Loire Breakdown Flashcards
Loire Overview
Main regions from W to E - Nantes, Anjou, Savenieres, Saumur, Saumur-Champigny, Chinon, Vouvray, Touraine, Sancerre, Pouilly-Fume.
The key varieties are Melon in the Pays Nantais, Chenin Blanc and Cabernet Franc in middle Loire (Anjou-Saumur and Touraine, though the latter also grows Sauvignon Blanc), and Sauvignon Blanc (and to a lesser extent Pinot Noir) in the Central Vineyards, the area that includes Sancerre and Pouilly- Fumé.
Pays Nantais
Pays Nantais has a cool maritime climate with cool springs, warm and humid summers and the threat of rain at any time through the growing season but especially in March/April (affecting flowering) and in September (affecting harvest). However, predominantly well- drained soils help to offset the regular rainfall. Despite the proximity of the Atlantic, spring frosts are a serious problem
Chaptalization is permitted up to 12% abv potential alcohol and is practiced in cooler years.
There are two larger appellations, Muscadet de Sèvre et Maine AOC (at 6,400 ha the Loire’s largest appellation) and Muscadet AOC (70hl/ha), and two much smaller ones, Muscadet Coteaux de la Loire AOC and Muscadet Côtes de Grandlieu AOC.
The labelling term sur lie may be added in any of the four appellations. Sur lie wines must be bottled between 1 March and 30 November of the year following harvest and in the winery in which they were made. 55hl/ha yield.
ten Muscadet cru communaux, have been launched, including Clisson, Gorges and Le Pallet. If the grapes are grown exclusively in one of the defined areas, the name can be added, for example, Muscadet de Sèvre et Maine AOC Clisson. These wines have a lower maximum yield at 45 hL/ha. The wines have to be kept on the lees for 18 months (Le Pallet) or 24 months (Clisson, Gorges), adding cost. However, they cannot be labelled as sur lie as the requirement for long lees ageing means that they are bottled after the date required for sur lie. The wines are typically rounder and more complex with longer finishes.
Anjou-Saumur and Touraine
The moderating influence of the Atlantic Ocean decreases progressively in Anjou-Saumur and then Touraine. In Anjou-Saumur, the maritime effect is more marked. Touraine has a continental climate with cold winters and warm summers, but this is not as extreme as in the Central Vineyards. 700mm rain in both. including clay-limestone, flint-clay, sand, gravel and tuff. There is more schist and limestone in Anjou and more chalk in Touraine
The main grapes are - Chenin blanc, Cabernet Franc, Grolleau Noir (used mainly as a blending variety in rosés, especially Rosé d’Anjou and Rosé de Loire), Gamay Noir (carbonic mostly in Touraine), and Cabernet Sauvignon (blending red/rose)
Anjou Appellations
Anjou AOC can make blanc, rouge, and rose wines while Anjou Villages AOC is for still red wine only, made entirely from Cabernet Franc and Cabernet Sauvignon with lower max yield of 55hl/ha
Coteaux du Layon AOC (35hl/ha and 14% abv at harvest)- right bank of the Layon River, It specializes in wines made from botrytis-affected Chenin Blanc grapes. Stricter regulations apply to Coteaux du Layon AOC + named village. Two areas within the geographical area of Coteaux de Layon have a high-quality reputation for sweet wine wines and are appellations in their own right, Bonnezeaux AOC and Quarts de Chaume AOC (strictest rules, yields 20hl/ha and ABV 18% at harvest). Quarts de Chaume became the Loire’s first grand cru in 2019 and Coteaux du Layon AOC Chaume became a premier cru.
Savennières AOC – This is a small but prestigious appellation mainly specialising in fully dry wine made from Chenin Blanc. These wines have very high acidity and often reach high levels of alcohol. They can be very austere in youth and historically have required many years in bottle before they became approachable. South- facing slopes, low-fertility, rocky schist soils and low yields
Rose Appellations
- *Rosé de Loire AOC - dry rose.** Range of varieties ok. 60hl/ha yield.
- *Rosé d’Anjou AOC - medium dry rose.** mainly made from Grolleau though other options include the two Cabernets, Cot and Gamay. 65hl/ha yield.
- *Cabernet d’Anjou AOC - medium dry** but often sweetest rose. Cabernet Franc and Cabernet Sauvignon only. 60hl/ha yield.
Saumur Appellations
Saumur AOC - for blanc, rouge and rose wines. Maximum yields are relatively high 60 hL/ha for whites and 57 hL/ha for reds and rosés,
Coteaux de Saumur AOC – Sweet Chenin Blanc wines are made as Coteaux de Saumur AOC with over-ripe grapes, with or without botrytis. Maximum yields are limited to 35 hL/ha
Saumur-Champigny AOC – This is an appellation for red wines made principally from Cabernet Franc, minimum 85 per cent. Soils with chalk, flint and clay offer a helpful combination of good drainage and water- holding potential. Max yield 57 hl/ha. The wine may be released as early as December of the year of the harvest. Most wines are intended to be drunk young
Touraine Appellations
Touraine AOC - makes blanc (from Chenin Blanc and Sauvignon blanc), rouge (from Cabernet Franc and Cot) and rose. In addition to the basic Touraine AOC, there is the possibility of adding the name of one of six sub-zones, which will limit yield.
Vouvray AOC – This is the most important white wine appellation in Touraine. The wines must be made from a minimum of 95 per cent Chenin Blanc and are typically 100 per cent. soils are flinty, clay and limestone over a tuff. soils are flinty, clay and limestone over a tuff. Wine styles can be dry, demi-sec, or sweet (which is rare)
Montlouis-sur-Loire AOC – 100% Chenin blanc, cheaper land. max yield 52hl/ha.
Bourgueil AOC – This appellation specializes in red wines, some rose made. The principal variety is Cabernet Franc and only ten per cent of Cabernet Sauvignon is allowed
St-Nicolas-de-Bourgueil AOC – This appellation generally makes Cabernet Franc in a lighter style than Bourgueil AOC
Chinon AOC – This appellation is best known and highly regarded for red wines. white and rose also made. In general, the most structured and concentrated wines are made with grapes grown on clay and limestone soils, rather than those from vines on sandy or gravelly soils, which typically produce lighter styles.
All three red appellations (Bourgueil, St-Nicolas-de-Bourgueil and Chinon) have three types of soil: sand, gravel and clay-limestone.
Central Vineyards
this region has a continental climate with cold winters and warm summers. Spring frosts are a threat as are summer hailstorms. Long growing-season day lengths (compared to Bordeaux and even more so to Marlborough, New Zealand) combined with low intensity and low heat makes for restrained flavours in the final wines. high rain 750mm
In the winery typical fermentation temperatures in the Central Vineyards for white wines are slightly higher than in the new world (upper part of cool to lowest part of mid-range, rather than cool) for more restrained fruit expression than in the new world. Steep hillside slopes.
Maximum yields are set at 65 hL/ha for white wines, 63 hL/ ha for rosés and 59 hL/ha for reds
Sancerre AOC – Sancerre produces white from Sauvignon Blanc only and red and rosé wines from Pinot Noir only.
There are three types of soil:
• Caillottes – very shallow soils (25–40 mm) over limestone: fruit grown on these soils are said to produce the most aromatic wines that are first to be ready to drink and to have less potential for ageing in the bottle
• Terre Blanches – the same limestone and marl that is to be found in Chablis. Slow ripening on these soils which include some of Sancerre’s most famous vineyards: Côte des Monts Damnés, Cul de Beaujeu. Fruit grown on these soils are said to produce the most structured wines that need long maturation before they are ready to drink and age well.
• Silex – flinty soils that accumulates heat and leads to early ripening, e.g. Les Romains, next to the Loire. Fruit grown on these soils are said to produce wines with stony or smoky aromas.
Pouilly-Fumé AOC – Sauvignon Blanc only. flatter land than Sancerre and hence are much more prone to frost damage in the spring. Pouilly-Fumé tends to be a little rounder and less aromatic than Sancerre and often needs a little more time – six months to a year in bottle – to really start to show.
Other regions include:
Reuilly AOC (white, red, rose), Quincy AOC (white only), Menetou-Salon AOC (white, red rose).
no cru system in the appellations of the Central Vineyards
Wine Business
Anjou-Saumur produces around twice as much wine as Touraine
rosé production in Anjou is more than ten times the production in Touraine
Anjou-Saumur makes significantly more more sparkling wine than Touraine
Touraine makes significantly more white and red wine than Anjou-Saumur
Many estates trace with pride the number of generations in the family that have tended vines and made wine.
For Loire AOC wines the largest channel in France is wine retail and hospitality, then supermarkets. Exports were 20 per cent. top markets are US, UK and Germany.
Sancerre outperforms all the other still wine appellations by both volume and value
