Pays de Loire

Question 1

What is France’s longest river? In which direction does it flow?

Answer 1

The Loire River is France’s longest river.
It flows from east to west, emptying in the Atlantic Ocean.

Question 2

From west to east, what are the 4 major regions of the Loire Valley?

Answer 2

Nantais, Anjou-Saumur, Touraine, Central Vineyards

Question 3

What is the IGP in the Loire that covers the entire region?

Answer 3

Val de Loire IGP

Question 4

Crémant de Loire production primarily takes place in which Loire Valley subregion?
What grape is traditionally used?

Answer 4

Subregion: Saumur
Grape: Chenin Blanc
Fun Fact: Crémant de Loire is made using Traditional Method

Question 5

How do the climates of Pays Nantais and Central Vineyards differ?

Answer 5

The climate in Nantais is Maritime.
The climate in Central Vineyards is Continental.

Question 6

The Mauges Hills protect which region in the Loire Valley?

Answer 6

Anjou

Question 7

Which Loire region has pockets of stony soils and is warm and dry despite its proximity to the Atlantic Ocean?

Answer 7

Anjou

Question 8

Which Loire region, despite being further inland, has a cooler + wetter climate than Anjou? (it has a lot of clay soil)

Answer 8

Touraine

Question 9

What are two common weather threats in the Loire Valley?

Answer 9

High levels of rainfall, which makes fungal pressure high;
Spring frosts.

Question 10

What are the benefits that vineyards with southerly aspect gain from facing the Loire River?

Answer 10

The river will reflect light and warmth to vineyards facing it which help vineyards at this northerly latitude.

Question 11

The vineyards in the Loire Valley with the most advantageous positions are:

Answer 11

South facing (to maximize sun exposure)
Mid-slope (for best drainage)
Face the Loire River (reflected light and warmth)

Question 12

What are the 4 predominant grape varieties of the Loire Valley and their areas of production?

Answer 12

Melon de Bourgogne/Melon Blanc: Nantais
Chenin Blanc: Anjou + Touraine
Cabernet Franc: Anjou + Touraine
Sauvignon Blanc: Central Vineyards + Touraine

Question 13

Name some of the black grapes grown in the Loire Valley.

Answer 13

Cabernet Franc
Gamay
Pinot Noir
Grolleau

Question 14

What are the Loire Valley’s 4 most eminent appellations growing Sauvignon Blanc?

Answer 14

Sancerre
Pouilly-Fumé
Menetou-Salon
Touraine

Question 15

What are differences or similarities between Muscadet and Melon de Bourgogne/Melon Blanc?

Answer 15

Muscadet is an AOP in the Loire Valley that only makes dry white wines.
Melon de Bourgogne/Melon Blanc is the grape variety that goes into Muscadet AOP.
The grape Melon de Bourgogne can also be called ‘Muscadet’, just like the AOP.

Question 16

In Muscadet, what is the alcohol level of most wines?

Answer 16

~12% ABV

Question 17

All wines from the appellations in Muscadet have:
a. Low alcohol
b. Medium alcohol
c. High alcohol

Answer 17

Medium alcohol

Question 18

How dry are Muscadet? (dry, off-dry, sweet)

Answer 18

dry

Question 19

What does “Sur Lie” mean on a bottle of Muscadet Sèvre-et-Maine Sur Lie?

Answer 19

Sur Lie is a French word meaning “on the lees.”
Must be aged on its fine lees until the spring the year following harvest;
Lees give a bit of texture and a slight yeasty flavor to the wine.

Question 20

The Nantais subregion produces mainly __(1)__ wine from the __(2)__ grape variety.

Answer 20

Bone dry white wine
Melon de Bourgogne grape variety

Melon de Bourgogne is also known as Melon Blanc

Question 21

Rosé de Loire AOP wines are:

dry, off-dry, or sweet?
made from which grapes?
mainly produced in which sub-region?

Answer 21

Always dry;
A range of of grapes including Cab Sauvignon and/or Cab Franc;
Mainly produced in Anjou-Saumur.

Question 22

Which is the predominant grape in Rosé d’Anjou?

Answer 22

Grolleau
It is usually blended with local grapes like Cabernet Franc, Cabernet Sauvignon, Côt, Gamay, Pineau d’Aunis.

Question 23

What style of wine is produced in Cabernet d’Anjou AOP?

Question 24

Of the still rosés produced in Anjou-Saumur, which one is the highest quality?

Question 25

Rosés in the Loire Valley are made by using either of these techniques:

Question 26

What is the most widely grown white grape of the Touraine and Anjou subregions?

Question 27

What is the primary grape variety used for sweet wine in the Loire Valley?

Question 28

Is Chenin Blanc an age-worthy wine?

Question 29

Which wine is dry and full bodied?:
Savennières AOP
Coteaux du Layon AOP

Question 30

What style of wine is Coteaux du Layon?

Question 31

Is Coteaux du Layon on the north or south side of the Loire River?
What develops well here?

Question 32

Where is Quarts de Chaume located within the Loire Valley, and what style of wine does it make?

Question 33

Where is Bonnezeaux AOP located and what is it known for?

Question 34

What appellations in Loire are known for red wine made from Cabernet Franc?

Question 35

What is the grape in Vouvray AOP?

Question 36

Vouvray makes both ______ and _______ wines.
The soils in Vouvray are _____ based.
Still wines in Vouvray range from:
dry to off-dry
dry to medium-sweet
dry to luscious

Question 37

Vouvray wines are:
rarely fermented or matured in new oak
often fermented or matured in new oak

Question 38

Chenin Blancs from Anjou AOP are sometimes, but not always, matured in ____.

Question 39

How does the climate influence the style of the wine in Vouvray AOP?

Question 40

Which appellation will have less concentration and display a generally uncomplicated, more fruit-driven style of Sauvignon Blanc: Sancerre or Touraine?

Question 41

Name the most important AOPs of the Central Vineyards in the Loire Valley from west to east.

Question 42

What are the weather threats in the Central Vineyards?
What is the principal white grape varieta

Question 43

What styles of wine can be produced in Sancerre AOP?

Question 44

Name a famous village in Sancerre.
Name the most famous vineyard in Sancerre.

Question 45

What is the main soil type in Sancerre and Pouilly-Fumé?

Question 46

What are some of the winemaking vessels used in Sancerre and Pouilly-Fumé?

Question 47

Is Sancerre an age-worthy wine?
When is it best to drink them?

Question 48

Under what circumstances will Sauvignon Blanc undergo MLC?

Question 49

What is the second-most planted red grape in the Loire Valley?

Question 50

What is a quirky trait of Chenin Blanc?

Question 51

Why is Cab Franc well suited for the Loire Valley?

Question 52

Cab Franc grown in Touraine (Chinon, Bourgueil) generally comes in two different styles depending on the soils.
What are the soils and what are the styles?

Question 53

Cab Franc from Saumur-Champigny tends to be:
lighter in body + tannin
fuller in body + tannin
than Cab Francs from Touraine.

Question 54

What are major differences between Sancerre and Pouilly-Fumé?

Question 55

What is the major difference between Pouilly-Fumé AOP and Pouilly-sur-Loire AOP?

Question 56

Cour-Cheverny AOP uses a varietal you don’t see anywhere else in France. What is the varietal?

Question 57

What styles of wine can be produced in Vouvray and what are their permitted sweetness levels?

Question 58

What style of wine is made in Saumur-Champigny AOP?

Name an iconic estate in this appellation.

Question 59

What harvest method is required in Coteaux du Layon AOP and Quarts de Chaume AOP?

Question 60

Name the 2 unofficial grand crus of Savennières AOP (both of which were elevated to AOP status).

In what year were they elevated?

Question 61

What is another name for Chenin Blanc in the Loire Valley?

Question 62

What are the soil types of the Touraine region?