Pay Nantais

Question 1

What is the climate of Pay “PAY-EE” Nantais?

Answer 1

Cool, wet, maritime climate

Question 2

What are the parents of Melon de Bourgogne?

How and when did the Melon de Bourgogne grape get its start in Muscadet?

Answer 2

Gouais Blanc and Pinot

The grape arrived in the 17th century as distillation fodder for the Dutch, but gained prominence after a notable 1709 frost and ensuing moratorium on red grapes that transformed the Nantais into a white wine region.

Question 3

What are the seven appellations of the Pay Nantais?

Locations?

Answer 3

—Muscadet Coteaux de la Loire AOP (NE corner of Pay Nantais); best in warm vintage.
—Coteaux d’Ancenis “DONCE-sunee”. (within Coteaux de la Loire)
—Muscadet Sevre-et-Maine AOP (SW Coteaux de la Loire/ d’Ancenis), 80% of all Muscadet production
—Muscadet Côtes de Grandlieu AOP (SW of Sevre-et-Maine; newest, est 1994)

—Muscadet AOP (seldom used; most qualify for other 3)
—Gros Plant du Pays Nantais AOP
*both seem to be the same 3,000 hectares (Janis map) surrounding all the above.

—Fiefs Vendéens (FEE-ev VON-dee-on) AOP Extreme south, removed from rest of the appellation. In Pay Nantais?

Question 4

What percentage of Muscadet production is from Sevre-et-Maine?

Answer 4

80%

Question 5

What two rivers meet to form Muscadet Sevre-et-Maine?

How many communes?

Answer 5

Sevre and Maine Rivers ;-)

—23 communes

Question 6

Four soils found in Muscadet?

Answer 6

—Gneiss “nice” metamorphic rock (rocks that were originally sedimentary or igneous, but were transformed by pressure and heat underneath the earth’s surface) similar to granite
—silica-ground sand or quartz, best vineyards in Loire mix limestone, clay and silica to form a flint and sand mixture known as —silex
—clay
—granite

Question 7

How much of Sèvre-et-Maine production is bottled sur lie?

Answer 7

Nearly 50%

Question 8

What is silex?

Answer 8

Flint and sand mixture formed by a mix of limestone, clay, and silica. Some of the best vineyards in Loire find silex in soils.

Question 9

What is sur lie and name 3 requirements to be labeled “sur lie”?

Answer 9

Sur lie is allowing finished wines to sit on the lees in order to extract complexity, richness, and a slight sparkle.
—must originate from land qualifying for one of the three sub-appellations.
—must be kept on its lees (in either tank or barrel) after fermentation until at least March 1 of the year following the harvest
—must be bottled directly off its fine lees (without filtering) between March 1 and November 30 of the year following the harvest, and not marketed until at least March 8.

Question 10

Describe Muscadet Coteaux de la Loire AOP wines

Answer 10

A more northern and inland appellation, the wines are made on steep slopes of schist or granite and are correspondingly leaner. Excellent in warmer vintages.

Question 11

What is the newest appellation for Muscadet and when?

Answer 11

Muscadet Cotes de Grandlieu AOP in 1994, struggles to achieve quality beyond basic Muscadet. Mainly on sandy, stony soils, is more supple and riper than most.

Question 12

What is Hermine d’Or?

Most notable member of the group?

Answer 12

—An unofficial label term that promotes terroir and stresses age-ability of Muscadet.
—Guy Bossard and other adopted this term to create better wines.

Question 13

What are the three original subzones of Muscadet Sevre-et-maine N-S?
Principle soils?
Élevage for Subzones?
Why does it preclude sur lie on the label?

Answer 13

My wee pal and I gorge cleavage
—Le Pallet- Clay and gabbro (igneous rock); especially warm pocket on the right bank of Sèvre. Gives rise to early harvests. floral, fruity flavors.
—Gorges-Gneiss, quartz, and gabbro; straddles both sides of the River Sèvre, develop a intense minerality and distinctive smokiness.
—Clisson- “Little Venice” Granite, well drained wines are long lived. Require long periods of maturation–at least 24 months–to develop their rich flavours of candied fruit, dried fruit, and quince.

—Le Pallet: aged on their fine lees until at least April 1 of the second year following the harvest
—Gorges and Clisson: at least November 1 of the second year after harvest

The minimum length of aging for each subzone precludes the use of sur lie on the label, as sur lie labeled wines must be bottled between March 1 and November 30 of the year following the harvest. Despite the lack of sur lie label, these areas may be destined to become some of the finest expressions of the Melon grape available.

further crus such as Mouzillon-Tillières, Château Thébaud, Monnières Saint-Fiacre, and Goulaine are expected to follow.

Question 14

What are the “other” three regions of Pays Nantais?

When were they established?

Answer 14

• Gros Plant du Pays Nantais
• Coteaux d’Ancenis
• Fiefs Vendéens

All established in 2011 and all wines may include the geographical designation “Val de Loire” on the label.

Question 15

What is “Malvosie” and what Pay Nantais appellation would you find it?

Answer 15

The term used for Pinot Gris in the Coteaux d’Ancenis AOP.

Question 16

Muscadet Vintages

Answer 16

2015-Some rain towards the end of harvest resulted in a little rot, but nothing too concerning.

2014- Excellent wines made in Muscadet.

2012- Challenging growing season, 2012 was THE year that Muscadett really shone, producing some of the best examples ever. Yields were around half the average, however.

2011-Pretty rotten. Muscadet was blighted with fungal disease.

2010- Good ripeness and concentration for Muscadet.

2009- Healthy fruit in Muscadet produced superb quality, especially from growers prepared to keep yields under control.

2008-Frost devastated yields in Muscadet, making a very hard year for all growers.

2003-Muscadet is rich and full, but with good natural balance in this atypically hot year.

2001-Good for Muscadet, but bad for many other parts of Loire.

For more Loire vintage notes: http://jimsloire.blogspot.co.uk/p/work-in-progress-picking-chenin-blanc.html

Question 17

Muscadet Producers

Answer 17

• Domaine de l’Ecu. (Guy Bossard; now Frédéric Niger Van Herck) “Granite”/”Hermine d’Or”
• Domaine de la Louvetrie (Jo Landron) “Hermine d’Or”/”Amphibolite”/”Atmospheres”
• André-Michel Brégeon, “Gorges”
• Domaine de la Pepière (Marc Olivier) ‘Monnier St. Fiacre’

Question 18

What is gabbros?

Answer 18

Soils type found in Muscadet Sevre-et-maine made up of old, blue-green, volcanic rock

Question 19

Gros Plant du Pays Nantais AOP

Styles and Encépagement?

Answer 19

Blanc only:
—Min. 70% Folle Blanche (Gros Plant) (50% through 2030) plus Montils and a max. 10% Colombard, may be labeled “Sur Lie”, same aging requirements as Sevre-et-Maine.

**Folle Blanche: white grape variety, probably Gouais
Blanc progeny, once grown in profusion along the Atlantic seaboard of western France, providing very acidic but otherwise neutral base wine for distillation by the largely Dutch Wine Trade.

Question 20

Coteaux d’Ancenis AOP

Styles and Encépagement?

Answer 20

Blanc-100% Pinot Gris (“Malvosie”) (RS: 20-40 g/l)

Rosé and Red-100% Gamay

Question 21

Fiefs Vendéens AOP

Styles and Encépagement?

Answer 21

—Blanc: min 60% Chenin Blanc
—Rosé: min 80% combined Pinot Noir and Gamay
—Red: Cabernet Franc, Négrette, Pinot Noir

*communes in Fiefs Vendéens have differing Encépagement requirements.

Question 22

List the four crus added to Sevre et Maine in 2019.

List the unofficial crus awaiting ratification.

Answer 22

Chateau Thebaud
Limousin
Ghoulaine
Mouzillion Tillieries
Monnieres Saint Fiacre

unofficial: Champtoceaux, La Haye Foussaière, Vallet

Question 23

What is the elevage for all Muscadet Sevre et Maine subzones?

Answer 23

Goulaine and Le Pallet: Wines must be aged on their fine lees until at least April 1 of the second year following the harvest

Gorges, Clisson, Mouzillon-Tillières, Monnières-Saint-Fiacre, and Château-Thébaud: Wines must be aged on their fine lees until at least October 1 of the second year following the harvest