WSET D3 - The Loire Valley

Question 1

Summarise the history of The loire Valley.

Answer 1

Long history winemaking and trading due to its ready access to Atlantic, Home of French kings until Louis XIV and, before coming of railway, its proximity to Paris allowing wine be transported by river.

Question 2

What is the river that runs through The Loire Valley.

Answer 2

Loire River, France’s longest river.

Question 3

What’s the climate like and what are the grape varieties grown in The Loire Valley?

Answer 3

Number of climatic zones and varieties typical of various regions. eg: spring in Pays Nantais arrives at least 2 weeks before Sancerre.
Key varieties: Melon in Pays Nantais.
CB and CF in middle Loire (Anjou-Saumur and Touraine, latter also grows SB).
SB in Central Vineyards, area that includes Sancerre and Pouilly- Fumé.

Question 4

What are the percentage of different regions’ plating?

Answer 4

Anjou-Saumur: 37%
Touraine: 31%
Pays Nantais: 22%
Central Vineyards: 10%

Question 5

What are the top varieties planted in Pays Nantais?

Answer 5

1.Melon (Melon de Bourgogne or Muscadet)
2.Chardonnay
3.Gamay
4.Folle Blanche (AKA Gros Plant, making very acidic wine sold locally and nationally )
5.Cabernet Franc

Question 6

What is the climate like in Pays Nantais?

Answer 6

Cool maritime climate with cool springs, warm and humid summers and threat of rain at any time through growing season but especially in March/April (affecting flowering) and in September (affecting harvest).

Question 7

What are the soil types found here?

Answer 7

Predominantly well- drained soils help to offset regular rainfall.

Question 8

What is the main hazard here?

Answer 8

Despite proximity of Atlantic, spring frosts are serious problem, setting back whole region in 1991. This led to loss of what was a booming export market to UK.
Producers putting in more frost prevention measures, particularly wind machines as well as heaters and burning straw bales.

Question 9

Describe Melon.

Answer 9

Only allowed variety in Muscadet appellations.
Hardy variety, well suited to cool region.
Buds early (spring frosts).
Ripens relatively early, reducing threat of rain at harvest.
High yields.
Good resistance to powdery mildew. Tight bunches and susceptible to downy mildew and botrytis bunch rot, both thrive in humid climate. Repeated spraying required.
H acidity, light body and low to low end M alcohol. Typically low aromatic intensity (green apple), often made sur lie.
Acceptable to good , some very good, inexpensive to mid-priced.
From 2018, basic Muscadet AOC may include up to 10% Chardonnay.

Question 10

What is a problem for the grapes in hot years?

Answer 10

Sugar levels may reach unacceptably high before skins and seeds fully ripe.

Question 11

What is the winemaking like in Pays Nantais?

Answer 11

Chaptalization permitted up to 12% abv potential alcohol, practiced in cooler years.
Muscadet typically fermented and aged in large, shallow underground glass-lined concrete vats, though stainless steel also used. The idea is to keep wine as neutral as possible then age on lees.
Malo typically avoided, preserving high acidity typical of the style.
With efforts to raise profile of Muscadet, winemakers also experimenting. Examples include skin contact and fermentation in barrel, amphora or concrete eggs, adding cost.

Question 12

What is Sur Iie?

Answer 12

Way of filling out body of very light-bodied wines.
After fermentation completed, one racking allowed to remove gross lees. After this, wine remains in contact with fine lees through following winter until bottling.
Ageing on lees also retains freshness of wine and may retain small amount carbon dioxide, which is part of style of these wines.

Question 13

What are the appellations in Pays Nantais?

Answer 13

2 larger appellations:
Muscadet Sèvre et Maine AOC (Loire’s largest appellation)(55hl/ha)
Muscadet AOC (65hl/ha)
2 much smaller ones:
Muscadet Coteaux de la Loire AOC. (55hl/ha)
Muscadet Côtes de Grandlieu AOC. (55hl/ha)

Question 14

What are the wine law and regulations for Pays Nantais’ wine?

Answer 14

Typically dry, low intensity green apple and grassy notes, high acidity and light body.
Acceptable to good (some very good) inexpensive.
labelling term sur lie may added in any of four appellations. Sur lie wines must bottled between 1 March and 30 November year following harvest and in winery they were made, later bottling adds cost. These regulations also mean négociants can only buy grapes, must or bottled wine, and not wine to be aged sur lie.
10 Muscadet cru communaux, including Clisson, Gorges and Le Pallet. If grapes grown exclusively in one of defined areas, name can be added, eg: Muscadet Sèvre et Maine AOC Clisson. Lower maximum 45 hL/ha. Wines have to be on lees for 18M (Le Pallet) or 24M (Clisson, Gorges). Cannot be labelled as sur lie as requirement for long lees ageing means they are bottled after date required for sur lie. Rounder, more co mplex with longer finishes.

Question 15

What has Muscadet sought to reposition itself as today after the frost of 1991?

Answer 15

Terroir-specific wines of high quality with good value for money.

Question 16

Who plays an important role here?

Answer 16

Négociants (over half sales).
Many smaller local négociants have been bought up by larger companies. Castel, Grand Chais de France and Loire-based Ackerman now account for large proportion négociant sales.

Question 17

How does The Pays Nantais promote its wines?

Answer 17

Pays Nantais promotes its wines together with Anjou-Saumur and Touraine via InterLoire (Interprofession des Vins du Val de Loire).

Question 18

What are the top varieties in Anjou-Saumur?

Answer 18

Cabernet Franc
Chenin Blanc
Groulleau Noir
Cabernet Sauvignon
Chardonnay

Question 19

What are the top varieties in Touraine?

Answer 19

Cabernet Franc
Chenin Blanc
Sauvignon Blanc
Gamay
Malbec
Chardonnay

Question 20

What’s the climate like in Anjou-Saumur and Touraine?

Answer 20

Influence of Atlantic decreases in Anjou-Saumur then Touraine. Maritime effect more marked In Anjou-Saumur.
Touraine has continental climate, cold winters, warm summers, but not extreme as Central Vineyards.
Both around 700 mm rainfall, adequate for viticulture, falls throughout year: spring rain can affect flowering and fruit set, regular summer rain can increases disease pressure, late summer and early autumn can affect harvest.
In Anjou, River Layon and its multiple tributaries help create misty conditions ideal for spread of botrytis at end of growing season, enabling botrytis-affected wines.

Question 21

What are the soil types found here?

Answer 21

Wide range, including clay-limestone, flint-clay, sand, gravel and tuff. More schist and limestone in Anjour, more chalk in Touraine. Overall, key properties include good drainage and water retention of limestone elements. Due to high lime content in soils, rootstocks such as Fercal and Riparia Gloire de Montpellier used to protect vines from chlorosis.

Question 22

Describe the grape variety Chenin Blanc.

Answer 22

Buds early (spring frosts).
Vigorous (high yields).
Prone to powdery mildew, botrytis bunch rot (also positive effects for sweet wines) and trunk diseases.
Ripens late (autumn rains).
Ripens unevenly (for best quality picked on several passes, limits amount that mechanical picking can be employed). Where seeking wine with high proportion botrytis-affected grapes, multiple passes and picking by hand necessary, adding cost.
In middle Loire it produces wide range styles, sparkling wine, dry, off-dry and sweet wines. Here, dry and off-dry wines have M intensity green apple and lemon (sometimes with a steely, smoky character), M alcohol, and H acidity, often balanced with some residual sugar for off-dry style.
Good to very good, inexpensive to mid-price, with some outstanding and premium priced (e.g. Domaine Huet).

Question 23

Describe Cabernet Franc.

Answer 23

Early budding (spring frost).
Pone to coulure (reduction yields).
Mid-ripening (often picked before autumn rains).
If not ripened fully, can taste excessive leafy. Better canopy management with warmer summers reduced overly herbaceous.
Winter hardy (cool areas).
M to pronounced red fruit (redcurrant, raspberry), floral (violet) and can have leafy aromas, L to M body, M tannins and H acidity.
Tends to used to make single varietal or part of rosé blend. In eastern Touraine, limit area where it will ripen fully, blended with Cot.

Question 24

Describe Grolleau Noir.

Answer 24

Early budding.
Mid-ripening.
Prone to botrytis bunch rot.
Mainly as blending in rosés.

Question 25

Describe Cabernet Sauvignon.

Answer 25

Late ripening.
Performs best in temperate Anjou and only warmest sites where early budding possible.
Frequently blended with CF, also rosé blends.

Question 26

Describe Gamay Noir.

Answer 26

Generally by carbonic maceration. Some found in Anjou; principally in Touraine as well as Central Vineyards.

Question 27

What’s the winemaking like here ?

Answer 27

CB fermented at cool to mid-range temperatures, can last several months. Large old oak or stainless steel typically used. Typically, malo avoided, aged in neutral containers, not new barriques. Aim to retain primary fruit.

CF typically crushed, fermented in concrete or old wood vats allow punch downs and/or pump overs. Many prefer ambient yeasts and typical age in used oak barrels of range of sizes, aim to retain primary fruit. Some more expensive wines aged in proportion new barriques.

Many rosés by direct press. Some by short maceration. Then proceeds as whites with short ageing (3–4 M) in neutral containers.

Question 28

What are the appellations in Anjou-Saumur and Touraine?

Answer 28

No regional generic appellation for Loire such as Bordeaux AOC. However, 3 regional appellations in middle Loire:
Anjou AOC
Saumur AOC
Touraine AOC

Question 29

Summarise Anjou AOC.

Answer 29

Maximum 60 hL/ha for red or whites, some low intensity.
Anjou Blanc: minimum 80% CB.
Anjou Rouge: minimum 70% CF and/ or CS.
Anjou Villages AOC: Higher quality reds from specifically designated areas. (still reds only, entirely from CF and CS, singly or blended; mostly CF). Maximum 55 hL/ha, can only released in September year after harvest.
Significant number good producers prefer forsake appellation and opt for Vin de France.

Question 30

Summarise Coteaux du Layon AOC.

Answer 30

Large appellation on slopes on right bank Layon River (runs into Loire). Specializes in botrytised CB. If botrytis fails to develop, may also dried on vine. Natural high acidity of CB balances lusciously sweetness.
Stricter regulations for Coteaux du Layon AOC + named village. Several passes for botrytis-grapes. Pronounced cooked citrus and apple with honey notes. Sweet, M (+) bodied, M alcohol, H acidity. Good to very good, mid-priced to premium.
Two areas have high-quality reputation for sweet wines and are appellations in own right, Bonnezeaux AOC and Quarts de Chaume AOC.
Regulations for Bonnezeaux stricter than Coteaux du Layon less strict than Quarts de Chaume. Higher potential alcohol, lower maximum yield - very high intensity and rich texture. Very good to outstanding, premium priced, a few super-premium. Quarts de Chaume become Loire’s 1st grand cru in 2019, Coteaux du Layon AOC Chaume became a premier cru.

Question 31

What are the maximum yields for the appellations mentioned above?

Answer 31

Coteaux du Layon AOC: 35hl/h
Coteaux du Layon AOC + named village: 30hl/ha
Bonnezeaux AOC: 25hl/ha
Coteaux du Layon AOC Premier Cru Chaume: 25hl/ha
Quarts de Chaume Grand Cru AOC: 20hl/ha

Question 32

What are the minimum percentage potential alcohol for the appellations mentioned above?

Answer 32

Coteaux du Layon AOC: 14%
Coteaux du Layon AOC + named village: 15%
Bonnezeaux AOC: 15%
Coteaux du Layon AOC Premier Cru Chaume: 16.5%
Quarts de Chaume Grand Cru AOC: 18%

Question 33

What is the difficulty with sweet wine Market and what do producers do to overcome it?

Answer 33

Generally low demand. As a result, producers switched to producing lower volumes sweet wine and higher volumes dry wine.

Question 34

Summarise Savennières AOC.

Answer 34

Small but prestigious mainly fully dry CB.
South-facing slopes, low-fertility, rocky schist and low yield give concentration and ripeness. Very high acidity often high alcohol. Can be very austere in youth, historically required many years in bottle to be approachable . As vineyard management improved and generally warmer weather, now some concentrated but slightly more fruity, approachable style. Maximum 50 hL/ha. Some premium cuvées using proportion new oak.
2 smaller AOCs: Savennières La Roche aux Moines AOC and Coulée de Serrant AOC. Warm sites on slopes facing the Loire, riper fruit. Lower max yield (30 hL/ha -dry wines). Coulée de Serrant AOC is monopole, owned exclusively, farmed biodynamically by Nicolas Joly, a figurehead of biodynamic movement.

Question 35

Summarise Rosé de Loire AOC.

Answer 35

Range varieties: CF, CS, Gamay, Grolleau Noir.
Maximum 60 hL/ha and dry.
Can produced outside Anjou-Saumur, rarely is.

Question 36

Summarise Rosé d’Anjou AOC.

Answer 36

Mainly Grolleau though other options include 2 Cabernets, Cot and Gamay.
Maximum 65 hL/ha (low intensity).
Typically M pink-orange (some lighter examples now made), M red berry fruit, M (+) acidity and M alcohol; M dry.
Inexpensive to mid-price, acceptable to good, some very good examples. Popular wine and best-selling of 3 AOCs.

Question 37

Summarise Cabernet d’Anjou AOC.

Answer 37

Must from CF and CS.
Maximum 60 hL/ha.
Deeper colour than most rosé (M pink), M-dry.

Question 38

Summarise Saumur AOC.

Answer 38

White, red and rosé, and sparkling.
Whites from CB.
Reds principally from CF .
Rosés from CF and CS. Max 60 hL/ha - whites, 57 hL/ha - reds and rosés, some low intensity.

Question 39

Summarise Coteaux de Saumur AOC.

Answer 39

Sweet CB with over-ripe grapes, with or without botrytis, picked in number of passes.
Max 35hl/ha.
Lusciously sweet, balanced with high acidity.

Question 40

Summarise Saumur-Champigny AOC.

Answer 40

Reds principally from CF (min 85%).
Typically pale ruby, M to M (+) redcurrant , sometimes leafy aromas, M alcohol, H acidity and M tannin.
Soils: chalk, flint and clay. Good drainage and water holding (valuable in dry periods).
Max. 57 hL/ ha (some low intensity).
May released early as December year of harvest. Most intended drunk young.
Very successful in bars and bistros of Paris from 1970s onwards with Saint-Cyr-en-Bourg co-operative (now Cave Robert et Marcel) championing CF in a light, accessible style. Good to very good, inexpensive to mid-price, few premium examples, eg, Clos Rougeard.

Question 41

Summarise Touraine AOC.

Answer 41

White, red, rosé and sparkling.
Whites: principal SB.
Red, principal CF and Cot. Gamay also grown, variety name may attached, i.e. Touraine AOC Gamay.
Rosé may made from wide range varieties: 2 Cabernets, Cot, Gamay and Grolleau.
Possibility adding name of 1 of 6 sub-zones, e.g. Touraine AOC Amboise. Allows differences between varieties used, reflecting what grown locally. Thus, Touraine AOC Amboise Blanc is from CB, not SB.
Can also affect maximum yields. eg, Touraine AOC Blanc allows 65 hL/ha, Touraine AOC Amboise Blanc limited to 55 hL/ha.

Question 42

Summarise Vouvray AOC.

Answer 42

Most important white appellation in Touraine.
Min. 95% CB, typically 100%. Max 52 hL/ha.
Best vineyards are slopes overlook Loire, promoting ripening due to good sunlight interception with river moderate temperatures.
Soils are flinty, clay and limestone over a tuff, enabling good drainage. Away from Loire clay increases making soils colder, inhibiting ripening.
Dry Vouvray made every vintage; some demi-sec most years, sweet is rarer. Anjou sweet wines can be made almost every vintage. Unless marked on label, can be difficult to know a Vouvray is dry or sweet.

Question 43

Summarise Montlouis-sur-Loire AOC.

Answer 43

Faces Vouvray across south bank of river making very similar wines from 100% CB. Max. 52 hL/ha.
Vineyards run from Loire Valley across to Cher. Due to an influx of newcomers over past 30 years, part due to vineyards cheaper than Vouvray, Montlouis (used to be less well known) become a very dynamic appellation with significant proportion estates run organically or biodynamically.

Question 44

What are the 3 important appellations for red wines within Touraine?

Answer 44

Bourgueil AOC.
Saint-Nicolas-de-Bourgueil AOC.
Chinon AOC.

Question 45

Summarise Bourgueil AOC.

Answer 45

Specializes in reds, though rosé also made.
Principal variety CF and only 10% CS allowed.
Max 55 hL/ha ( light intensity), many are high quality, lower yields.

Question 46

Summarise Saint-Nicolas-de-Bourgueil AOC.

Answer 46

Generally makes CF in lighter style than Bourgueil AOC.
Similar in style and price to Saumur-Champigny AOC.

Question 47

Summarise chinon AOC.

Answer 47

Best known and highly regarded for reds.
Whites from CB and rosé also made.
Principal variety CF and only 10% CS allowed.
Max. 55 hL/ha (low intensity), many are high quality, lower yields.
Range from light fruity, early to drink from a short maceration (6–8 days) to more structured and powerful wines with longer maceration (2–3 weeks) not released until up to 2 years following vintage, adding cost. In general, most structured and concentrated wines made with grapes grown on clay and limestone soils, rather than sandy or gravelly soils, typically produce lighter styles.
While most CF wines made to be drunk young, wines with longer maceration periods (especially good vintages) can age for 20 years and more, due to very good intensity of fruit, high acidity and M to M (+) tannins. Most are good to very good, inexpensive to mid-price, a few premium examples.
All 3 appellations (Bourgueil, Saint-Nicolas-de-Bourgueil and Chinon) have 3 types of soil: sand, gravel and clay-limestone. Wines from sandy soils said to produce lightest wines (earliest ready to drink), while those from clay-limestone (most structured and long lived).

Question 48

What are the top varieties planted in Central vineyards?

Answer 48

Sauvignon Blanc
Pinot Noir
Gamay

Question 49

What is the climate like in Central vineyards?

Answer 49

Continental, cold winters and warm summers.
Spring frosts, summer hailstorms.
Long growing-season day lengths (compared to Bordeaux, even more so to Marlborough) combined with low light intensity and low heat makes restrained flavours in final wines.
Rainfall surprisingly high (750 mm) - reduces chances of drought, increases threat of fungal diseases.

Question 50

Describe Sauvignon Blanc.

Answer 50

Late budding.
Relatively early ripening (cool climates and regions with threat of early autumn rains).
Vigorous (best grown on poor soils). Canopy has to be carefully managed to avoid shading.
Powdery mildew, botrytis bunch rot and trunk diseases (e.g. Esca) including, if cordon- trained, to fungal disease eutypa dieback.
Tpically pronounced grass, bell pepper and asparagus with gooseberry, grapefruit and wet stone flavours (cooler areas) to riper, passion fruit (warmer areas). Typically M body and alcohol and high acidity.
Fruit grown in shadier conditions - more green pepper and grassy notes, while grown with more sunlight will have more tropical fruit. Picking date important, growers have to judge optimum ripeness before acidity drops and flavours become over-ripe.
In Central Vineyards, 70% are SB.

Question 51

Describe Pinot Noir.

Answer 51

Central Vineyards, 20% are PN.
M ruby colour, light to M raspberry, strawberry, high acidity and M alcohol. Mid- price to premium.

Question 52

What’s the winemaking like in Central vineyards?

Answer 52

Typical fermentation temperature slighter higher (upper part cool to lowest part mid-range) for more restrained fruit expression.
Malo often blocked but some allow it depending on style and vintage.
Higher quality wines may aged in old oak casks to fill out body, but typically without addition new oak flavours. Thus, in Sancerre, François Cotat, use old oak and extensive lees work to produce a wine for long ageing, while others, such as Henri Bourgeois, include a heavily oaked wine in their range.

Question 53

Summarise Sancerre AOC.

Answer 53

White: SB only, red and rosé: PN only.
Largest Central Vineyards appellations, most commercially successful.
Steep hillside slopes (200–400m), river and nearby forests provide moderating influences against frosts in spring.
Max. 65 hL/ha for whites, 63 hL/ ha for rosés, 59 hL/ha for reds. While max yields are high, SB can produce sufficient flavour intensity, but reduced yields needed for Pinot Noir.
Whites typically M grapefruit and gooseberry, M alcohol and high acidity. Rarely have new oak flavours. Good to outstanding, mid-price to premium, few super-premium (e.g. Didier Dagueneau or François Cotat).
3 types of soil:
* Caillottes – very shallow (25–40 mm) over limestone: Produce most aromatic wines - first to be ready to drink, less potential for bottle aging.
* Terre Blanches – same limestone and marl found in Chablis. Slow ripening - include some Sancerre’s most famous vineyards: Côte des Monts Damnés. Produce most structured wines need long maturation before drink, age well.
* Silex – flinty soils accumulates heat and leads to early ripening, e.g. Les Romains, next to Loire. Produce wines with stony or smoky aromas.

Question 54

Summarise Pouilly Fumé AOC.

Answer 54

SB only, same max. yield as Sancerre. Pouilly-Fumé and other appellations listed below are on flatter land than Sancerre hence much more prone to frost damage in spring (Some installed wind machines). Same range soils as Sancerre. Similar price, quality to Sancerre.
Broadly, little rounder, less aromatic than Sancerre and often needs little more time – 6m to a year in bottle – to really start to show.

Question 55

Summarise Reuilly AOC.

Answer 55

Whites from SB only, reds from PN only, rosé from PG and PN, same max yields as Sancerre for 3 categories of wine respectively.

Question 56

Summarise Quincy AOC.

Answer 56

Whites only from SB (min 90%) and Sauvignon Gris, same max yield as Sancerre.

Question 57

Summarise Menetou-Salon AOC.

Answer 57

Same range wines and max yields as Sancerre. Vines planted on gentle south facing slopes, more vulnerable to frost than neighbouring Sancerre. Wines of Reuilly, Quincy and Menetou-Salon typically good to very good, inexpensive to mid-priced.

Question 58

There is recurrently no cru system in appellations of the Central Vineyards. However, individual vineyard sites are growing in importance with more and more producers releasing wines from single vineyards. Give 2 examples.

Answer 58

Les Monts Damnés (Chavignol) and Les Belles Dames (both in Sancerre).

Question 59

How do producers promotes their wines in Central vineyards?

Answer 59

Appellations of Central Vineyards promote their wines together via Bureau Interprofessionnel des Vins du Centre (BIVC).

Question 60

How’s the structure of the Industry in Loire?

Answer 60

Family owned businesses very important. Steady flow of French people from outside valley choosing to change from working in large cities opting to set up as wine producers.
Négociants very important selling 50% all wine. Estates 41%, co-operatives under 10%.
Distinction between négociants and estates become somewhat blurred over last 20 years. Négociants increasingly vinify themselves. Large négociant companies have wineries spread across Loire from Pays Nantais to Sancerre. Some bought prestige estates. Ackerman buying Château de Varière (Anjou) and Château de Sancerre.
Equally, increasing number family estates has a négociant side to their business. This tendency accelerated with recent frosts and hail damage, which severely reduced their crop, so buying in grapes, juice or wine can be a way keeping clients, avoiding severe financial problems.

Question 61

What are the top export markets for Loire AOC wine?

Answer 61

US, UK and Germany.

Question 62

Who was the founder of the Renaissances des appellations/ Return to Terroir group, now a worldwide group of biodynamic producers (more producers in the Loire than other region).

Answer 62

Nicolas Joly.

Question 63

Loire is also a centre of natural winemaking, what are the wines often being produced as?

Answer 63

Vin de France.