Loire Valley Flashcards
Loire Valley - Geography & Climate
Loire River (300 miles) - from Sancerre to Nantes
Four distinct winegrowing regions from west to east - The Pays Nantain, Anjou Saumur (2 adjacent but separate ares, Anjou & Saumur), Touraine, & the Upper Loire
Loire Valley - Grape Varieties
Red Grapes - Cab Franc, Gamay, Pinot Noir, Cab Sauv, Grolleau, Pineau d’ Aunis, & Negrette
White Grapes - Melon, Chenin Blanc, Sauv Blanc, Chard, Folle Blanche, & Pinot Gris
Wine Styles - Dry Red & White, Sparkling, Dry/Off-Dry Rose, Sweet White
Loire Valley - Pay Nantais Grapes & Appellations
Leading Grape - Melon (90% of Muscadet AOC must be Melon & 10% may be Chard). 100% Muscadet must be used in the subregions of Muscadet AOC. Muscatdet Sevre et Maine AOC produces nearly 80% of Muscadet.
Other grapes - Chenin Blanc, Gamay, Folle Blanche (Gros Plant), & Pinot Gris.
Loire Valley - Anjou Saumur Grapes & Appellations
Central Loire, along with Touraine (to the east)
Anjou Dessert Wines - 100% Chenin Blanc, Coteaux du Layon AOC homes Loire’s sole premier cru (Coteaux du Layon Chaume Premier Cru AOC), Quartz de Chaume AOC (Loire Valleys sole grand cru), & Bonnezeaux AOC.
Anjou AOC - red wine from CF and/or CS & a white from CB w/ up to 20% SB or C.
Savennieres - wines from 100% Chenin Blanc, “most cerebral wine”
Rose d’ Anjou - off dry rose from Grolleau / Cabernet d’ Anjou - sweeter rose from CS & CF
Saumur AOC - still white, red, rose & sparklong. Saumur Champigny makes a uniquie spict wine based on CF w/ up to 15% CS or Pineau d’ Aunis (aka Chenin Noir)
Saumur is known for sparkling under the Saumur Mousseux AOC - traditional method, whites w/ a min of 60% Chenin Blanc, rose w/ a min of 60% CF
Loire Valley - Touraine Grapes & Appellations
Central Loire, along with Anjou-Saumur (to the west)
Vouvray ACO - whites based on Chenin Blanc (along with Montlouis sur Loire) & usually dry/still but can be dry to sweet & sparkling.
Chinin, Bourgueil, & St. Nicolas de Bourgueil AOCs - majority CF with minory CS. Chinon produces a small amount of 100% CB.
Chevery AOC - white winesbased on SB or Sauv Gris, red & rose based on PN blended with Gamay or Malbec
Loire Valley - Upper Loire Grapes & Appellations
Farthest eastern region of Loire Valley
Sancerre & Pouilly Fume - known for 100% Sauv Blanc. Sancerre is on the west bank (chalky limestone = crisp acidity). Sancerre make a small amount of PN. Pouilly Fume is on the east bank (flinty soil = smokey flavor).
Menetou Salon (southwest of Sancerre), & Quincy & Reuilly (30 miles west on the River Cher) are part of Upper Loire. All 3 AOCs make Sauv Blanc. Reuilly & Menetou Salon make small amounts of PN.
