Loire Valley Flashcards
central vineyards climate
continental cold winters, warm summers
growing season in the central vineyards
long growing season low light intensity and low heat brings restrained flavours
main threats in central vineyards
spring frost
summer hailstorms
high rainfall (reduce drought but brings fungal disease)
varieties planted in central vineyards
sauvignon blanc
pinot noir
gamay
small sauvignon gris
pinot noir planting amounts and style
20% of plantings
medium ruby, light to medium intensity, high acidity, medium alcohol, mid priced to premium
sauvignon blanc amount of plantings in central vineyard
70%
diseases that sauvignon blanc is prone to
powdery mildew
botrytis bunch rot
trunk diseases
eutypa dieback (if cordong trained)
sauvignon blanc budding/ripening
late budding
early ripening
perfect for cool climate, no early september rains problems
what influences sauvignon blanc style
- vigorous variety (avoid shading with canopy manag for no green under-ripe flavours) [better to use it on poor soils
- sunlight (if more riper fruit is needed b using row orientation)
- picking date (adicity drops quickly/over-ripe flavours build)
ageing sauvignon in central vineyards
mostly stainless steel some old oak (e.g Henri Bourgeois with heavy use, Francois Cotat longer ageing also on lees)
temperature of fermentation in central vineyards
are slightly higher than new world counterpart cause it helps restraining flavours
MLF in central vineyards
blocked to retain acidity allows it depending on style and vintage
is there a cru system? in central vineyards
there is none but more interest in single vineyard bottlings e.g. Les Monts Damnes (Chavignol) and Les Belles Dames
main influences of sancerre
forest (protection from frost)
river
altitude (200-440mt is the only place with substantial altitude)
varietals used in sancerre and yields
white sauvignon blanc 65 hL/ha (can reach high intensity with high yields)
red/rose pinot noir 59 hL/ha (need lower yield for intensity)
historical original variety of sancerre
pinot noir, changed to sauvignon blanc because of phylloxera, branded around the 50s/60s
style of sancerre and quality
medium intensity, grapefuit, gooseberry, medium alcohol, high acidity, rarely oak flavours good to oustanding to mid to premium prices, few super premium (e.g. Didier Dagueneau, Francois Cotat)
3 types of soils of sancerre and specs
- caillotes (shallow soils over limestone (25-40mm), most aromatic style, ready to drink. not ageing potential)
- terres blanches (limestone/marl of Chablis, slow ripening, most structured style, ageing)
- silex (flinty soils, accumulates heat, early ripening, stony and smoky aromas)
most famous vineyards on terres blanches soils
Monts Damnes Cul de Beaujeu
pouilly fume varietals
sauvignon blanc only
pouilly fume main problem
frost damage
because of flatter land
wind machines used
pouilly fume soils
same as Sancerre
pouilly fume style
rounder, less aromatic, needs more time to evolve the aromatics
reuilly grapes and yields
white sauv blanc
red pinot noir
rose pinot noir, sauvignon gris
same yields as sancerre
quincy grapes and yields
white sauvignon blanc (min 90%) and sauvignon gris same yields as sancerre
menetou salon best vineyard location
gentle slopes, south facing more frost vulnerable than sancerre
menetou salon style and yields
same as sancerre
reuilly, quincy, menetou salon quality and price
good to very good, inexpensive to mid price
negociants level of sales in central vineyards
50% of total sales
top 10 owns 82% of that 50%
negociants change of style in central vineyards
more negociants are now vinifying their own wines rather than buying finished wines, they also own many wineries around Loire some bought big estates (e.g. Grand Chais bough Chateau des Fesles, Ackerman bought Chateau de Sancerre and Variere)
co-op volume of sales in central vineyards
under 10%
estates sales in central vineyards
41% of the total sales
estate status in loire in central vineyards
many generations keep working on family business many people moved from the big cities (e.g. Paris) to work and establish new estates
change in estate structure in central vineyards
many started a side negociant business especially after recent frost and hail damage for economical reasons
what is the primary market? in central vineyards
france in hospitality/retail (44%) and supermarket (36%)
export market in central vineyards
20% main US, UK, Germany
farming in central vineyards
loads of organic, biodynamic, natural wine producers e.g. Nicolas Joly father of biodynamics and founder of renaissances/return to terroir
is organic farming numbers high? in central vineyards
under the regional standard because of damp and cool climate
main soils of touraine
chalk
main soils of anjou
schist/limestone
anjou and touraine shares a variety of types of soils like…
sand, flint and clay
limestone pros and cons in anjou
pro - drainage and water retention cons - high lime content brings chlorosis
best way to fight chlorosis
using specific rootstocks like Fercan, Riparia Gloire de Montpellier
amount of rainfall and timings (anjou-touraine)
700mm rainfall throughout the year - affect flowering/fruit set, more diseases in summer, problems in early autumn harvest
climate of anjou-touraine
anjou saumur maritime
touraine continental
in both we have the influence of the atlantic ocean
big influence in anjou
river Layon (morning misty conditions for botrytis)
chenin blanc budding/ripening
buds early, ripens late
ripening problem of chenin blanc
ripens unevenly you need tries passage (cost more)
chenin blanc is prone to…
powdery mildew botrytis bunch rot trunk diseases
chenin blanc style and quality
med intensity, green apple, lemon, steely, smoky, med alcohol, high acidity good to very good, inexpensive to mid price, some oustanding and premium (e.g. Domaine Huet)
carbernet franc budding ripening
buds early, mid ripening
ripening facts on cabernet franc
as mid ripening can be picked before autumn rains too green if not fully ripened (loads of leaf removal and canopy are used, extra costs)
cabernet franc is prone to
coulure
cab franc style (touraine-anjou)
med to pronounce, red fruit, floral, leafy, light to medium body and tannins, high acidity
cabernet franc styles (touraine-anjou)
single varietal
rose blends
blended with malbec in touraine
malbec in touraine is called
cot
main feature of cabernet franc as a vine
is winter hardy so it is suitable for cool places
grolleau noir budding/ripening
early budding, mid ripening
grolleau noir style
mainly rose blends in rose d’anjou and rose de Loire
grolleu noir is prone to
botrytis bunch rot
gamay noir, where is produced and style (touraine-anjou)
touraine and central vineyards carbonic maceration style
cabernet sauvignon style and where is it planted (touraine-anjou)
in anjou (as buds late needs warmer climates) red blend with cab franc and roses
volume production in middle loire
anjou saumur produces twice as much wine than touraine
anjou saumur produce more sparkling than touraine
anjou rose is 10 times more than touraine
touraine does more white and red than anjou saumur
saumur AOC
white Chenin red Can Franc mainly rose Cab Franc/Sauv some sparkling are also produced
saumur aoc yields
white 60hL/ha red/rose 57hL/ha (low intensity)