Loire Valley Flashcards
Name 11 key districts of the Loire from west to east.
Atlantic (west)
Muscadet
Anjou-Villages
Coteaux Du Layon
Saumur-Champigny
Chinon
Vouvray
Quincy
Menetou-Salon
Sancerre
Pouilly Fume (east)
What percentage of the total production of the Loire Valley comes from Touraine?
31%
What percentage of the total production of the Loire Valley comes from Anjou-Saumur?
37%
What is the main grape variety in the Pays Nantais region?
Melon
What is the local name for the Folle Blanche grape variety?
Gros Plant
What type of climate does the Pays Nantais region have?
Cool Maritime
What type of weather is a particular hazard in the Pays Nantais region?
Spring Frost
Which of the following is the Melon grape variety susceptible to?
Downy mildew
Botrytis bunch rot
Up to what percentage ABV is chaptalization permitted in Pays Nantais?
12%
In what kind of vessels is Muscadet typically fermented in?
underground Glass lined concrete vats
Are Muscadet wines are often aged on the lees?
Yes
Using bullet points, briefly describe the process of ageing the wines of Pays Nantais sur lie.
Lees aging is a multi-step process.
1) After the alcoholic fermentation is completed, the wine is racked off to remove the gross lees.
2) The wine then remains in contact with the fine lees, usually in a glass-lined concrete tanks.
3) The wine stays on the fine lees through the winter following harvest and until bottling.
4) Sur lie wines must be bottled between 1 March and 30 November of the year following harvest and in the winery in which they were made.
What effect does lees aging have on wines?
Ageing on the lees increases the body and mouthfeel of the wine while retaining freshness and sometimes a small amount of carbon dioxide, which is part of the style of these wines.
Name the two larger appellations in the Pays Nantais
Muscadet Sèvre et Maine AOC
Muscadet AOC
Name the two smaller appellations in the Pays Nantais?
Muscadet Coteaux de la Loire AOC
Muscadet Côtes de Grandlieu AOC
What are the most important grape varieties in the middle Loire?
Cabernet Franc
Chenin Blanc
What is the name of the river in Anjou? The river’s multiple tributaries help to create the misty conditions ideal for the spread of botrytis at the end of the growing season.
River Layon