The Loire Valley(France) Flashcards
The Loire Valley can be loosely grouped into four sub-regions. From east to west, what are they?
These are not appellations themselves and , furthermore, unlike most other French regions there is no regional generic appellations for the whole of the Loire.
They are the Central Vinyards, Touraine, Anjou-Saumur and Nantais.
Overall the climate is cool but the Central Vinyards, which are well inland, have a ______1_____climate whereas the Nantais region, with its coastal location, experiences a _____2____climate.
1=continental
2=maritime
The vineyards of Anjou are slightly ____1____ and ____2____ than might be expected given their proximity to the ocean. They are protected by the Mauges hills and certain vineyards there benefit from___3_____soils.
Touraine, which is further inland, has a _____4______climate and ___5____soils.
1=warmer 2=drier 3= warm stony 4=cooler, wetter 5=clay
________1_______linked to high levels of rainfall can be a particular issue.
The most desirable locations are those with a southerly aspect, generally on the mid-slope, and facing the river for extra heat and reflected light.
Fungal disease
Sauvignon Blanc is mainly grown in the Central Vineyards and Touraine. The Central Vineyards area has by far the smallest production of the four sub-regions, but it contains two of the most prestigious appellations for Sauvignon Blanc wines:____1_____ and _____2_____.
1=Sancerre
2=Pouilly-Fumeプイイフュメ
(Sancerre and Pouilly-Fume)
Where are these vineyards are located?
On very chalky, well-drained stony soil.
Describe the Sauvignon wines from Sancerre and Pouilly-Fume.
プイイフュメ
(In most cases Sancerre and Pouilly-Fume are not wines for ageing.)
tend to be dry and high in acidity, with hints of green apple and wet stones. It is often said that those from Poully-Fume have subtle smoky notes.
What kind of winemaking techniques can be used for Sauvignon Blanc wines : Sancerre and Pouilly-Fume.
Gentle pneumatic pressing and temperature controlled stainless steel vats are used to crest fresh, fruity wines.
(Sauvignon Blanc wines: Sancerre and Pouilly-Fume)
Certain producers ferment and mature their wines in old oak vessels and keep the wines on the lees to give them a broader texture. Whether or not MLF take place depends on the style of wine the producer wants to create, and is most likely to be encouraged in cooler vintages. Why?
In order to lower the acidity of the wines.
To the west and south of Sancerre, Sauvignon Blanc is also produced from vineyards lying on the tributaries of the Loire. Here the most important appellations is_____1_____, which provides a source of more moderately priced wines made in the same style as Sancerre and Pouilly-Fume.
Menetou- Salon
The majority of Sauvignon Blanc, however, comes from this region. Here, this grape is used to make white ______1_____, a generic appellation that covers the whole of this region.
They have less concentration and usually made in a simple fruity style.
Touraine
______1____ is a high acid non-aromatic grape variety that is responsible for the greatest white wines of both Touraine and Anjou-Saumur. One peculiarity with this variety is that even within one bunch it is common for grapes to reach different levels of ripeness. Several passes through the vineyard may be necessary at harvest time to ensure grapes are picked at the desired level of ripeness.
Chenin Blanc
(Chenin Blanc)
Young wines can have flavours that vary from fresh apple through tropical fruit, depending on the ripeness of the grapes. The dry wines can also have a _____1_____character and the sweet wines often have the______2_____ flavours of noble rot.
1=steely, smoky
2=apricot and citrus peel
Dry and sweet Chenins can age for decades. With age, they become richer and rounder and develop aromas of _________1________, with balance well with the high acidity common to all of these wines.
Honey, toast and hay
(Chenin Blanc)
_____1_____, located to the east of the city of Tours. The cool climate and clay soils here mean that ____1____tends to be light to medium in body, with fresh fruity and floral notes.
To the west, ____2____and ____3___ have similar climates and soils. 2 is renowned as a source of sparkling Chenin Blanc by the traditional method, whereas 3 is better known for dry wines, that are often matured in new oak.
1=Vouvray
2=Saumur
3=Anjou