Loire Valley - Certified Sommelier Exam Flashcards
What varietals are found in the Loire valley?
White: Chenin Blanc, Sauvignon Blanc, Melon de Bourgogne mains with Chard, Orbois, Remorantin, Gros Plant and Chasselas
Red: Cab Franc (Brenton), w Pinot Noir, Gamay, Cab Sauv, Cot (Malbec), Pineau d’Aunis, Groslot (Grolleau)
What are the appellations of Pays Nantais?
- Muscadet
- Muscadet Coteaux de la Loire
- Muscadet Cotes de Grandlieu
- Muscadet Sevre-et-Maine
- Fiefs Vendéens
- Gros Plant du Pays Nantais
- Coteaux d’Ancenis
What is the primary grape of Pays Nantais, and what climate exists?
Cool, Wet maritime region planted to Melon de Bourgogne 4 appelations exist for the grape -Muscadet AOP -Muscadet Coteaux de la Loire AOP -Muscadet Cotes de Grandlieu AOP -Muscadet Sevre-et-Maine AOP
What ABV puts Muscadet grapes at their best?
12% or lower shows a lighter, fresher style
What are the soils of Muscadet Sevre-et-Maine
Gneiss, Silica, Clay and granite - Wine can be sur lie, aged over winter. which produces complexity, richness and slight sparkle
What are the appellations of Anjou-Saumur?
- Anjou -Quarts du Chaume
- Rosé d’Anjou -Savennières
- Anjou-Villages -Savennières-Roche aux Moines
- Anjou-Villages Brissac -Savennières-Coulée de Serrant
- Anjou-Coteaux de la Loire -Saumur
- Cabernet d’Anjou -Saumur-Champigny
- Cabernet de Saumur -Coteaux de Saumur
- Coteaux de l’Aubance
- Coteaux du Layon
- Bonnezeaux -Haut-Poitou (S of Saumur & Touraine)
What is the style of wines of Savennieres AOP?
100% chenin blanc and generally dry, they are austere and rigid in their youth. Can develop great complexity & honeyed richness with age
Soil is blue schist mixed with volcanic debris
What are the unofficial “Grand Crus” of Savennieres?
AOC in 2011, Roche aux Moines
Coulee de Serrant - Monopole of Biodynamic Nicolas Joly
What style of wine is found in the Loire’s Coteaux du Lagon AOP - Coteaux de l’Aubance
Producers harvest later hoping for boyrytis in the sweet wines
What AOPs within Coateaux du Lagon are notes for High Quality Sweet Wines?
Bonnezaux AOP
Quarts de Chaume AOP
South facing aspects in Thouarce (Bonnezeaux) and Rochefort-sur-Loire (QUartz)
Quartz de Chaume AOP = Grand Cru
Two producers of High Quality sweet wine in Quarts du Chaume
Domaine de Baumard
Chateau Pierre-Bise
Quality estate in Bonnezeaux within Coteaux du Lagon
Chateau des Festes
What are the geographical designations of Coateaux du Lagon AOP?
Beaulieu-sur-Layon Rablay-sur-Layon Rochefort-sur-Loire Faye d'Anjou St-Aubin de Luigné St-Lambert du Lattay Chaume 1er Cru
How are the sparkling wines of the Loire made?
Cremant de Loire AOP is made in Saumur, making using the méthode traditionnelle
What style is the red wine of Saumur-Champigny?
Grown in Tuffeau limestone, iron rich and inflected with shale, the Cabernet Franc is light, bright and elegantly floral
Where are the Loire’s best & most age worthy reds produced?
In Chinon & Bourgeil, of the Touraine
Chinon AOP, Bourgeil AOP, and St-Nicolas-De-Bourgeil AOP set the standard for classic Loire Cab Franc
What is the style of Cab Franc from Chinon?
Raspberry and green tobacco aromatics, silky tannin
What are the sweetness styles of the Vouvray AOP?
Sec Sec-Tendre Demi Sec Moelleux Liquereux
What are the appellations of the Touraine?
- Touraine -Touraine Noble-Joué
- Chinon -Bourgueil
- St-Nicolas-de-Bourgueil -Vouvray
- Montlouis-sur-Loire -Cheverny
- Cour-Cheverny -Valençay
- Coteaux du Loir -Jasnières
- Coteaux du Vendômois
Whare are the soils of Sancerre in Central Loire?
3main soils: silex, terres blanches, &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, where a certain “gunflint” character is implied in the wines. The late Didier Dagueneau famously appropriated the “Silex” moniker for his Pouilly-Fumé “Grand Cru” bottling.
What are the wines of Pouilly-sur-Loire AOP?
Whites made from the chasselas grape
What are the appellations of Central Vineyards of Loire?
- Sancerre: Sauv Blanc & Pinot Noir
- Pouilly-Fume: Sauv Blanc
- Pouilly-sur-Loire: Chasselas
- Menetou-Salon: Sauv Blanc & P Noir
- Quincy: Sauv Blanc
- Reuilly: Sauv Blanc
- Coteaux du Giennois: Sauv Blanc
- Orléans: P Munier & Chardonnay
- Orléans-Cléry: Cab Franc
What are other notable appellations of Central France NOT in the Loire?
Chateau Meillant - Red *& Rose from Gamay Cote Roannaise - Gamay like Beaujo St-Pourcain - Red with Rose Cotes du Forez - Gamay like Beaujo Cotes d'Auvergne - Red with Rose
