LOIRE VALLEY Flashcards
What is this region?
What are the 4 AOP’s within the Loire Valley?
PAT-C
How many primary grape varieties are grown in Loire?
5 primary grape varieties.
What is “THE Loire”
- a 629 mile river, meanders from the Massif Central towards the Atlantic ocean
The wine regions along its banks are remarkably diverse with distinct
microclimates, wine styles, grape varieties, and growing conditions.
What is the primary grape grown in Pays-Nantay
- Melon de Bourgone
Pays Nantais Overview
Pay Nantais has soil types that add up to be similar to what two French regions?
- Beaujolais: Granite and Schist
- Bordeaux: Gravel and sand
Gravel and sand on top, granite and schist below
What are the two AOP’s For Pay Nantais?
- Muscadet
2.Muscadet-Sevre-et-maine
Muscadet AOP Wine style: fruit, non-fruit, structure, desc.
1.fruit: lemon, pear, green apple
2.non fruit:Salt, mineral and herbal
3. structure: light, med+ acid, crisp
Desc: light, crisp and refreshing style
Reason through it, Atlantic proximity, which parallel? Soil type? What fruits and acid combo
Muscadet-Sevre-et-maine AOP Wine style: fruit, non-fruit, structure, desc.
Fruit: Citrus zest, green apple and some melon
Non Fruit: minerality
Structure: light-medium, high acid, lower alcohol 11.25-12.5
Desc: Salt, Mineral, texture (lees)
wet stone, chalk, bread dough, almond, citrus zest
Are both Muscadet and Muscadet-Maine dry or sweet wines?
- Both are dry
Muscadet-Maine is considered a higher quality
What wine making technique makes Muscadet-Maine different than muscadet?
- Sur Lie Aging
Is Melon de Bourgone grown anywhere else, really?
- Orgegon
- California
where innovative producers have experimented with it to create crisp, terroir-reflective wines. Oregon’s cool climate is particularly suited to its style.
Where does Melon de Bourgone get its name?
- Its home was in burgundy. Replaced by aligote (Bouzeron) and Chardonnay
Loire Valley climate is considered what?
- Cool/Maritime
Why is Melon de Bourgone considered great for expressing terrior?
- Low aromatic output
Melon de Bourgone grape style:
Fruit:
Non Fruit:
Structure:
Fruit: Pear, apple, lemon, some melon
Non Fruit: mineral
Structure: light-medium body + high acid.
11-12.5% alcohol
What two grape varietals are grown in Anjou-Saumur?
- Chennin Blanc
- Cabernet Franc
Chennin blanc profile:
Fruit:
Non Fruit:
Structure:
Soil
Desc:
- Fruit: Green apple, pear, stone fruit, tropical, guava, pineapple, lemon and orange (citrus + tropical + stone)
- nonfruit: saline, flint, wet wool, honey, beeswax
- Structure: high acid, light to full body.
Versatile and terroir-expressive, Chenin Blanc can produce dry, off-dry, sweet, and sparkling wines. It balances vibrant acidity with complex fruit and non-fruit characteristics, often showing longevity and ageability in its finest expressions.
Cabernet Franc
Fruit:
Non Fruit:
Structure:
Fruit: red berries (strawberry, cherry, raspberry, plum blackcurrant)
Non Fruit: bell pepper, green herbs, tobacco, graphite, violet, earthy, leather
Structure: medium body, medium+ acid.
lower alcohol than cabernet sauv.
What are the (5) regions in Anjou-Saumur?
- Savineres AOP
- Quarts-de-Chaume AOP
- Bonnezeaux AOP
- Anjou Village AOP
- Saumur AOP
What does Quarts-de-Chaume mean?
- Quarts: meaning highest quality
- de meaning of
- Chaume: an area within the village of Rochefort-sur-loire
What style of wine do each of the 5 AOP’s in Anjou-Saumur make?
- Savinieres : dry white
- Quarts de Chaume: Sweet white (botrytis)
- Bonnezeaux: Sweet white (botrytis)
- Anjou: red, Dry white
- Saumur: red and white and sparkling (sparkling saumur)
Chennin is the only white grape used
Cab franc: only red grape used