Loire Valley Flashcards
Where are the headwaters of the Loire River?
Cevennes mountains (Ardeche - just W of Vallon Pont d’Arc)
2 large regional AOCs
cremant de loire, rose de loire
Cremant de Loire authorized grapes (9)
PN, Chenin, CH, Grolleau, Orbois, CF, CS, Pineau d’Aunis
What is Prestige de Loire?
Unofficial term for vintage-dated cremant de loire
Are the following rose appellations for dry or off-dry styles? a) Rose de Loire b) Cabernet d’Anjou c) Rose d’Anjou d) Haut Poitou
a) dry b) off-dry c) off-dry d) dry
What are the local names for CF, Malbec, Chenin, PG, Sauvignon Gris?
Breton, Cot, Pineau de la Loire, Malvoisie, Fie
Which recent vintages in most of the Loire did frosts devastate 50-80% of the crop?
’19, ’17 (esp. anjou and touraine), ‘16 (esp. muscadet, good for CF)
2013 and 2011
13 devastating hail in Vouvray, Montlouis; 11 lots of rot across the region
Best Loire Vintages past 20 years
‘18, ‘14 (for muscadet, CF), ‘05, ‘02
Most planted white grape of the Loire
melon de bourgogne
3 most planted red grapes in the Loire
CF (56%), gamay, PN
Min. total aging for “Prestige de Loire”
24 months before release, 9 months on lees, 3 months bottle
Loire biodynamics (producers)
Huet, Joly, Chidaine, Dom de l’Ecu, du Closel, Landron (Muscadet), Sansonniere (Marc Angeli - labels wines VdF)
How long must Muscadet “sur lie” be aged on the lees?
Until at least March 1 as long as November 30, not marketed until March 8
Which subzones of Muscadet Sevre et Maine must be aged on the lees until at least April 1?
Goulaine & Le Pallet
Muscadet Sevre et Maine aged until at least October 1?
Mouzillon-Tillieres, Monniere Saint-Fiacre, Chateau Thebaud, Clisson, Gorges
What are the names of the Fiefs Vendeens (2011)?
Brem, Mareuil, Chantonnay, Pissotte, Vix (blanc, rose, rouge) chenin, gamay/pn, cf/negrette/pn
When did Melon de Bourgogne gain a foothold in the Nantais?
it survived the devastating frosts of 1709-1710 (along with Gros Plant) - was expelled by the Dukes of Burgundy for being overproductive
Parent grapes of Melon de Bourgogne
Gouais blanc x Pinot blanc
Which AOP produces white wine from 100% Malvoisie (PG) ?
Coteaux d’Ancenis (gamay for rose and rouge)
‘Hermine d’Or’
Designation for Muscadet wines - focus on terroir and agability started by Guy Bossard
What is Gabbro and where would you find it?
Igneous rock thick with clay - Muscadet Sevre et Maine - (Gorge, Le Pallet, Mouzillon)
Where in Sevre et Maine for granite?
Clisson
Where in Sevre et Maine for gneiss?
(pressurized, foliated metamorphic rock) Le Pallet, Goulaine, Monnieres, Ch. Thebaud
Dom. de l’Ecu Cuvees
Granite, Gneiss, Orthogneiss (from metaphormised igneous rock), and Taurus (granite + orthogneiss)
Worst vintages for Muscadet?
2016, 2008 - bad frosts
Which cabernet franc-based appellations are located in “Anjou Noir”?
Anjou, Anjou-Villages, Anjou-Villages Brissac - schist and quartz soils (massif armoricaine)
What is the minimum RS in g/L for Quarts de Chaume (Coteaux du Layon 1er Cru)? Chaume? Bonnezeaux? Coteaux du Layon? Aubance (same)
85, 80, 51, 34 g/L
Where does the name “Quarts de Chaume” come from?
In the middle ages, farmers would pay one quarter of their harvest to the seigneur - the governing lord
Geology of Quarts de Chaume?
Schist and sandstone - most of Anjou Noir
Geology of Bonnezeaux?
Sandy shale
What are the sweetness levels possible for Savennieres?
sec (max. 8g), demi-sec (max 18g), moelleux (18-45g), doux
savennieres - 95% of crop lost in what recent year?
2017
As of 2010 what designation may appear on a bottle of Quart de Chaume?
Grand Cru
Is cryoextraction or chaptalization permitted for Quarts de Chaume?
NO
Driest to Sweetest Anjou Moelleux, Bonnezaux, Chaume, Quart de Chaume “-” (Anjou Moelleux - 18-45 g/L) Anjou
“-” (Anjou Moelleux - 18-45 g/L)
Quart de Chaume surrounded on 3 sides by which river?
Layon - horseshoe
Sparkling rose is permitted in Anjou but still is not…
because they fall under Rose d’Anjou, Cab d’Anjou
Who makes Les Fougerais, Clos de la Hutte - Savennieres
Thibaud Boudignon
Name 1 or 2 producers who make Savennieres from the ‘Clos du Papillon’
Domaine des Baumard, Domaine du Closel
Producers of Roche aux Moines
Domaine aux Moines, Ch. Pierre-Bise, Nicolas Joly
Producers of Quarts de Chaume
Des Baumard, Patrick Baudoin, Ogereau, Ch. Pierre-Bise
Producers of Bonnezeaux
Chateau de Fesles, Rene Renou (Cuvee Zenith), Domaine des Petits Quarts
Producers of Coteaux du Layon
Moulin Touchais,
Chateau du Breuil,
Phillipe Delesvaux,
Ch. de la Roulerie
Producers of Chaume
Ch. Soucherie,
Ch. de la Roulerie,
Ch. Pierre-Bise
Producers of Coteaux de l’Aubance
Domaine de Mongilet, Domaine Richou
What are the Coteaux du Layon Villages?
Beaulieu (light),
Faye (brushwood),
Rablay (bold),
Rochefort (tannic),
Saint Aubin (delicate aroma),
Saint Lambert (robust)
Who brought the idea of harvesting in successive ‘tries’ from Sauternes?
Jean Boivin (established Bonnezeaux AOC) - process first developed in Sauternes in the early 1800s
What differentiates SGN style from regular Coteaux du Layon or Coteaux de l’Aubance?
All wines must be harvested in successive tries, SGN’s must use botrytis-affected grapes whereas regular may also use ‘passerillage sur souche’
Which Anjou AOPs are located on the Right Bank?
Savennieres,
Roche aux Moines,
Coulee de Serrant
Which Anjou Appellations focused on only CF and CS
Anjou-Villages, Anjou-Villages Brissac - only 10% CS permitted
Coulee de Serrant - 3 sections, what are they called?
Grand Clos du Couly, Clos du Chateau, Les Plantes
3 Lieux dits of Quarts de Chaume?
Les Roueres, Le Veau, Les Quarts
Which 3 AOCs dot the Loir Tributary?
Coteaux du Loir (Chenin, d’Aunis), Jasnieres, Coteaux du Vendomois (d’Aunis vin gris)
What style of wine is made in Touraine Noble-Joue?
Vin gris of pinot meunier 50% (w/ PG and PN accessories) max 4 g/L
Which geographic subzones of Touraine use Sauv blanc for whites along with generic Touraine? (Which use chenin?)
Oisly (blanc only style), Chenonceaux; (Azay-le-Rideau, Mesland, Amboise)
What are the sweetness levels possible for Vouvray?
sec (max. 8g),
sec-tendre (unofficial),
demi-sec,
moelleux,
liquoreux - rest unofficial
What is the name of Huet’s botrytised dessert wine cuvee, sometimes a blend from all 3 vineyards?
Cuvee Constance - inaugural vintage 1989
Haut Lieu, Le Mont, Clos du Bourg
All 3 located on the “premiere cote” of Vouvray. Haut Lieu - original parcel - approachable, Le Mont - most mineral, Clos du Bourg - best balance
What are the 3 soil types of Chinon?
Varennes - alluvial “terrasses” sands near Vienne river,
Tuffeau - limestone “coteaux” slopes,
Clay
What styles of wine are permitted in Chinon?
blanc, rose, rouge
16th century writer who praised the wines of Chinon?
Francois Rabelais “La Vie de Gargantua et Pantagruel” - introduced new words to the French language
In which appellations would you most likely find wines made from Pineau d’aunis (usually as rose)?
Coteaux du Vendomois, Coteaux du Loir
Which SB AOP shares space with goat cheese?
Valencay - pyramid shape (tops cut off - from Napoleon’s rage) (rose and rouge from Gamay)
Loire tributary bisecting Chinon?
Vienne
Accessory grape in Vouvray?
Orbois (Menu Pineau)
Vouvray Producers
Huet, Champalou, Foreau, des Aubuisieres, Vigneau Chevreau, Careme
Montlouis producers
Francois Chidaine, Taille aux Loups, Dominique Moyer (legendary sweet - ’59 and ’47 compete with sancerre)
vouvray/montlouis - massive hailstorm
2013
Touraine WHITE exclusive AOCs
Vouvray, Montlouis, Jasnieres
Minimum % Chenin in Vouvray?
95%, 5% orbois
Minimum % Chenin in Montlouis?
100%
Rose-only Touraine AOC
Touraine Noble Joue - Meunier
min. CF in Chinon ?
90%, 10% cab sauv
Chinon blanc?
Baudry, Olga Riffault
Good quality Saumur Brut?
Bouvet-Ladubay (Tresor) (can include Chardonnay)
Top producers of Saumur
Guiberteau, du Collier, Thierry Germain, Arnaud Lambert, Chateau Yvonne
Bottlings of Clos Rougeard
Le Bourg - most expensive (oldest vines 80+ years), Les Poyeux - newest barrels, Le Clos - older barrels, Saumur blanc Breze
3 permitted red grapes of Saumur AOP
CF (85%), CS, pineau d’aunis
Origin of the name “Saumur-Champigny”
Latin: Campus Ignis for “Field of Fire” - midsummer heat (100 miles of field and woodland separate from the ocean)
Clos Rougeard sold in what year and to who?
2017 - Bouygues bros - owners of Montrose
Saumur AOP “Breze”
Highest quality area of Saumur-Champigny, tuffeau with high calcium content
Who makes ‘Clos la Neore?’
Edmond Vatan - Sancerre (Mont Damnes - Chavignol) - 1ha vineyard (severe pruning to limit yields)
What are the sweetness levels for Cour-Cheverny?
sec (max 8g), off-dry (8g/L +)
Which center Loire AOCs produce red and rose wine from pinot noir?
Sancerre, Menetou-Salon, Reuilly (also PG vin gris), Coteaux du Giennois, Chateaumeillant
What is the primary soil type of the following vineyards in Sancerre - a) Chene Marchand (Bue) b) Les Monts Damnes (Chavignol) c) Les Romains (Sancerre)
caillottes (oxfordian limestone w/ pebbles); terre blanche (kimmeridgean); silex (clay/flint)
What type of trellising is most common in Sancerre?
Guyot simple - relatively high density (7,000-10,000)
What is the predominate soil type of the Cotes du Forez, Cotes Roannaises, and Cotes d’Auvergne
Volcanic basalt
Which Center Loire AOP focuses mainly on reds and roses from pinot noir and gamay? Center France AOPs?
Coteaux du Giennois, Chateaumeillant (far south - north edge of massif central), Saint Pourcain, (Cotes d’Auvergne, gamay exclusively - Cotes Roannaises, Cotes du Forez)
Which Center Loire AOP focuses solely on cabernet franc?
Orleans-Clery
What is the general location (in relation to town of Sancerre) and major soil type of the following Sancerre Villages - Chavignol, Bue, Menetreol-sous-Sancerre?
NW of Sancerre “terres blanches” kimmeridgean - western hills, SW of Sancerre - “caillottes” oxfordian limestone flatter valleys, most common, SE of Sancerre - similar soil as Sancerre “silex” closer to river (widespread in Pouilly sur Loire)
What is the one and only AOP in the Allier dept.?
St. Pourcain “lost burgundy” - CH and Sacy (Tressalier) (w/ 10% max SB)
True or False, Sancerre was planted mostly to gamay, pinot, and chasselas before 1860?
True - regrafting to sauvignon blanc proved wise as it was more successful
Other famous agricultural product with an AOP from Sancerre?
Crottin de Chavignol
Which 5 central vineyard AOPs require 100% SB for vin blanc
Sancerre, Pouilly Fume, Menetou-Salon, Reuilly, Coteaux du Giennois
Quincy allows Sauvignon Gris
Orleans CH and PG
Cheverny AOP grapes and styles
SB/SG, Orbois, Chenin blanc, gamay, PN, CF, cot
Who’s credited with creating cigar shaped barrels?
Didier Dagueneau - expand the lees surface area, without expanding oak surface area
Dagueneau bottlings
Asteroid (ungrafted in La Folie vineyard), Buisson Renard (Buisson Menard), Pur Sang (La Folie Vineyard), Silex (Le Bois de Saint Andelain 60+ year old vines), Mont Damnes, Pouilly Fume, Babylone
Which river flows through Quincy and Reuilly?
Le Cher
Single vineyards of Chavignol
Les Monts Damnes, Cul de Beaujeu, La Grande Cote
Southernmost AVA of the Loire Valley
Cotes d’Auvergne
Base grape of Orleans rouge?
Meunier
Auvernat blanc
chardonnay - local name in Orleans (under control of the Dukes of Burgundy)
Where would you find wines made from Pinot Meunier (usually vin gris)?
Touraine Noble Joue, Orleans
