Central Vineyards - Loire Valley Flashcards
Climate
Continental with cold winters and warm summers
Spring frosts and summer hailstorms are a threat
Long day lengths, with low light intensity and low heat make for restrained flavors in the final wines (more so than say New Zealand)
Rainfall is 750mm (high for a continental climate). Reduces drought but increases fungal
Sauvignon Blanc
Late budding and early ripening so suitable for cool climates with a threat of autumn rain
Is vigorous and so best on infertile soils. Needs careful canopy management so the grapes are not shaded which would lead to under ripe overly green flavors.
Prone to powdery mildew, botrytis bunch rot and trunk diseases (esca) and if cordon trained (eutypa dieback)
Typically pronounced aromas of grass, bell pepper, and asparagus with gooseberry, grapefruit, wet stones. with passionfruit in warmer areas (nz). medium body and alcohol with high acidity
Row orientation and canopy management can impact the flavor profile. Shadier conditions will result in more green pepper and grassy notes where more sunlight will have more tropical.
Picking date important. looking for optimum ripeness before the acidity drops and flavors become over ripe
Grapes
70% Sauv Blanc
20% Pinot Noir
Pinot Noir
20% of plantings.
Medium ruby, light to med intensity raspberry, strawberry; high acid, med alcohol
mid price to prem
Winemaking
Whites:
Fermentation temps are higher than new world at the upper end of cool to lowest of mid range (rather than cool) for a more restrained fruit expression.
MLF is often blocked but some will allow it depending on the style and vintage.
Higher quality may be aged in old oak to fill out the body of the wine but no new oak.
Appellations
Sancerre Pouilly Fume Reuilly Quincy Menetou Salon
Sancerre
White from Sauv Blanc and Red and Rose from Pinot Noir
Largest and most commercially successful of the central vineyards.
Steep hillside slopes of 200 - 400m, the river, and nearby forests provide moderating influences against spring frosts.
Max yields are 65 for white, 63 rose, and 59 reds. While these are high, Sauv Blanc can produce wines with sufficient flavor intensity at this level. Reduced yields are necessary for quality pinot noir
Three soil types:
Caillottes: very shallow (25 - 40mm) over limestone. most aromatic wines, first to be ready to drink and less ageing potential.
Terre Blanches. Limestone and marl found in chablis, slow ripening, some of the best vineyards (Cote des Monts Damnes, Cul de Beaujeu). most structured wines needing long maturation and ageing well
Silex: flinty soils accumulating heat and leading to early ripening (Les Romans). Mineral and smoky
Medium intensity grapefruit, gooseberry, med alcohol, high acid (rarely new oak). Good to outstanding and mid to prem with a few super (Didier Dagueneau and Francois Cotat)
Pouilly Fume
Sauvignon Blanc only
65 hl/ha
On flatter land than Sancerre and much more prone to frost damage in spring. Some using wind machines.
Same soil ranges as Sancerre.
Similar price and quality but little rounder and less aromatic than Sancerre. Needs a little more time (6 mo to a year) in bottle to begin to show.
Reuilly
Whites from Sauv Blanc and Reds from Pinot Noir
Rose from Pinot Gris and Pinot Noir
Max yields are 65 for white, 63 rose, and 59 reds.
On flatter land than Sancerre and much more prone to frost damage in spring. Some using wind machines.
Good to very good, inexpensive to mid
Quincy
White wines from Sauv Blanc (min 90%) and Sauvignon Gris
Max yields of 65
On flatter land than Sancerre and much more prone to frost damage in spring. Some using wind machines.
Good to very good, inexpensive to mid
Menetou Salon
Whites from Sauv Blanc; Red and Rose from Pinot Noir
Max yields are 65 for white, 63 rose, and 59 reds.
Gentle south facing slopes but still more frost danger than Sancerre
Good to very good, inexpensive to mid
Wine Business - Loire Valley
Family owned businesses very important with some having many generations.
Negociants sell 50% of wine by vol with the top 10 accounting for 80%. Estates 40% and coops just 10%.
Lines between Negociants and domaines is blurring with Nego’s opting to vinify themselves rather than buying wine. Some are also buying up domaines like Grand Chais de France buying Chateau des Fesles and Ch de Cleray and Ackerman buying Ch de Variere and Ch de Sancerre.
Also many families are adding a nego side. this has increased as frost and hail have reduced vintages so buying in grapes or wine can help.
In France supermarkets are 50% followed by hospitality.
Exports are stable with UK, Germany, and US accounting for 60%. Sancerre is largest export by vol and val and has a 50% higher price than other whites.
Loire vineyard trends
Number of well known organic and biodynamic producers.
Nicolas Joly was the founder of the Renaissances des appellations (return to terroir), now a worldwide group of biodynamic producers. More in the Loire than any other region
Total production certified as organic is below French avg but not surprisign with cool damp climate.
