Loire valley

Question 1

What is the longest river in France?
How long is it?
Where does it start?
Where does it end?

Answer 1

The longest river in France is the Loire. It is 1020 km long. It starts in the Massif Central and ends in the Atlantic Ocean.

Question 2

Who first planted the Loire Valley?

Answer 2

The Romans, in about the first century AD.

Question 3

What region produces the most white wine in France?

Answer 3

The Loire Valley

Question 4

Name the classic white grapes of the Loire. Name the other white grapes of the Loire.

Answer 4

The classics:
Chenin Blanc, Sauvignon Blanc, Melon de Bourgogne.
The others: Chardonnay, Orbois (Arbois/Menu Pineau), Romorantin, Gros Plant (Folle Blanche), and Chasselas.

Question 5

What is the most important red varietal in the Loire Valley?
What are the other red varietals?

Answer 5

Cabernet Franc is the most important. The others are Pinot Noir, Gamay, Cabernet Sauvignon, Malbec (Côt), Pineau d’Aunis, and Groslot (Grolleau).

Question 6

What are the four appellations of Melon de Bourgogne in Pays Nantais?

Answer 6

Muscadet AOP,
Muscadet Coteaux de la Loire AOP, Muscadet Côtes de Grandlieu AOP, and Muscadet Sèvre-et-Maine AOP.

Question 7

Is filtering allowed for Muscadet Sèvre-et-Maine Sur lie?

Answer 7

No.

Question 8

What are the three subzones for Muscadet Sèvre-et-Maine added in 2011? What are the additional five added in 2019?

Answer 8

2011: Clisson, Le Pallet, and Gorges.
2019: Château Thébaud, Goulaine, Monnières-Saint-Fiacre, and Mouzillon-Tillières.

Question 9

With the elimination of the VDQS (Vin délimité de qualité supérieure) tier in 2011, what three new regions in Pays Nantais gained AOC status?

Answer 9

Gros Plant du Pays Nantais,
Coteaux d’Ancenis,
and Fiefs Vendéens.

Question 10

What is the other name for Chenin Blanc in Anjou?

Answer 10

Pineau de la Loire

Question 11

What is the grape of Savenierres and what is the soil type?

Answer 11

Chenin Blanc and blue schist mixed with volcanic debris.

Question 12

What are the two sub-appellations of Savennières?

Answer 12

Roche Aux Moines and Coulée de Serrant.

Question 13

What is the monopole of Savenniières and who owns it?

Answer 13

Coulée de Serrant and Nicolas Joly.

Question 14

What are the two sweet wine districts (AOP) of Anjou?

Answer 14

Coteaux du Layon AOP and Coteaux de l’Aubance AOP.

Question 15

What is the minimum residual sugar (in grams per liter) for sweet wines from the Loire?

Answer 15

34 Grams per Liter

Question 16

What is the Grand Cru Appelation in Coteaux du Layon for dessert wine?

Answer 16

Quarts de Chaume AOP

Question 17

What type of wine does Bonnezeaux AOP produce? From what grape?

Answer 17

Dessert wine from Chenin Blanc.

Question 18

Name two producers of Quarts de Chaume?

Answer 18

Domaine des Baumard and Chateau Pierre-Bise.

Question 19

In addition to Quarts de Chaume and Bonnezeaux there are seven villages that are entitled to add their names to the basic Coteaux du Layon AOP. What are they? What is the minimum residual sugar per liter for these village labels? And which one has the title of Premier Cru?

Answer 19

Beaulieu-sur-Layon, Rochefort-sur-Loire, Faye d’Anjou, St. Lambert du Lattay, St. Aubin de Luigné, Rablay-sur-Layon, and Chaume. Wines labeled by village must reach higher minimum must weights and are harvested at lower maximum yields. At a minimum 80 grams per liter of residual sugar Chaume is Premier Cru.

Question 20

What type of wine is Anjou AOP?

Answer 20

Red

Question 21

What type of wines may receive the Saumur AOP designation?

Answer 21

Dry white, rosé, red, and sparkling.

Question 22

What varietals are allowed in Saumur Blanc?

Answer 22

Chenin Blanc only.

Question 23

Saumur Rouge allows which varietals?

Answer 23

Cabernet Franc, Cabernet Sauvignon, and Pineau d’Aunis.

Question 24

Over half of Saumur’s grapes are destined for what type of wine with what designation?

Answer 24

Sparkling wines called Crémant de Loire AOP.

Question 25

What grape is grown in Saumur-Champigny? And what are the soil types?

Answer 25

Cabernet Franc. There is a deep layer of Tuffeau with harder limestone and shale on top.

Question 26

What are the three most famous AOP for Cabernet Franc in Touraine?

Answer 26

Chinon AOP, Bourgueil AOP, and Saint-Nicolas-de-Bourgueil AOP

Question 27

What are the three soil types of Chinon? And where do they occur?

Answer 27

Tuffeau, Clay, and Varennes. The sandy, alluvial varennes soils are closest to the river Vienne—a Loire tributary—whereas tuffeau is more common on the slopes. The vins de tuffe originating from these limestone south-facing slopes carry the most promise for depth and ageworthiness

Question 28

What are the soil types of Bourgeuil?

Answer 28

Bourgueil soils are divided between sand and limestone.

Question 29

What are the soil types of Saint-Nicolas-de-Bourgueil?

Answer 29

Saint-Nicolas-de-Bourgueil is situated almost wholly on lighter alluvial soils.

Question 30

What is the other allowable grape in Vouvray?

Answer 30

Orbois.

Question 31

What are the five levels of sweetness in Vouvray from dry to sweet?

Answer 31

1. Sec 2. Sec-tendre 3. Demi-sec 4. Moelleux 5. Liquoreux

Question 32

Montlouis-sur-Loire AOP was once part of Vouvray. What is the one difference in winemaking law there?

Answer 32

Orbois is not allowed in Montlouis-sur-Loire

Question 33

What is Touraine Noble-Joué renowned for?

Answer 33

A Vin Gris style of Rosé made Pinot Meunier, Pinot Gris, and Pinot Noir.

Question 34

What are the red wines of Coteaux du Loir made from?

Answer 34

Pineau d’Aunis.

Question 35

What is the sub AOP of Coteaux du Loir known for its Chenin Blanc?

Answer 35

Jasnières AOP

Question 36

What grapes are blended in Cheverny AOP?

Answer 36

Sauvignon Blanc is 60-80% with Chardonnay, Orbois (called Arbois here) or Chenin Blanc (called Pineau Blanc de le Loire here).

Question 37

What grape is used in Cour-Cheverny?

Answer 37

Romoratin.

Question 38

Valencay also makes the same horrid mistake that Cheverny does. What is it?

Answer 38

They allow Sauvignon Blanc and Chardonnay to be blended. You can also use Orbois, or Sauvignon Gris (which is forgivable.)

Question 39

Sancerre and Pouilly-Fume are on opposite sides of the Loire. Which sides?

Answer 39

Sancerre is to the west and Pouilly-Fune is to the east.

Question 40

What are the three soil types of Sancerre? Describe them.

Answer 40

Silex, terres blanches, and caillottes. Terres blanches is a continuation of the same Kimmeridgian clay that extends into Chablis, whereas caillottes is a stony soil, littered with fossils. Silex has a higher proportion of flint, continuing into the communes of Pouilly-Fumé across the river.

Question 41

What grape is used for Sancerre Rose and Rouge? What about Pouilly-Fume Rose and Rouge?

Answer 41

Pinot Noir for Sancerre. There is no Pouilly-Fume Rose or Rouge.

Question 42

What grape is used in Pouilly-sur-Loire?

Answer 42

Chasselas

Question 43

What grapes are used in Menetou-Salon? What region is Menetou-Salon compare itself to?

Answer 43

Sauvignon Blanc for whites and Pinot Noir for Red and Rose. It compares itself to Sancerre. (Which is silly because it is not.)

Question 44

What varietals are allowed in Reuilly?

Answer 44

Sauvignon Blanc for Blanc, Pinot Noir and Pinot Gris for Rose, and Pinot Noir for Rouge. The best rosé is 100% Pinot Gris.

Question 45

What varietals are allowed in Quincy?

Answer 45

Sauvignon Blanc and up to 10% Sauvignon Gris.

Question 46

Coteaux du Giennois AOP rouge and rose are a blend of what two varietals? What are the blancs?

Answer 46

The rouge and rose must be a blend of Pinot Noir and Gamay, and neither may exceed 80%. The blancs are 100% Sauvignon Blanc.

Question 47

Orléans makes all blends for their reds, roses, and whites. What are they?

Answer 47

Blanc: Principal Variety: Min. 60% Chardonnay Accessory Variety: Pinot Gris Rosé: Principal Variety: Min. 60% Meunier Complementary Variety: Pinot Gris and Pinot Noir Rouge: Principal Variety: 70-90% Meunier Accessory Variety: Pinot Noir

Question 48

What is pourriture noble?

Answer 48

The French term for botrytis cinera.

Question 49

Producers of dessert wine in the Loire Valley typically make multiple passes through the vineyard during harvest, otherwise known as?

Answer 49

Tries successives.

Question 50

In what appellation is Francois Chidaine located?

Answer 50

Montlouis-sur-Loire

Question 51

In what region is Coteaux d’Ancenis located?

Answer 51

Pays Nantais

Question 52

The geographic designations of Muscadet Sèvre-et-Maine lie along what river?

Answer 52

Sèvre

Question 53

What is the name for Pinot Gris in Coteaux d’Ancenis?

Answer 53

Malvoisie

Question 54

What is the IGP of Loire Valley?

Answer 54

Val de Loire

Question 55

Who is the producer of “Clos du Papillon”?

Answer 55

Domaine Baumard

Question 56

What is Aubuis?

Answer 56

A soil type described by Tom Stevenson (2011) as ‘found in the Touraine district of the Loire and highly rated for Chenin Blanc in Vouvray and Montlouis, aubuis is a stony mix of permeable, fertile, calcareous clays that are said to be well suited to white grape varieties

Question 57

Saint-Pourçain?

Answer 57

Satellite of Loire. Chardonnay and Sacy with Sauvignon Blanc as blending varietal Gamay and Pinot Noir as red