D3 - Loire: Anjou-Saumur + Touraine Flashcards
Examines the regions, grapes, methods of production, and styles of Anjou-Saumur and Touraine.
The key white and red grapes in Anjou-Saumur are __ and __.
Chenin Blanc and Cabernet Franc
The key white grape in Touraine is ___.
Sauvignon Blanc
There is also Chenin Blanc in Touraine, but Sauvignon Blanc is the key white grape.
In Anjou-Saumur, the maritime influence from the Atlantic is more marked but Touraine has a ___ climate.
Continental
Both Anjou-Saumur and Touraine receive ~__mm rainfall per year.
When does it fall?
700mm, falls throughout the year.
Because rain falls throughout the year in Anjou-Saumur and Touraine, what can it affect?
Flowering, fruit set, harvest – and it increases disease pressure.
In Anjou, which river and its multiple tributaries help create the misty conditions that help with botrytis?
River Layon
In Anjou-Saumur and Touraine there is a wide range of soils, including clay-limestone, flint-clay, sand, gravel and tuff.
There is more __ and __ in Anjou and more __ in Touraine.
- Schist and limestone in Anjou;
- Chalk in Touraine.
Chenin Blanc is vigorous and has thin skins.
It buds __, ripens __, and it also ripens __ so it takes several passes in the vineyard to harvest optimal fruit.
Buds early, ripens late, ripens unevenly
Cabernet Franc buds ___, making it prone to spring frosts, but it’s a __ ripener so it can avoid autumn rains.
Buds early, is a mid-ripener
Cab Franc is also winter hardy.
Four other red grapes found in Anjou-Saumur and Touraine are:
- Malbec (Côt);
- Cabernet Sauvignon;
- Grolleau Noir;
- Gamay Noir.
The aim for Chenin Blanc in the Loire Valley is to retain primary fruit aromas and flavors, so it’s:
- Fermented at these temps
- In these containers
- Malo is ___
- Aged in ___ containers.
- Low to mid-range;
- Large old oak or stainless steel;
- Malo avoided;
- Aged in neutral containers.
What is the difference between Anjou AOC and Anjou Villages AOC?
- Anjou AOC = red and white wines with maximum yield of 60 hL/hs; whites must be min 80% Chenin Blanc and reds must be min 70% CF +/or CS;
- Anjou Villages AOC = red wines only from CF +/or CS, max 55 hl/ha.
Coteaux du Layon AOC specializes in sweet wines made from Chenin Blanc.
How can the wines achieve their sweetness?
- Botrytis;
- If botrytis fails to develop, grapes are allowed to shrivel on the vine.
Coteaux du Layon AOC + named village can only be made from ___-affected grapes.
Botrytis-affected
What are the 3 nested geographical areas of Coteaux de Layon that produce sweet white wines?
Which one is a 1er Cru and which one is a Grand Cru?
- Bonnezeaux AOC;
- Coteaux du Layon AOC Chaume - 1er Cru
- Quarts de Chaume AOC - Grand Cru.
What are the max yields and minimum percentage potential ABVs for Coteaux du Layon AOC?
35 hl/ha, 14%
Savennières AOC
- What are its soils and slopes?
- What is the maximum yield?
- South-facing slopes, low-fertility, rocky schist soils;
- 50 hl/ha.
- What are the two smaller AOCs within Savennières AOC?
- Are they cooler or warmer than Savennières generally, and what is their maximum yield?
- Savennières La Roche aux Moines AOC and Coulée de Serrant AOC.
- Warmer, 30 hl/ha
What are the 3 rosé AOCs of Anjou-Saumur?
Which one is going to be the driest (with the least RS)?
- Rosé de Loire AOC;
- Rosé d’Anjou AOC;
- Cabernet d’Anjou AOC.
- Rosé de Loire AOC can be made from which grapes?
- What is its max yield?
- Cabernet Franc, Cabernet Sauvignon, Gamay and Grolleau Noir;
- 60 hL/ha.
Rosé d’Anjou AOC is mainly made from ___ and its maximum yield is __ hl/ha. They are medium-dry.
- Grolleau;
- 65 hl/ha.
Cabernet d’Anjou AOC must be made from ___ and ___ and its maximum yield is __ hL/ha
The wines are medium-dry.
- Cabernet Franc and Cabernet Sauvignon;
- 60 hl/ha.
What are the differences between Saumur AOC and Coteaux du Saumur AOC, and what is the maximum yield for each AOC?
- Saumur AOC = dry white, red, rosé, sparkling; max yields are 60 hl/ha (low intensity wines);
- Coteaux du Saumur AOC = sweet wines made with over-ripe Chenin Blanc grapes, with or without botrytis; max yields are 35 hl/ha.
Saumur-Champigny AOC makes only __ wines made principally from this grape.
What is the maximum yield here?
- Red wines;
- Cabernet Franc (85%);
- 57 hl/ha, kind of high, leading to some wines with low flavor intensity.
The big Touraine AOC makes white, rosé, red, and sparkling wines from these 4 grapes.
- Sauvignon Blanc;
- Cab Franc;
- Côt;
- Gamay.
There are 6 subzones in Touraine AOC and one of them can be made from Chenin Blanc.
What is this AOC and its max yield?
- Touraine AOC Amboise;
- 55 hl/ha.
- What are the 2 most important Chenin Blanc AOCs in Touraine?
- They both have the same maximum yield, __ hl/ha.
- Vouvray AOC and Montlouis-sur-Loire AOC;
- 52 hl/ha.
Why are the best vineyards in Vouvray on the slopes that overlook the Loire River?
What happens in vineyards further away from the Loire River?
- Proximity to the river promotes ripening due to good sunlight interception with the river acting as a moderating influence on temperatures;
- Away from the river clay increases, making the soils colder, inhibiting ripening.
In Touraine, what are the three most important red wine AOCs?
- Bourgueil AOC;
- Saint-Nicolas-de-Bourgueil AOC (lighter in style than Bourgueil);
- Chinon AOC.
Bourgueil, Saint-Nicolas-de-Bourgueil and Chinon all have the same three soils: sand, gravel and clay-limestone.
Which soil produces the lightest/early-to-drink style and which soil produces the most structured and long lived?
- Sand = lightest/early-to-drink
- Clay-limestone = most structured and long lived
The maximum yield in Bourgueil AOC and Chinon AOC is __ hl/ha.
55 hl/ha
- The light, fruity, early-to-drink Chinons see __ days of skin maceration.
- The more structured and powerful Chinons see __ weeks of skin maceration.
- Light, fruity: 6-8 days
- Structured, powerful: 2-3 weeks
What is the maximum yield and minimum percentage potential ABV for Coteaux du Layon AOC + named village?
30 hl/ha, 15%
What is the maximum yield and minimum percentage potential ABV for Bonnezeaux AOC?
25 hl/ha, 15%
What is the maximum yield and minimum percentage potential ABV for Coteaux du Layon AOC Premier Cru Chaume?
25 hl/ha, 16.5%
What is the maximum yield and minimum percentage potential ABV for Quarts de Chaume Grand Cru AOC?
20 hl/ha, 18%
Where are the vineyards of Coteaux du Layon located within the appellation?
Located on the slopes on both sides of the Layon River
