Loire Valley Flashcards
What is France’s longest River?
Loire
Where are the most important vineyards of Loire Valley?
they lie along the last few hundred KM of the Loire River as it flows west towards the Atlantic Ocean
what is the one signature style made in the Loire Valley
there isn’t one. it is a quite diverse range of white, red and rose style wines.
what are the four sub regions of Loire Valley?
from east to west they are the Central Vineyards, Touraine, Anjou-Saumur and Nantails
what is different about Loire regions?
they are not appellations and there is no generic appellation for all of Loire itself.
where is Rose de Loire and Crement de Loire focused?
anjou and Saumur
what is the one IGP in Loire?
Val de Loire which covers the whole region
Describe an IGP wine from Loire
generally straight forward displaying freshness, a light body and simple fruit flavors
what is the overall climate in Loire?
cool
what is the climate in Central Vineyards - Loire?
these are well inland and have a continental climate
what is the climate in Nantis region which is a coastal cilmate?
maritime climates
what is the climate in Anjou - Loire?
slightly warmer and drier than might be expected given their proximity to the ocean- protected by the Mauges Hills and certain vineyards there benefit from warm stony soils
what is the climate of Touraine?
being further inland, has a cooler and wetter climate and clay soils.
Where do Loire vineyards lie?
at the northern limit of the production of grape growing and variations in the weather pattern from year to year can mean that vintages differ greatly.
What is a particular issue in Loire?
fungal disease due to high rainfall.
what are qualities of the best vineyards in Loire
ones that experience the most sunshine and warmth, are southerly sloping aspects, generally in mid slope, and facing the river for extra heat and reflected light.
where is Sauvignon Blanc mostly grown in Loire?
Central Vineyards and Touraine
which region has the smallest production out of the four but the most prestigious appellations for Sauvignon Blanc in Loire?
Sancerre and Pouilly Fume
what kind of soil do Sancerre and Pouilly Fume have?
very chalky, well drained, stony soil.
describes wines from Sancerre and Pouilly Fume?
dry and high in acidity with hints of green apple and wet stones. it is said that ones from Pouilly Fuse also have subtle smoky notes. some are able to age in the bottle although in most cases they are not made to age in the bottle.
describe wine making techniques for Sauvignon blanc in Loire
vary from producer to producer. Gentle pressing and temerpature controlled stainless steele vats are used to create fresh fruity flavors. Some producers choose to ferment and mature their wines in old oak vessels and keep them on lees to give broader texture.
how do winemakers determine whether or not to use MLF
normally used in cooler vintages in order to keep lower acidity in the wines.
What is the most important appellation for Sauvingnon blanc to the west and south of SAncerre.
Menetou- Salon which is on the tributaries of the Loire.
Where do the majority of production of SAuvignon Blanc come from in Loire?
Touraine
what is typically on the label of wines from Touraine?
Sauvignon de Touraine
describe a wine from Touraine?
less concentration than those of other appellations and are made in a simple fruity style.
Describe Chenin Blanc grape
high acid non aromic grape variety
Where is Chenin Blanc the greatest white wine variety ?
Touraine and Anjou-Saumur
what is one difficulty with harvesting chenin blanc grapes?
the grapes even in the same bunches can ripen at such different stages that several passes may need to be made through the vineyard.
describe characteristics of chenin blanc wines
can be dry, sweet or sparkling.
young wines have characteristics of green apple, through to tropical fruit depending on ripeness of the grape. dry wines can have a steely smoky character, sweet wines can have the apricot and citrus peel flavors of noble rot.
how long can dry and sweet Chenin blanc age?
for decades - they become richer and rounder and develop aromas of honey, taost and haywhich balance with high acidity.
What kind of wines does Vouvray produce?
still and sparkling chenin blanc.
describe a vouvray style
range from dry to sweet depending on the vintage.
describe climate in Vouvray
cool climate, clay soils, means a light to med body, with fresh fruit and floral flavors, rarely fermented or aged in new oak/
what two regions are to the west of Vouvray?
Saumur and Anjou
Describe climate of Saumur and Anjou
similar climate to Vouvray cool with clay soils
What is Saumur renowned for?
sparkling chenin blanc - made by traditional method
what type of wine is Anjou known for?
dry wines that are often but not always matured in new oak.
where are Savennieres and Coteaux du Layon located in France?
to the west of ANjou-Saumur
What type of wine is produced in Savennieres?
full bodied chennin blanc in a dry style. best wines can age for decades in the bottle
what impedes development of noble rot in Savennieres and Coteaux du Layon
air circulation, but it allows for late harvesting
what type of wine is produced in Coteaux du Layon
some of the most renowned sweet wines of the region. due to its location in the sheltered valled of teh RIver Layon to the south og the Loire where noble rot develops well.
what are the two most famous sites in Coteaux du Layon?
Quarts de Chaume and Bonnezeaus
what is two other names for Melon Blanc
Muscadet or Melon de Bourgogne
Describe Melon Blanc grapes
ripen early and is frost resistant making it well suited for cool climate.
Where is the vast majority of Melon Blanc grown?
Nantais region which lies mainly to the south of teh Loire as it reaches the Atlantic
which appellation covers the widest area for Melon Blanc?
Muscadet
which appellations is highly regarded for Melon Blanc
Muscadet Sevre et Maine
describe wines from Muscadet appellations
dry with emdium alcohol, traditionally aged in large oak vessels but now concrete or stainless steel vats are more common. high acidity, light body, subtle green fruit flavors, should be drunk young.
describe Muscadet (sevre et Maine) Sur Lie
its a speciality in the area. bottled in the spring following the vintage having spent the winter on its lees giving it a richer texture.
Describe Cab franc grape from Loire
it ripens early and made in a range of styles.
where is cab franc from Touraine grown
grown in Chinon to the south of the loire and bourguell and Saint Nicholas de Bourgueil to the north
describe cab franc wines in Touraine
light fruity for early drinking, come from sandy soils whereas fullerbodied more tannic versians come from south facing slopes with limestone and clay soils. some producers age in oak and best wines can evolve for years in the bottle
where is cab franc from Loire grown to the west
Saumur and Saumur-Champigny
describe cab franc wines from Saumur and Saumur-Champigny
lighter body and tannin than from Touraine region but display berry fruit and sometimes floral notes, best drunk young and can be served chilled.
what is the second most often planted black variety in Loire
GAmay
where is GAmay typically planted in Loire?
Touraine and Anjou
what kind of characteristics does Gamay have in Loire
fruity early drinking wine
where is a small amount of pinot noir grown in Loire
Central Valley - rare and light in style
where are rose wines typically produced in Loire?
Anjou-Saumur with significant amounts also made in Touraine and Sancerre
Where can Rose de Loire be produced
ANjou-Saumur and Touraine - but mostly Anjou-Saumur
describe rose de Loire wine
always dry and must have a minimum of 30 % cab fran and/or cab sauvignon in the blend.
what is the highest quality appellation in Anjou-Saumur for rose
Cabernet d’Anjou - always med - sweet in style and made from a blend of cab franc and cab sauvignon
describe rose d’Anjou
less sweet and made from Grolleau a local high yeilding black grape blended with cab franc and other local varietals.
describe a rose from touraine
generally dry made from an array of black varietals. fresh and fruity styles
describe sancerre rose
must be made from pinot noir, pale in color, light in body, dry with delicate fruit flavors.
describe process of making rose in Loire
either direct pressing or a short maceration on the skins. ususally fermented in inert temperature controlled vessels to retain fruit flavor.
