Loire Flashcards
The Loire has a long history of winemaking and trading. Why?
Access to the Atlantic, home of French kings until Louis XIV and proximity to Paris. Wines being transported on the river before the coming of the railway.
Name the distinct wine regions in Loire from inland moving downstream towards the Atlantic.
Sancerre, Touraine, Anjou-Saumur, Pays Nantais
The arrival of spring is how much sooner in Pays Nantais than in Sancerre? Why?
Two weeks. Mostly due to the Atlantic Ocean moderating the climate the further downstream you get.
Principal variety in Pays Nantais? (3 synonyms if possible)
Melon (Melon de Bourgogne, Muscadet)
Top five varieties in Pays Nantais?
Melon, Chardonnay, Gamay, Folle Blanche and Cabernet Franc
In Pays Nantais a grape variety producing very acidic wines sold locally and nationally. Name it.
Folle Blanche
What climate does Pays Nantais have?
Cool maritime climate
Pays Nantais is threatened by rain throughout the whole growing season. What helps to offset the regular rainfall?
Well-drained soils.
Despite the proximity to the Atlantic Ocean Pays Nantais often face a serious problem each spring. What?
Spring frost.
What year did Pays Nantais have a devastating spring frost, and what did it lead to?
- Led to the loss of a booming export market to the UK.
What are growers doing in Pays Nantais to fight spring frost (3)?
Wind machines, heaters and burning straw bales.
In the Muscadet appellation in Pays Nantais, what is the only allowed variety?
Melon.
In the humid climate of Pays Nantais two diseases thrive, two diseases that Melon is susceptible to. Which ones and how do growers fight them?
Downy mildew and botrytis bunch rot. Timely and repeated spraying.
Tasting note for Melon?
High acidity, light body, medium to low alcohol, low intensity of green apple.
Quality and price for Melon wines in Pays Nantais?
Acceptable to good (some very good). Inexpensive to mid-priced.
From 2018 basic Muscadet AOC may include 10% of what variety?
Chardonnay
Pays Nantais has a marginal climate. What is done in the vineyard to help ripen the grapes and fight diseases?
Canopies are more open to aid better air circulation. Leaf removal to make sure the grapes get as much sun as possible.
To determine the harvest date of Melon in Pays Nantais growers nowadays pays special attention to what?
The ripeness of skins and seeds.
Chaptalisation is allowed and used in cooler years in Pays Nantais, up to what abv of alcohol?
12%
Muscadet is fermented in stainless steel but more famous to be fermented in what?
Underground, glass lined concrete vats.
Why is Muscadet fermented in glass-lined underground concrete vats or stainless steel?
To keep the wine as neutral as possible and then age the wine on its lees.
Malolactic conversion. Is it used in Pays Nantais or not? Elaborate.
Typically avoided, preserving the high acidity typical 0f the style.
To raise the profile of Muscadet winemakers are experimenting with skin contact and different types of fermenting vessels. Name a few.
Concrete egg, barrel and amphora
What is the name of the typical,winemaking technique used in Pays Nantais? Why is it used?
Sur lie. To fill out the body of the wine. Without keeping the wine on sir lie the style would be very light and thin.
Go through the sur lie process as it is used in Pays Nantais.
One racking is allowed after alcoholic fermentation to remove gross lees. The wine is then in contact with fine lees through the following winter until bottling.
Other than filling out the body what effects does sur lie have on the wines from Pays Nantais?
The wine retains freshness and may also retain a small amount of carbon dioxide. Part of the style.
Name the two largest appellations in Pays Nantais.
Muscadet Sèvre et Maine AOC (Sèvre is a tributary river to Loire, the same goes for Maine) and Muscadet AOC.
Name the two smaller appellations in Pays Nantais.
Muscadet Coteau de la Loire AOC (the hills of Loire) and Muscadet côte de Grandlieu AOC (Grandlieu is a lake south-west of Nantes)
Max yield for Muscadet AOC?
70 hL/ha
Max yield for Muscadet Sèvre et Maine AOC, Muscadet coteaux de la Loire AOC, Muscadet côtes de Grandlieu AOC and Muscadet sur lie?
55 hL/ha
Sweetness, intensity, acidity and body along with aromas for Muscadet wines?
Dry, with low intensity green apple and grassy notes. High acidity and light body.
Quality and price for Muscadet?
Acceptable to good and inexpensive in price.
Any of the four appellations in Pays Nantais can add “sur lie”. Between what 2 dates must sur lie be bottled? Why can’t négociants buy wine to be aged sur lie?
1 March and 30 November. The wine must be aged sur lie in the winery in which they were made, meaning a négociants can only buy grape, must or bottled wine.
Small, defined areas, often on the same bedrock has been launched in Muscadet . How many and what are they called as a group?
10 cru communaux
Name three cru communaux in Muscadet.
Clisson, Gorges, Le Pallet
In order to be allowed to put a cru communaux name on the bottle, all the grapes must be exclusively harvested from there (on a Muscadet wine). What is max yield for a cru communaux?
45 hL/ha
The cru communaux Le Pallet has to be kept on the lees for how long?
18 months
The cru communaux Clisson and Gorges has to be kept on the lees for how long?
24 months
Why aren’t the cru communaux’ s labelled with sur lie?
Due to their longer lees ageing they will be bottled after the 30 November which is the AOC regulation to be allowed to state sur lie on the bottle.
Muscadet was a huge success in the UK market during the 1980’s. What happened that put the success to a halt?
Devastating frost in 1991 pushed prices up when new world wines (Australia) were becoming popular.
How many percent is sold via négociants in Pays Nantais?
More than 50%
Many smaller négociants in Pays Nantais have been bought up by larger companies. Name a few of them…
Castel, Grand Chais de France and Ackerman.
Top 5 varieties in Anjou-Saumur?
Cabernet Franc , Chenin Blanc, Grolleau Noir, Cabernet Sauvignon, Chardonnay
Top 6 varieties in Touraine?
Cabernet Franc, Chenin Blanc, Sauvignon Blanc, Gamay, Cot, Chardonnay
The moderating influence of the Atlantic decreases as you move away from the coast and further up the Loire valley. What does this do for the climate in Anjou-Saumur and Touraine?
The maritime effect is still marked in Anjou-Saumur while Touraine has continental climate but not as extreme as the central vineyards.
Amount of rain in Anjou-Saumur and Touraine?
Around 700mm
There can be rain throughout the year in Anjou-Saumur and Touraine. What effect can it have in the spring, the summer and in the autumn?
In spring it can affect flowering and fruit set. In summer it can increase disease pressure and in autumn it can affect harvest.
Why are the best exposed sites used for still wines and not sparkling in Anjou-Saumur and Touraine?
Still wines needs a greater level of ripeness in general.
What is the name of the river (tributary to the Loire) that help to create the misty conditions needed for botrytis at the end of the growing season in the Anjou region?
Layon
Name a few of the soil types you can find in Anjou-Saumur and Touraine.
Clay-limestone, tuff, sand, gravel, flint-clay
Rootstocks such as Fercal and Riparia Gloire de Montpellier is often used in Anjou and Touraine. Why?
Due to high lime content rootstocks such as Fercal and Riparia Gloire de Montpellier are used to protect the vines from chlorosis.
What grape variety produces sparkling, dry, off-dry and sweet styles of wine in the middle of the Loire valley?
Chenin Blanc
In the middle of Loire, describe the dry and off-dry styles with Chenin Blanc.
Medium intensity green apple and lemon (sometimes with a steely, smoky character), medium alcohol and high acidity.
General quality and price for Loire valley Chenin Blanc.
Good to very good. Inexpensive to mid-priced.
Name a top quality producer of Chenin Blanc in the Loire valley.
Domaine Huet.
What two things has made Cabernet Franc from middle Loire less overly herbaceous?
Better canopy management (better sun exposure gives river grapes) and warmer summers in general.
Describe a Cabernet Franc from middle Loire.
Medium to pronounced aromas of red fruit (red currant and raspberry) floral (violet) and can have leafy aromas too. Light to medium body, medium tannins and high acidity.
What grape variety is mainly used as a blending variety in Rosé d’Anjou and Rosé de Loire?
Grolleau Noir
Gamay Noir, generally made by carbonic maceration as in Beaujolais, is grown in what 3 regions of the Loire?
Principally grown in Touraine and Central Vineyards, but also in Anjou.
Where does Cabernet Sauvignon perform best in the Loire?
In the warmest sites of temperate Anjou.
Fermentation of Chenin Blanc can last several months in the Loire. Why?
Due to cool to mid-range fermentation temperatures
Typical fermentation vessels for Chenin Blanc in the Loire?
Large old oak or stainless steel.
Malolactic conversion or not for Chenin Blanc in the Loire?
Typically not.
As with Chenin Blanc in the Loire, the aim with Cabernet Franc is to retain primary fruit aromas and flavours. Cabernet Franc is typically aged in what?
Old oak barrels of different sizes.
Name the 3 regional appellations in the middle Loire.
Anjou, Saumur and Touraine
Anjou AOC, max yield for red and white?
60 hL/ha
Anjou Blanc, minimum Chenin Blanc? Anjou rouge, minimum %, and what variety/varieties?
Anjou Blanc must be minimum 80% Chenin Blanc. Anjou rouge must be minimum 70% of Cabernet Franc and/or Cabernet Sauvignon.
Higher quality reds than Anjou AOC? Only for red wines. Name the appellation and the variety/varieties.
Anjou Villages AOC, Cabernet Franc and/or Cabernet Sauvignon. In practise it is mostly Cabernet Franc.
Max yield in Anjou villages?
55 hL/ha
Anjou villages AOC can ONLY be released in what month the year after the harvest?
September.
To use Anjou Villages AOC you need to release your wine in September the year after the harvest. This fact doesn’t suit many of the higher quality producers. What do they write on the label instead?
They leave the AOC system and opt for Vin de France
Large appellation on the slopes of right bank of the Layon river?
Coteaux du Layon AOC
The appellation Coteaux du Layon AOC specialises in what?
Botrytis-affected Chenin Blanc.
Difference between Coteaux du Layon AOC and Coteaux du Layon AOC with a named village (not counting yield and minimum alcohol)?
Coteaux du Layon AOC with a named village can ONLY be botrytis-affected grapes. Coteaux du Layon AOC can be made with grapes dried on the wine if botrytis fails.
What is “tries” in connection with botrytis-affected Chenin Blanc in the Loire valley?
In order to pick ONLY botrytis affected grapes you need to pass the vineyard several times, so called tries. This affects price.
Tasting note for Coteaux du Layon?
Pronounced aromas of cooked citrus and apple with acidity notes. Sweet, medium (+) body, medium alcohol and high acidity.