Pay Nantais

Question 1

What is the climate of Pays Nantais?

Answer 1

Cool maritime

Question 2

When does the rain fall in Pays Nantais?

When are the biggest threats and what can the rain affect?

Answer 2

Year round;
March/April (affecting flowering);
September (affecting harvest).

Question 3

What is the major environmental hazard in Pays Nantais?

Prevention methods?

Answer 3

Spring frost

wind machines as well as heaters and burning straw bales.

Question 4

Melon buds____
and ripens ______

It is prone to _________
One positive about Melon in the growing environment?

Answer 4

Buds early,
Ripens early.
prone to spring frosts;
It is winter hardy

Question 5

Muscadet

Is chaptalization permitted?
Is malo typical?

Answer 5

Yes, up to 12% potential ABV;
No, To preserve the high acidity typical for the style.

Question 6

What does sur lie aging in Muscadet do for the wine?

Explain the steps of sur lie aging and its effects.

Answer 6

Sur lie aging fills out the body of what would otherwise be very light-bodied wines

After alcoholic fermentation, one racking is allowed to remove the gross lees;
After this, the wine remains on the fine lees through the winter until bottling;
Aging on the lees retains the freshness of the wine and may retain a small amount of carbon dioxide, which is part of the style of these wines.

Question 7

Name the two larger Muscadet appellations of Pays Nantais.

Answer 7

Muscadet Sèvre et Maine AOC;
Muscadet AOC.

Question 8

The maximum yield for Muscadet AOC is __ hl/ha.

The max yields for Sèvre et Maine and the two smaller AOCs is __ hl/ha.

Answer 8

Muscadet AOC = 70 hl/ha

The others: 55 hl/ha

Question 9

The term sur lie can be added to any of the 4 Muscadet AOCs.

When and where must sur lie wines be bottled?

Answer 9

March 1 to November 30 the year following harvest AND in the winery in which they were made.

Question 10

Name 3 Cru Communaux in Muscadet.
What are their maximum yields?

Answer 10

Clisson; Gorges; Le Pallet
45 hl/ha

Question 11

Why are Clisson, Gorges, and Le Pallet not allowed to add sur lie to their labels?

Answer 11

because their lees aging extends beyond the aging requirement.

Question 12

How does Pay Nantais combat the wet climate?

Answer 12

well-draining soils
spraying fungicide
canopy management improvements - ie. open canopy, leaf removal

Question 13

Dangers to excess leaf removal?

Answer 13

Grapes can get sunburnt or over-ripen