Loire Valley Flashcards
How many sparkling wine appellations are in Loire?
7 in total - only three will be studied in WSET dip
What are the three Loire appellations covered in WSET for sparkling wines
Cremant de Loire, sparkling Vouvray, and sparkling Saumur
describe the amount of production of Cremant de Loire
it is about equal to sparkling Vouvray and sparkling Saumur combined
How much sparkling wine in Loire account for total wine production?
about 13%
Where is production centered for Cremant de Loire and sparkling Saumur?
Saumur
How is Champagne connected to Cremant de Loire and sparkling Saumur?
major companies are owned by Champagne houses
ex: Bouvet-Ladubay owned by Taittinger
Gratien & Meyer owned by Champagne Alfred Gratien
Langlois-Chateau majority owned by Bollinger
Where were the first sparkling wine cellars in the Loire based and why?
around Saumur due to the availability of caves suitable for aging wines
How much of Cremant de Loire is white?
90%
General SAT for Cremant de Loire
white (chenin blanc dominant)
med intensity apple and citrus flavors
light autolytic toasty notes
wines with two or 3 years of age can develop honeyed aromas
high acidity
most are brut in style (demi sec also made)
mid priced with a few premium prices
How much has vineyard area declared for Cremant production increased between 2012-2017
2012 = 1600
2017 = 2600
How much has vineyard area declared for Cremant production increased between 2012-2017
2012 = 1600
2017 = 2600
How many producers are in Cremant de Loire?
600
Where are the only places fruit for Cremant de Loire are grown?
in the middle of Loire districts of Anjou-Saumur and Touraine only
What helps to moderate the temperature in Anjou-Saumur and Touraine?
200km stretch of the River Loire and its tributaries
What zone is the source of most of the fruit for Crement
in the zone south and south-west of Saumur
What does the Atlantic Ocean provide for Loire Valley
it extends its cool mild influence to just east of Tours in the center of Touraine (most of area delimited for Cremant de Loire appellation)
What is the benefit of the cool climate in Loire Valley
helps to produce grapes with low potential alcohol and high acidity levels
what is a disadvantage of the climate in Loire Valley?
fungal diseases and ultimately rain (during flowering and at harvest) can be a problem.
what type of soil is found in Loire Valley?
there is a wide range: clay-limestone, flint-clay, sand, gravel, and tuff.
Anjou = schist and limestone
Touraine = chalk
What is important for a good property in Loire Valley
good drainage, water retention characteristics of limestone elements
What are ideal for maturation chambers for lees aging sparkling wines and wihy?
caves made from underlying tuff that has been excavated for building, as there is little fluctuation in the temperature and humidity.
What are the best-exposed sites in Loire Valley used for?
still wines as they need a greater level of ripeness
What type of sites are grapes used for sparkling wines typically found in Loire Valley
less exposed sites with higher proportion of clay, however excessive clay are not classified within the appellation (too cold and lack drainage)
What type of rootstock are used in Loire Valley
due to high lime content Fercal and Riperia Glorie de Montpellier (high tolerance to lime)
What varieties can Cremant de Loire be made from?
common varieties of the region: Chenin Blanc (major part of most wines), Cab franc, Can Sauv, Groileau Noir and Gris, Pineau d’Aunis, Pinot Noir and Chardonnay
what is the max allowed of Cabernet Sauvignon and Pineau d’Aunis allowed in a Cremant de Loire blend? why?
30%
aromatic profile not suited for traditional method
How are vines pruned in Cremant de Loire?
to a greater crop load than for still wines as the base wines do not require high levels of fruit concentration
what is the max yield for Cremant de Loire?
74 hl/ha
when do producers declare to make Cremant in Loire?
July
what is the most common type of press used for Cremant de Loire
pneumatic press to produce juice with low level of phenolics
what are base wines for Cremant de Loire fermented typically fermented in and why?
stainless steele tanks as oak flavors are not desired
(some top cuvees are fermented in oak)
Do producers use malolactic conversion?
the practice varies with some putting the wine through full or partial while others avoid it.
why are some wines from different regions within the cremant de Loire appellation often blended before 2nd fermentation?
to maintain consistency esp in larger brands
Describe the time on lees for Cremant de Loire wines
it varies depending from the min of 9 months (primary fruit main flavor) to 2 yrs (more autolytic style)
When is the use of reserve wine more common in Cremant de Loire?
more common in premium-priced bottles less in mid priced
What is a new top tier sparkling Loire category that was introduced in 2018?
Prestige de Loire
What was the aim of Prestige de Loire?
to establish the wine at a min price of 10 euros in France
What appellation does Prestige de Loire apply to?
Cremant de Loire, Anjou, Saumur and Vouvray appellations
What style must Prestige de Loire wines be made?
white wines only
only in brut (including brut nature and extra brut)
What varietals are allowed in Prestige de Loire?
Chenin Blanc, Cab Franc, Chardonnay, and Pinot Noir - single or blended
How many months on the lees is required for Prestige de Loire
min 24 months
What are the rules around sustainability for Prestige de Loire wines?
they much achieve a set of environmental standard with the aim at sustainable viticulture within 5 yrs
What do Prestige wines have to be in terms of NV or vintage?
they have to be vintage dated
How is Cremant de Loire production divided?
19 merchant houses
10 co-operatives
400 producers
How many large houses in Cremant de Loire account for 80% of production? Name some examples
9 - Ackerman, Bouvet-Ladubay, Gratien & Meyer, Veuve-Amiot, and Langlois-Chateau
What do the larger houses in Cremant de Loire make use of in terms of fruit?
both their own fruit and fruit bought in from growers
how does buying grapes instead of their must assist in wine making for Cremant de Loire?
the health of the grapes can be checked and then pressed according to requirements
What are the main export markets for Cremant de Loire?
Germany, USA and UK
How much sparkling wine from Loire is sold in france?
about 1/2
How are sparkling wines of Saumur and Vouvray like Cremant de Loire?
being made by 2nd fermentation in the bottle
min of 12 mths between tirage and release
more sparkling wine made than still (60:40)
Deep cellars carved from tuff are a feature of both areas and are ideal for lees aging in bottle
What is an option in both Vouvray and Saumur that allows for other options such as still white wines
mousseux
What is the vineyard area for Saumur Mousseux
1300 ha
What are the varieties that can be used for Saumur Mousseux?
min 60% Chenin Blanc and may contain max of 10% Sauvignon Blanc
What are the varieties that can be used for Rose’s in Saumur Mousseux
min of 60% Cab franc and may contain max of 10% Sauvignon Blanc
Is hand harvest or mechanical harvest used in Saumur Mousseux?
mechanical is allowed
How much juice can be extracted in Saumur Mousseux?
100 litres from 130 kilos more than Cremant de Loire
What is the dominant varietal in Vouvray Mousseux?
Chenin Blanc - can be 100%, but must make up majority of the blend
What is the only other grape variety allowed in Vouvray Mousseux besides Chenin Blanc?
Orbois - local variety to Loire - must be minority of the blend
What is the vineyard area in Vouvray Mousseux
around 1200 ha
what are the production rules around Vouvray Mousseux?
broadly similar to Saumur
what is Vouvray Petillant?
lightly sparkling wine that there is a tiny production of in Vouvray Mousseux
what is a growing fashion in Vouvray Mousseux
Pet Nat
How are vines pruned in both Saumur and Vouvray AOCs?
to allow a greater crop load (20% greater for sparkling than for still) as base wines do not need high levels of fruit concentration
What are the max yields in both Saumur?
67 hl/ha
What are the max yields in both Vouvray?
65 hl/ha
What is common for winemakers in Vouvray and Saumur to do with 2nd fermentation?
entrust to a specialist who can carry out the bottling, the 2nd fermentation, lees aging and disgorgement and then return to the producer for labelling and distribution
Who is a best know specialist in Saint Martin ie Beau (Cher Valley) that winemakers send their base wines to
Berger Elaborateur
Which production entities in Vouvray and Saumur carry out all stages of production in house?
sparkling wine houses and co-operatives
