The Loire Valley Flashcards
From the east coast inland what are the 4 key regions of the Loire Valley?
Nantais
Anjou-Saumur
Touraine
Central Vineyards
What is the climate of Nantais?
Maritime
Cool
What is the climate of Anjou Saumur?
Continental with some maritime influence.
Cool to moderate
What is the climate of Touraine?
Cool to moderate
Continental
What is the climate of the Central Vineyards?
What is the soil type?
Cool to moderate .
Continental
Chalky and stony = well drained
What grape is Muscadet made from?
Melon Blanc (Melon de Bourgogne)
What are the key appellations of Nantais?
Muscadet
Muscadet Sevre et Maine
What is the style of Muscadet and how is Muscadet Sevre et Maine sur lie different
Dry, medium alc (max 12%), high acidity, light body with subtle green fruit.
Sevre et Maine is a superior appellation and ‘sur lie’ wines are bottled in the Spring following harvest having spent the Winter on its lees giving a richer texture and flavour.
What are the key grapes of Anjou-Saumur? x4 (1 white and 3 red)
Chenin Blanc
Cabernet Franc
Grolleau
Gamay
What are the key appellations of Anjou Saumur? (can you list 8? - includes white, sweet wine, red wine, and rosé appellations).
Saumur, Saumur Champigny
Anjou
Savennieres, Coteaux de Layon
Rose d’Anjou, Cabernet d’Anjou, Rose de Loire
Savennieres and Coteaux de Layon ar both made in Anjou-Saumur from Chenin Blanc. How do the wines differ and why?
Savennieres - Full bodied, complex and dry. Good air circulation round the vines enables late harvest whilst impeding Noble Rot. Fermented until dry.
Coteaux de Layon - Renowned sweet wine. Lies in a sheltered valley of R. Layon that encourages Noble Rot. High must weight results in a sweet wine after fermentation.
Chenin Blanc can be used to make many styles, what are it’s charcteristics
Generally as a grape?
When young?
When aged?
High acid non aromatic grape stands out in Anjou-Saumur and Touraine.
Young - aromas from fresh apple to tropical fruit depending on grape ripeness; dry wines have steely smoky character; sweet wines have honey, apricot and citrus peel from Noble Rot
Aged - richer and rounder with aromas of honey, toast and hay
Why can Chenin Blanc be a difficult to harvest and what is the counter measure?
Even within one bunch it is common for grapes to reach different levels of ripeness.
Several passes through the vineyard might be necessary to pick grapes at desired levels of ripeness.
What are the key grapes of Touraine? x3.
Sauvignon Blanc
Chenin Blanc
Cabernet Franc
What are the key appellations of Touraine? x4 (2 white and 2 red).
Vouvray - Dry –> Sweet, Still and sparkling
Chinon and Bourgueil
Touraine
Compare a Touraine Sauvignon Blanc with a Sancerre / Pouilly Fume?
Generally less concentrated and of a simpler quality level.
What happens to barely ripe Chenin Blanc grapes
They are made in to sparkling wines
Chinon and Bourgueil are made from what grape?
What aromas characterise this grape?
How do flavours differ based on soil type?
Cabernet Franc (green bell pepper and floral notes).
Sandy soil - Light and fruity
Limestone and clay slopes - Riper - Full bodied and tannic
What are the key appellations of Central Vineyards? x3
Sancerre (white rosé and red)
Pouilly Fumé (white only)
Menetou Salon
What are the key grapes of the Central Vineyards?
Sauvignon Blanc
Pinot Noir
What are the tasting notes of classic Sancerre and Pouilly Fume?
High acidity, meduim body, hints of green apple and wet stones. Pouilly Fumé can have smokey aromas (smoke = fumé in French).
Despite Sauvignon Blanc being an aromatic grape what 2 things might winemakers allow on cool vintages?
Malolactic conversion (blends of batches, some with and some without).
Oak
Which appellation is responsbile for the largest quantity of Sauvignon Blanc in the Loire Valley.
Touraine
What is Grolleau?
A red grape variety used to make Rosé still and sparkling wines in Anjou
What 4 sub-regions of Anjou-Saumur and Touraine are sources of red wine made from Cabernet Franc?
Chinon, Bourgueil in Touraine.
Saumur, Saumur-Champigny in Anjou-Saumur.
Above typically light and juicy, but higher quality versions can have more tannin (medium to medium plus tannin).
Name the village in Sancerre which has a high reputation for particularly expressive wine.
Chavignol.
