscadet AOP appellation get used often and why?
No because most producers qualify for the other 3 appellations
Which AOP accounts for over 80% of Muscadet produced?
Muscadet Sèvre-et-Maine
How many communes are in the Muscadet Sevre-et-Maine AOP?
23 communes near the confluence of the Sèvre and Maine Rivers
What are the soil types of Muscadet Sèvre-et-Maine AOP?
gneiss, silica, clay, and granite
What one must do in order to label their Muscadet Sur lie?
In order to label Muscadet as sur lie, the wine must originate from land qualifying for one of the three sub-appellations.
Sur lie wines are aged on their lees over the winter and are bottled directly off the fine lees (without filtering) between March 1 and November 30 of the year following the harvest.
Where is Muscadet Coteaux de la Loire AOP?
is further north, and the wines are correspondingly leaner.
Which AOP in Muscadet is the newest appellation and what year was it created?
Muscadet Côtes de Grandlieu AOP
1994
What does “Hermine d’Or” mean?
an unofficial label term that promotes terroir and stresses ageability
Who has adopted the term “Hermine d’Or”?
Guy Bossard
When was the Cru Communaux designation?
proposed in 2001
What are the rules for the Cru Communaux designation?
requiring eligible wines from specified schist soils to spend a minimum 18 months sur lie—longer than the actual sur lie term allows.
When did the Cru Communaux actually start boring fruit and what was introduced?
2011
3 subzones were introduced
What are the 3 subzones of Muscadet Sèvre-et-Maine?
Clisson, Le Pallet, and Gorges
4 more subzones were added in 2019 to Muscadet Sèvre-et-Maine. What are they?
Château Thébaud, Goulaine, Monnières-Saint-Fiacre, and Mouzillon-Tillières
What are the 7 total subzones of Muscadet Sèvre-et-Maine?
Clisson, Le Pallet, and Gorges. Château Thébaud, Goulaine, Monnières-Saint-Fiacre, and Mouzillon-Tillières
What tier was eliminated in 2011?
VDQS (Vin délimité de qualité supérieure)
Three new regions gained AOC status in 2011. What are they? Pays Nantais
Gros Plant du Pays Nantais - west coast
Coteaux d’Ancenis - inland east
Fiefs Vendéens - in the south
What are the 7 AOP’s of Pays Nantais?
Muscadet AOP - all over, not really used
West to East Gros Plant du Pays Nantais AOP Muscadet Côtes de Grandlieu AOP Muscadet Sèvre-et-Maine AOP Muscadet Coteaux de la Loire AOP Coteaux d'Ancenis AOP
Fiefs Vendéens AOP - in the south
What is the Loire’s largest region?
Anjou
Where is Anjou -Saumur located?
Between the Pays Nantais and Touraine
What is Saumur?
Saumur is an eastern subregion of Anjou, adjacent to Chinon in Touraine.
Saumur is the Loire’s center for what kind of wine?
sparkling wine production
What styles of Chenin Blanc are produced in the Anjou?
Sweet and Dry
45% of Anjous total production is devoted to what kind wine?
Rose
What is the main grape that is used in rose production in the Anjou?
Grolleau grapes
What is the main red grape of the Anjou?
Cabernet Franc
What wines was are made under the Anjou AOP label?
Sparkling
White
Red
True or False: Many Saumur wines may be bottled as Anjou AOP, but not vice versa.
True
Is Chenin Blanc slow or quick to ripen?
slow
What grape is used in Savennieres AOP?
100% Chenin Blanc
What style of wine is made in the Savennieres AOP?
100% Chenin blanc
generally dry, but sweet styles can be made
What is the soil type in Savennieres?
blue schist
volcanic debris
There are two sub-appellations in Savennieres that became AOC’s and when?
Roche Aux Moines and Coulée de Serrant
2011
Coulée de Serrant is a monopole and who is the producer of the monopole?
Nicolas Joly
rigidly biodynamic producer
What is the exposure of Savennieres?
southern exposure
What style of wine is Coteaux de Layon AOP and Coteaux de l’Aubance make?
chenin blanc, botrytis style sweet wine
How do the grapes need to be harvested for Coteaux du Layon AOP and Coteaux de l’Aubance AOP?
Harvesting in Tries
- multiple passes through the vineyards
What is the minimum residual sugar content for the wines of Coteaux du Layon AOP and Coteaux de l’Aubance AOP?
34 grams per liter
Which two AOP’s are within Coteaux du Layon?
Bonnezeaux AOP and Quarts de Chaume AOP
What style of wine are Bonnezeaux AOP and Quarts de Chaume AOP known for?
sweet wine
Whats the exposure of these two AOP’s?
Bonnezeaux AOP and Quarts de Chaume AOP
south facing
Whats the soil type of Quarts de Chaume AOP?
sandstone and schist hillsides on the bank of the Layon river
Quarts de Chaume AOP lays on the bank of what river?
Layon river