LOIRE

Question 1

What is Loire Valley annual production?

Answer 1

45 million cases (75% AOC level)

Question 2

What is the origin of the Loire River

Answer 2

Massif Central in Southern France

Question 3

What are the four main wine regions of the Loire?

Answer 3

Pays Nantais (maritime climate), Anjou-Saumur, Touraine and Upper Loire (continental climate)

Question 4

What are the 4 international varieties of red grapes in Loire?

Answer 4

Cabernet Franc, Cabernet Sauvignon, Gamay, Pinot Noir

Question 5

What are the 3 indigenous red grapes of the Loire?

Answer 5

Grolleau, Negrette, Pineau d’Aunis

Question 6

What are the 4 international varieties of white grapes in Loire?

Answer 6

Chardonnay, Chenin Blanc, Pinot Gris, Sauvignon Blanc,

Question 7

What are the 2 indigenous white grapes of the Loire?

Answer 7

Folle Blanche, Melon de Bourgogne (Pays Nantais only)

Question 8

What is Chenin Blanc known as in Loire?

Answer 8

Pineau de la Loire

Question 9

What areas of Loire are known for Chenin Blanc?

Answer 9

Vouvray (Touraine), Savennieres (anjou)

Question 10

What areas of Loire are known for Sauvignon Blanc?

Answer 10

Upper Loire (Sancerre, Pouilly-Fume)

Question 11

What are Cabernet Franc/Malbec known as in Loire

Answer 11

Breton and Cot, respectively

Question 12

Which areas are known for Cabernet Franc / Pinot?

Answer 12

Chinon, (Touraine) Saumur Champigny (Saumur) / Sancerre, Menetou-Salon (Upper Loire), and Cheverny (Touraine), respectively.

Question 13

What is the main grape in Loire sparkling wines (“fines bulles”)?

Answer 13

Chenin Blanc

Question 14

What is the regional appellation for Loire

Answer 14

IGP Val de Loire

Question 15

What is the leading wine of the Pays Nantais and which grape variety is used and what % of vineyard acreage does it comprise?

Answer 15

Muscadet/Melon de Bourgogne/75% of vineyards in Pays Nantais

Question 16

What is the leading sub-appellation in Muscadet AOC and what % of Melon Bourgogne must be used?

Answer 16

Muscadet Sevre-et-Mains (which accounts for 80% of Muscadet AOC production) ( / 100% (stricter than the 90% minimum required by the Muscadet AOC)

Question 17

What wine is the Saumur AOC most known for and what are the grape varieties?

Answer 17

Sparkling wines using 60% minuimum of Chenin Blanc for white and Cab Franc for red; Samur is also chief source of grapes for Cremant de Loire

Question 18

Which appellation is the Anjou AOC primarily known for?

Answer 18

Chenin Blanc from the Savennieres AOC

Question 19

What are the rose appellations in the Anjou?

Answer 19

Rose d’Anjou (Grolleau) and Cabernet d’Anjou (Cab Sauv/Cab Franc) and Rose d’Loire (covers Anjou/Saumur/Touraine and used mostly by dry rose producers)

Question 20

What are the sweet wine appellation of Anjou?

Answer 20

Coteaux de Layon (sub-zones Bonnezeaux/Cotes de Layon Premier Chaume [grand cru])

Question 21

What is the red-wine-only AOC of Saumur?

Answer 21

Saumur-Champigny (85% Cab Franc/15% CS/Pineau d’Aunis aka Chenin Noir)

Question 22

What are the most well-known AOCs for white in the Touraine?

Answer 22

Vouvray and Montlouis-sur-Loire (Chenin Blanc)

Question 23

What are the most well-known AOCs for red in the Touraine?

Answer 23

Chinon (also makes a small amount of Chenin Blanc), Bourgueil, St.-Nicolas-de-Bourgueil (Cab Franc)

Question 24

What is the main white wine varietal of the Touraine AOC

Answer 24

Sauvigon Blanc; most vineyards for this AOC come from East of Vouvray where climate is more similar to Upper Loire (continental)

Question 25

What grapes are used in the whites and reds of the Cheverny AOC in Easternmost part of Touraine?

Answer 25

Sauvignon Blanc/Gris blend, Pinot Noir/Gamay blend (Malbec optional)

Question 26

What are the most well-known AOCs for white in the Upper Loire?

Answer 26

Sancerre, Pouilly-Fume

Question 27

Which wine is known as "the most cerebral in the world"?

Answer 27

Chenin Blanc from the Savennieres AOC in Anjou-Saumur

Question 28

What are the main wines/grapes of the Anjou area?

Answer 28

red from Cab Fran/CS and Gamay, white from Chenin Blanc (80%)+Semillon/SB, Rose from Grolleau, sparkling from Gamay, and dessert using Chenin Blanc

Question 29

Which appellations of the Upper Loire are on the river Cher?

Answer 29

Quincy, Reuilly and Menetou-Salon

Question 30

What are the basic red/white wines of the Anjou AOC made from?

Answer 30

Red: Cab Franc and/or Cab Sauv White: Chenin Blanc (min 80%) with up to 20% SB or Chard