6. The Loire Valley Flashcards

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1
Q

What are the four districts of the Loire Valley (east to west)?

A

1) Pays Nantais (lower)
2) Anjou-Saumur (middle)
3) Touraine (middle)
4) Central Vineyards (upper)

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2
Q

What is the largest district with land under vine?

A

Anjou-Saumur

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3
Q

What is the main variety of Pays Nantais?

A

Melon/Melon de Bourgogne/Muscadet

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4
Q

What is the climate of Pays Nantais?

A

Cool maritime climate with cool springs, warm and humid summers

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5
Q

What are two key weather threats in Pays Nantais?

A

1) Frost
2) Excess rain

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6
Q

When does Melon bud?

A

Early

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7
Q

When does Melon ripen?

A

Early

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8
Q

What two disease pressures is Melon vulnerable to?

A

1) Botrytis
2) Downy mildew

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9
Q

Since 2018 basic Muscadet may include 10% of what variety?

A

Chardonnay

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10
Q

Is chaptalisation permitted in Pays Nantais?

A

Yes up to 12% abv potential alcohol

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11
Q

What two vessel types is Muscadet typically fermented and matured in?

A

1) Lrge, shallow underground glass-lined concrete
vats
2) Stainless steel

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12
Q

Is MLC common for Muscadet?

A

No

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13
Q

Besides adding body, sur lie has what benefit for Muscadet?

A

Retains freshness and CO2

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14
Q

What are the four Muscadet appellations?

A

1) Muscadet Sèvre et Maine AOC
2) Muscadet AOC
3) Muscadet Coteaux de la
Loire AOC
4) Muscadet Côtes de Grandlieu AOC

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15
Q

What is the maximum yield for Muscadet AOC?

A

70 hL/ha

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16
Q

What is the maximum yield for all Muscadet appellations besides Muscadet AOC?

A

55 hL/ha

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17
Q

What are the conditions of a wine labelled sur lie?

A

Must be bottled between 1 March and 30 November of the year following harvest and in the winery
in which it was made

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18
Q

What is the maximum yield of the ten Muscadet cru communaux?

A

45 hL/ha

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19
Q

Why can the ten Muscadet cru communaux not be labelled sur lie?

A

The extended lees ageing means they’re bottled after the date required for sur lie

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20
Q

Name three cru communaux in Muscadet

A

1) Clisson
2) Gorges
3) Le Pallet

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21
Q

What are the principal grape varieties of the middle Loire?

A

1) Chenin Blanc
2) Cabernet Franc
3) Sauvignon Blanc

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22
Q

What is the climate of Touraine?

A

Continental

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23
Q

What Anjour-Saumur river creates the misty conditions
ideal for the spread of botrytis

A

River Layon

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24
Q

What are the soils of Anjou-Saumur and Touraine?

A

Clay-limestone, flint-clay, sand, gravel and
tuff with more schist and limestone in Anjou and more chalk in Touraine

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25
Q

What two rootstocks are used in the Loire Valley and why?

A

1) Fercal and Riparia Gloire de
Montpellier
2) Protect the vines from chlorosis

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26
Q

When does Chenin Blanc bud?

A

Early

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27
Q

Why is the amount of mechanical harvesting limited for Chenin Blanc?

A

It ripens unevenly, so may require multiple passes of hand-harvesting

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28
Q

Chenin Blanc is prone to what two disease pressures?

A

1) Botrytis
2) Powdery mildew

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29
Q

When does Cabernet Franc bud?

A

Early

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30
Q

When is Cabernet Franc prone to?

A

Coulure

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31
Q

What might Cabernet Franc be blended with in eastern Touraine?

A

Malbec/Cot

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32
Q

Besides Cabernet Franc and Chenin Blanc, what three other varieties are grown in the middle Loire?

A

1) Grolleau Noir
2) Gamay
3) Cabernet Sauvignon

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33
Q

What are the three regional appellations in the middle Loire?

A

1) Anjou AOC
2) Saumur AOC
3) Touraine AOC

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34
Q

What are the three regulations for Anjou AOC?

A

1) A maximum yield of 60 hL/ha for red or white wines
2) Anjou Blanc must have a minimum of 80
per cent Chenin Blanc
3) Anjou Rouge a minimum of 70 per cent of Cabernet Franc and/or Cabernet Sauvignon

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35
Q

What are the three regulations for Anjou Villages AOC?

A

1) Still red wine only, made entirely from Cabernet Franc and
Cabernet Sauvignon, either singly or blended
2) Maximum yield is 55 hL/ha
3) The wines can only be released in September the year after harvest

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36
Q

What is Coteaux du Layon AOC?

A

An appellation for noble rot/late harvest Chenin Blanc

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37
Q

What two appellations with Coteaux de Layon have a reputation for high quality sweet wines?

A

1) Bonnezeaux AOC
2) Quarts de
Chaume AOC

38
Q

Which appellation became the Loire Valley’s first Grand Cru in 2019?

A

Quarts de Chaume AOC

39
Q

What are the two smaller appellations with Savennieres AOC?

A

1) Savennières La Roche aux Moines
AOC
2) Coulée de Serrant AOC

40
Q

Explain four reasons why Savennieres AOC achieves concentration and ripeness

A

1) South-facing slopes
2) Low-fertility
3) Rocky schist soils
4) Low yields

41
Q

What are the three rose appellations of Anjou-Saumur?

A

1) Rose de Loire AOC
2) Cabernet d’Anjou AOC
3) Rose d’Anjou AOC

42
Q

What is the main variety used for Rose d’Anjou AOC?

A

Grolleau Noir

43
Q

Rose de Loire AOC is commonly produced using which four grape varieties?

A

1) Cabernet
Franc
2) Cabernet Sauvignon
3) Gamay
4) Grolleau Noir

44
Q

What two varieties must be used for Cabernet d’Anjou AOC?

A

1) Cabernet Franc
2) Cabernet Sauvignon

45
Q

What are the three key appellations of Saumur?

A

1) Saumur AOC
2) Saumur-Champigny AOC
3) Coteaux de Saumur AOC

46
Q

What wine style is made in Coteaux de Saumur AOC?

A

Late harvest/botryitis sweet Chenin

47
Q

Saumur-Champigny must be what per cent of what variety?

A

1) Cabernet Franc
2) 85%

48
Q

What are the six key appellations of Touraine?

A

1) Touraine AOC
2) Vouvray AOC
3) Montlouis-sur-Loire AOC
4) Bourgeuil AOC
5) Saint-Nicolas-de-Bourgueil AOC
6) Chinon AOC

49
Q

What are the three principal varieties of Saumur AOC?

A

1) Chenin Blanc
2) Cabernet Franc
3) Cabernet Sauvignon

50
Q

What are the three principal varieties of Touraine AOC?

A

1) Sauvignon Blanc
2) Cabernet Franc
3) Cot

51
Q

Touraine AOC rose may be made from a wide range of varieties including which five?

A

1) Cabernet Franc
2) Cabernet Sauvignon
3) Cot
4) Gamay
5) Grolleau

52
Q

What is Touraine AOC Amboise?

A

One of six villages within Touraine AOC that allow differences between the varieties used.

In this case, Chenin Blanc is the variety used

53
Q

Vouvray AOC must be what minimum per cent of what variety?

A

1) Chenin Blanc
2) 95%

54
Q

Describe the soils of Vouvray AOC

A

Flinty, clay and limestone over a tuff, enabling good
drainage

55
Q

Vouvray AOC can only make sweet wines in certain vintages, unlike Anjou where sweet wines can be made in almost every
vintage. Why?

A

It has less Atlantic influence and away from the Loire the percentage of clay increases making the soils colder,
inhibiting ripening

56
Q

Compared with Bourgeuil AOC, Saint-Nicolas-de-Bourgueil AOC’s wines are what?

A

Lighter

57
Q

What are the soil types of Bourgeuil AOC, Saint-Nicolas-de-Bourgueil AOC’s and Chinon AOC?

A

Sand, gravel and clay-limestone

58
Q

Anjou-Saumur produces roughly twice the wine of Touraine. Explain the three main differences between the two regions

A

1) rosé production in Anjou is more than ten times rosé production in Touraine
2) Anjou-Saumur makes significantly more more sparkling wine than Touraine
3) Touraine makes significantly more white and red wine than Anjou-Saumur

59
Q

What is the climate of the Central Vineyards?

A

Continental

60
Q

What weather conditions account for the restraint of the wines from the Central Vineyards?

A

1) Long growing-season day lengths
2) Low light intensity
and low heat

61
Q

What climatic condition is unusual for a the Central Vineyards considering it’s a continental climate?

A

High annual rainfall (750mm)

62
Q

What are the two principal varieties of the Central Vineyards?

A

1) Sauvignon Blanc
2) Pinot Noir

63
Q

When does Sauvignon Blanc bud?

A

Late

64
Q

When does Sauvignon Blanc ripen?

A

Early

65
Q

What four disease pressures is Sauvignon Blanc prone to?

A

1) Powdery mildew
2) Botrytis bunch rot
3) Esca
4) Eutypa dieback.

66
Q

Sauvignon Blanc grown in shadier conditions will result in what flavour characteristics?

A

Green pepper and grassy notes

67
Q

What are the five main appellations of the Central Vineyards?

A

1) Sancerre
2) Pouilly-Fume
3) Menetou-Salon
4) Quincy
5) Reuilly

68
Q

What are the three soil types of Sancerre?

A

1) Silex
2) Caillottes
3) Terre Blanches

69
Q

What is the largest appellation of the Central Vineyards?

A

Sancerre

70
Q

At what elevation are vineyards in Sancerre planted?

A

200-400m

71
Q

Describe Caillottes

A

Very shallow soils (25–40 mm) over limestone

72
Q

Describe the fruit grown on Caillottes

A

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

73
Q

Describe Terre Blanches

A

The same limestone and marl that is to be found in Chablis

74
Q

What are two famous vineyards planted on Terre Blanches?

A

1) Côte des
Monts Damnés
2) Cul de Beaujeu

75
Q

Describe the fruit grown on Terre Blanches

A

Said to produce the most structured wines that need long maturation before they are ready to drink and age well

76
Q

Describe Silex

A

Flinty soils that accumulates heat and leads to early ripening

77
Q

Describe the fruit grown on Silex

A

Said to produce wines with stony or smoky
aromas

78
Q

Why are the appellations of the Central Vineyards other than Sancerre more prone to frost?

A

They are on flatter land

79
Q

Compare Pouilly-Fume to Sancerre in terms of the wine’s major differences

A

Pouilly-Fume tends to be a little rounder and less aromatic than Sancerre and
often needs a little more time

80
Q

What are the wines of Reuilly AOC? (3)

A

1) White wines from Sauvignon Blanc only
2) Red from Pinot Noir
3) Rosé from
Pinot Gris and Pinot Noir

81
Q

What are the wines of Quincy AOC?

A

White wines only from Sauvignon Blanc (minimum 90 per cent) and Sauvignon
Gris

82
Q

What three reasons contribute to the vines of Menetou-Salon more vulnerable to frost than neighbouring Sancerre?

A

1) Flatter south-facing slopes
2) Further from the moderating influence of the Loire
3) Less protection from nearby forests

83
Q

Which Loire Valley appellation is the second oldest in France founded in 1936?

A

Quincy AOC

84
Q

What is the sales split between negociants, estates and co-operatives?

A

50% negociants
41% estates
9% co-operatives

85
Q

Provide four examples of negociants purchasing prestige estates

A

1) Grand Chais de France purchased Chateau des Fesles (Bonnezeaux) and Chateau de Cleray (Muscadet SEM)
2) Ackerman buying Chateau de Variere (Anjou) and Chateau de Sancerre

86
Q

The lines between negociant and estate has become blurred in recent years. How?

A

Many negociants have opted to vinfy their wines themselves rather than relying mainly on buying finished wine.

87
Q

An increasing number of family estates has a negociant side to their business. Why?

A

Frost and hail have reduced crop levels so buying grapes, juice or wine can be a way of keeping their clients and avoiding financial problems

88
Q

Exports account for 20% of Loire Valley wine sales. What are the top three?

A

1) US
2) UK
3) Germany

89
Q

What is the leading appellation of the Loire Valley for export sales by value and volume?

A

Sancerre

90
Q

Who founded the Renaisssances des appellations/Return to Terroir, a worldwide group of biodynamic producers with more producers in the Loire than anywhere else?

A

Nicolas Joly