What are the three main soil types in Chinon? Where are they found?
tuffeau (limetone), clay, and varennes (sandy, alluvial). The varennes soils are closest to the river Vienne whereas tuffeau is more common on the slopes.
Is Cabernet Sauvignon allowed in Chinon, and if so how much?
Yes, up to 10%.
What styles of sparkling wine is made in Vouvray?
pétillant or mousseux
In the Loire Valley, Chenin Blanc is commonly referred to as:
Pineau de la Loire
What Touraine appellations allow varietal Chenin Blanc wines?
Chinon, Vouvray, Montluis, Coteaux du Loir, Jasnieres, Coteaux du Vendômois, and 2 Touraine subzones: Touraine “Azay-le-Rideau”, Touraine “Amboise”
Name the region and style of wine for Touraine Noble-Joué AOP:
Rosé only, made from at least 40% Pinot Meunier along with Pinot Gris and Pinot Noir. Historical style of vin gris.
Appellation for wines made from 100% Romorantin:
Cour-Cheverny AOP
When did the Touraine appellation change from predominantly Chenin-based wines to Sauvignon Blanc? Are other varieties allowed in Touraine blanc?
2016, current encépagement mandates Sauvignon Blanc and a maximum 20% Sauvignon Gris is allowed
What is the maximum RS allowed for Vouvray and Montluis wines labeled Sec?
Wines labeled sec must contain 8 g/L or less RS
Name the region and style of wine for Jasnières AOP. Name a producer.
white wines based on 100% Chenin Blanc, Jasnieres is located in Touraine on the Loir River (tributary), Pascal Janvier
What Loire Valley appellations are based on Pineau d’Aunis?
Coteaux du Vendômois, Coteaux du Loir
How does the climate of Loire’s Central Vineyards differ from the rest of the valley?
The climate is chiefly continental, no maritime influence
What style and grape varieties make up Pouilly-sur-Loire AOP?
Strictly white wines made from 100% Chasselas
Name the region and style of wine for Coteaux du Giennois AOP:
Located in Loire Valley Central Vineyards, SB varietal wines, red/rose blends of Gamay and Pinot Noir
What Loire Valley appellations allow the production of Primeur rouge wines?
Touraine AOP (Gamay), Anjou AOP, Muscadet AOP
What Loire Valley Central Vineyard appellations allow the production of red wines?
Sancerre, Reuilly, Menetou-Salon, Orléans and Orléans-Cléry
What are the two former Crus of Savennières, what happened to them, and when?
Coulée de Serrant (North)
and Roche Aux Moines (South),
in the town of Champboureau
They were both elevated to AOP in 2011
Coulée de Serrant is a monopole of whom?
Château de la Roche Aux Moines, run by Nicolas Joly
What are the three climats of Coulée de Serrant? About how large is it?
About 7ha: Grand Clos de la Coulée, Clos du Château, Les Plantes
What are the sweet wine AOPs of Anjou?
Coteaux du Layon AOP, Coteaux de l’Aubance AOP, Bonnezeaux, Quarts de Chaume
What two sweet wine AOPs lie within the Coteaux du Layon?
Bonnezeaux AOP and Quarts de Chaume AOP
What is the minimum must weight and residual sugar for Coteaux du Layon?
221g/L RS is 34 g/l
What is the minimum must weight and residual sugar for Chaume 1er Cru?
272 g/l, RS is 80 g/l
What is the minimum must weight and residual sugar for Coteaux de l’Aubance?
238 g/l, RS is 34 g/l
What is the minimum must weight and residual sugar for Bonnezeaux AOP?
238 g/lm RS is 51 g/l
What is the minimum must weight and residual sugar for Quarts de Chaume AOP?
298g/L, RS is 85 g/l
What is the french term for botrytis cinerea? German term?
Pourriture Noble, German: Edelfäule, Italian: Muffa nobile
In what commune is Quarts de Chaume AOP located?
Rochefort-sur-Loire
When was Quarts de Chaume granted the designation Grand Cru?
2010
Is cryoextraction permitted in Quarts de Chaume?
No (a transitional agreement did allow it through last year)
What is rosé d’Anjou?
rose or rose Nouveau wines made from a compliment of Loire valley red grapes
What is the encépagement of Anjou Blanc?
Chenin Blanc, plus max. 20% combined Chardonnay and Sauvignon Blanc
What styles are authorized for Anjou AOP?
red/white/sparkling. Whites = (Chenin Blanc, plus max. 20% combined Chardonnay and Sauvignon Blanc), Reds = (Cabernet Franc and Cabernet Sauvignon, plus max. 30% combined Pineau d’Aunis and Grolleau ) or VARIETAL Gamay: (can be Nouveau)
What styles are authorized for Saumur AOP?
red/white/sparkling. Whites = 100% Chenin, Reds = CF with up to 30% CS and Pineau d’Aunis
What is Saumur Puy-Notre Dame?
Saumur Puy Notre-Dame is a recent appellation for REDS only, approved 2009. Base yield at 50hl/ha is 20% less than that for straight Saumur Rouge and there are restrictions on the use of weed killers. Appellation covers 17 communes.
What is the encépagement for Saumur-Champigny?
CF with maximum 15% combined Cabernet Sauvignon and Pineau d’Aunis
Is Chaptalization legal for Quarts de Chaume or Bonnezeaux?
Not in Quarts de Chaume, but it is in Bonnezeaux.
What is the main difference between the encepagement of Saumur Champigny and Chinon?
Saumur allows the addition of Pineau d’Aunis as well as CF, up to 15% compared to the only 10% of CS allowed for Chinon/Bourgueil etc
What is the major soil type of Saumur-Champigny?
tuffeau
T or F: Saumur wines may be labeled as Anjou
True, but Anjou wines cannot be labeled as Saumur.
What is the soil makeup in Savennières?
Blue schist and volcanic debris
What are the qualifiers for “Sur Lie” to be on a label of Muscadet?
- must come from land that qualifies as one of the three sub-appellations
- bottled between March 1st and November 30th after harvest
What are the sub zones of Muscadet-Sevre-et-Maine, and what do the require? Soil type?
Clisson, Le Pallet, Gorges + Château Thébaud, Goulaine, Monnières-Saint-Fiacre, and Mouzillon-Tillières
They require a minimum 18 months sur lie, so they can’t be labeled as such since it is more than the general sur lie requirements, minimum alcohol 11%. Gneiss.
Why would one see less of “sur lie” being used on the label, presently?
It used to really be a marker of quality, but now it just signifies it was bottled at that particular time (March 1-November 30) after harvest. Today, many of the best Muscadet wines are aged on the lees longer (such as the three official sub zones) and can’t be labeled as such.
If “sur lie” is on the label of Muscadet AOP, the wine had to be bottled between ____________. What is the difference for Sevre-et-Maine?
Wines must be bottled between March 1st and November 30th,of the year following harvest. Sevre-et-Maine requires bottling between March 1st and December 31st instead.
What is the appellation for Anjou rosé wines?
Rosé d’ Anjou AOP - rosé cannot be bottled under Anjou AOP!
What grapes can make up standard Anjou AOP red wines?
Cabernet Franc + Cabernet Sauvignon
- plus max. 30% combined Pineau d’Aunis and Grolleau
- NOT Gamay: (Anjou Gamay varietal wines only - the grape may not be blended in standard Anjou rouge bottlings).
Wine styles of Anjou-Villages AOP.
red wine only appellation, typically Cabernet Franc bolstered by Cabernet Sauvignon
What Coteaux du Layon village can label with the premier cru designation?
Chaume
Is Savennieres to the north or south of the Loire River? What is the soil make up?
North. It enjoys steep southern exposure and a unique soil structure: blue schist mixed with volcanic debris
Describe Touraine Noble-Joué AOP.
rosé only, made from Pinot
The late Didier Dagueneau famously appropriated the Silex moniker for his top ___________ AOP bottling.
Pouilly-Fumé
This Loire AOP was the second demarcated appellation in France, after Châteauneuf-du-Pape.
Quincy (pronounced “can-see”)
What other Loire Valley grape variety/AOP can label as sur lie? What is the blending partner?
Gros Plant (aka Folle Blanch) of Gros Plant du Pays Nantais AOP. The blending partner is Montils and Colombard
This AOP requires a minimum 70% Folle Blanche.
Gros Plant du Pays Nantais AOP
Unlike Bourgueil and Saint-Nicolas de Bourgueil, where the vineyards face towards the Loire, those of Chinon centre around the River _________.
Vienne
Where does the Loire River start and end?
begins in the Massif Central and empties into the Atlantic Coast
What is terres blanches?
the Sancerre soil type that is a continuation of the Kimmeridgian clay soil that extends into Chablis.
What are the three main soil types of Sancerre?
- silex (flint)
- terres blanches (continuation of the same Kimmeridgian clay that extends into Chablis)
- caillottes (stony soil, littered with fossils)
What are the grapes and wine styles of Cheverny AOP?
light reds of Pinot Noir and Gamay, white wines of Sauvignon Blanc
Coulée de Serrant is divided into three distinct sections. What are they? Who is the owner?
Grand Clos de la Coulée, the Clos du Château, and Les Plantes. Nicholas Joly
Styles/varieties for Anjou Villages Brissac AOP
Red only, Cabernet Franc or Sauvignon can be present. Comes from specific area, same as Coteaux de l’Aubance
What are the seven villages entitled to add their names to the basic Coteaux du Layon AOP? What are the requirements?
Beaulieu-sur-Layon, Rochefort-sur-Loire, Faye d’Anjou, St. Lambert du Lattay, St. Aubin de Luigné, Rablay-sur-Layon, and Chaume. These wines must reach higher minimum must weights and are harvested at lower maximum yields.
Where is Haut-Poitou AOP? Wine styles?
about 50 miles due south of Chinon and the eastern edge of Saumur, red/white/rose: Sauvignon (Blanc and Gris) is featured in white wines while Cabernet Franc is the majority grape in reds and rosés. (“Think about it like Bordeaux in the Loire” -EE)
What is the sole 100% Sauvignon Blanc AOP in the Central Vineyards?
Pouilly-Fumé
What are the major soil types in Pouilly-Fumé?
Kimmeridgean Marl , Caillottes (gravel and Limestone) , Silex (Flint) , Clay-Silica
What styles and varietals are authorized for Sancerre? What other AOP has the same encépagement?
Blanc: 100% Sauvignon Blanc and Rouge/Rosé: 100% Pinot Noir. Menetou-Salon AOP
What is Pouilly-sur-Loire AOP named for?
The central commune in Pouilly-Fumé
What are the styles and varietal requirements for Reuilly AOP?
Blanc: 100% Sauvignon Blanc - Rouge: 100% Pinot Noir - Rosé: Pinot Noir and Pinot Gris
What is the single grape in Orléans-Clery AOP?
Cabernet Franc
Which three AOPs are located along the Cher River?
Valençay (Touraine) Quincy (Central Vineyards) Reuilly (Central Vineyards)
Name 3 Major climats of Sancerre. Can you name a producer?
Monts Damnés (Chavignol) and Chêne Marchand (Bué). Lucien Crochet bottles a Chêne Marchand, Pascal and Francois Cotat bothe bottle La Grande Côte and Monts Damnes.
Where are Château Thébaud, Goulaine, Monnières-Saint-Fiacre, and Mouzillon-Tillières?
The most recently approved official subzones of Muscadet Sevre-et-Maine.
What is Rendement de Base?
French term for the maximum permissible yields, expressed in hl/ha
What is Quartz de Chaume Rendement de Base? Bonnezeaux?
20 hl/ha, Bonnezeaux is 25 hl/ha as is Coteaux du Layon Chaume Premier Cru
What are the two general appellations of the Loire Valley?
Cremant de Loire, Rosé de Loire
What Loire Valley AOP allows the Négrette grape?
Fiefs Vendéens AOP (also found in Fronton AOP)
What appellation sits between the Loire River and the Cher River?
Montlouis-sur-Loire
What is the only red wine AOP in the Central Vineyards? What is the grape? What other Loire Valley appellations are for red wines only?
Orleans-Clery AOP (100% Cabernet Franc). Other AOPs: Anjou Villages, Anjou Villages-Brissac
Major soil type of Bonnezeaux?
sandy shale soils
What is “Hermine d’Or”? Can you name a producer that uses this term?
The Hermine d’Or designation is given to high scoring cuvées of Muscadet Sèvre-et-Maine that are tasted blind by a panel of winemakers, created to promote terroir and stress ageability. Guy Bossard, Luneau-Papin, Jo Landron
Name three Savennières producers.
Domaine des Baumard (makes a little bit of everything), Château Pierre-Bise, Eric Morgat, Domaine du Closel
What is the name of Nicholas Joly’s bottling that comes from Roche aux Moines?
Clos de la Bergerie
What is the difference between Gamay de Bouze and Gamay Chaudenay?
Gamay Chaudenay is a teinturier grape.
What is the difference between the soil make up of Bourgueil and Saint-Nicolas-de-Bourgueil
Saint-Nicolas-de-Bourgueil is situated almost entirely on lighter alluvial soils, while Bourgueil soils are divided between sand and limestone like Chinon.
Touraine Noble-Joué AOP is a rosé only appellation in the Loire. What is the primary grape variety and blending partners? What other appellations in France dictate rosé production only?
Predominantly Pinot Meunier, with Pinot Gris and Pinot Noir. Others: Rosé d’Anjou, Rosé de Riceys, Tavel.
