Loire

Question 1

White wine varieties of the Loire

Answer 1

Sauvignon blanc
Chenin blanc
Melon du Bourgogne
(Chardonnay, Arbois, Romorantin, Gros Plant, Chasselas)

Question 2

Red varieties of the Loire

Answer 2

Cabernet Franc
Gamay
Pinot Noir

(Cab Sauvignon, Malbec (Côt), Pineau d’Aunis, Groslot (Grolleau)

Question 3

Subregions of Loire

Answer 3

Pay Nantais , Anjou-Saumur, Touraine, Central Vineyard

Question 4

Climate of Pay Nantais

Answer 4

Cool maritime climate
Wet

Question 5

4 appellations in Pay Nantais

Answer 5

Muscadet AOP
Muscadet coteaux de la Loire
Muscadet cotes de la Grandlieu
Muscadet sevre et Maine

Question 6

Muscadet Aop

Answer 6

Neutral
Dry
High acidity
Designed for youthful consumption
Rarely used as producers qualify for other appellations

Question 7

Muscadet sevre et Maine

Answer 7

80% of overall Muscadet production
Sourced from one of the 23 communes near the confluence of the Sevre and the Maine river
Half of the production is bottled “Sur Lie”: wines aged on the lees over winter, bottled without filtering between the 1st of March and the 30th of November (adds complexity, richness, slight sparkle)

Question 8

3 su zones of Muscadet Sevre et Maine

Answer 8

Clisson
Le Pallet
Gorges

Hermine d’Or : unofficial label that promotes ageability and terroir

Question 9

Location of Anjou-Saumur

Answer 9

Between Pay Nantes and Touraine
(Saundra is a eastern subregion of Anjou)

Question 10

Largest and most diverse region in Loire Valley

Answer 10

Anjou-Saumur

Question 11

Loire centre for sparkling wine

Answer 11

Saumur

Question 12

Varieties and production in Anjou:

Answer 12

45% devoted to rose ( blends dominated by Grolleau)

1/3 plantings are Cabernet Franc

Sweet and dry Chenin Blanc

Question 13

Most important appellation for Chenin Blanc in Anjou

Answer 13

Savennieres AOP

Question 14

Savennieres AOP

Answer 14

Steep southern exposure
Blue schist + volcanic debris soils

Great complexity and honeyed richness with age / austere and rigid in their youth

Question 15

2 unofficial gran crus of Savennieres AOP

Answer 15

Roche aux moines
Coulee de Serrant (Nicolas Joly’s monopole)

Question 16

Sweet wine appellations in Anjou

Answer 16

Coteaux di Layon AOP
Coteau du L’aubance AOP

Question 17

Sweet style Anjou

Answer 17

Either healthy late harvest or selection of grapes with Noble Rot

Harvested in Tries

Min residual sugar of 34g/L (not as rich as Sauternes)

Question 18

Coteaux du Layon sub-appellations :

Answer 18

Bonnezeaux

Quarts de Cheume (sandstone and schist hillsides on the banks of the river Layon = perfect incubator for botrytis = 80g/L)

Question 19

Anjou Brissac AOP

Answer 19

Same 10 communes as Coteaux de l’Aubance but for red

Question 20

Saumur blanc

Answer 20

100% Chenin blanc

Question 21

Saumur rouge

Answer 21

Cabernet franc , Cabernet Sauvignon, Pineau d’Aunis

Question 22

Soils of Saumur

Answer 22

Tuffeau , similar to Touraine

Question 23

Saumur-Champigny

Answer 23

Ligh, bright, elegantly floral Cabernet franc

Harder limestone, iron rich inflected with shale

Question 24

Haut-Poitou

Answer 24

AOP since 2011 / sav blanc + gris , cab franc

Question 25

Soils of Touraine

Answer 25

• Tuffeau ( slopes)
• clay
• Varennes ( sandy, alluvial)

Question 26

Climate of Touraine

Answer 26

Continental

Question 27

Valencay AOC

Answer 27

South of river Cher
White wines from mainly Sav Blanc
Red/Rose from Pinot Noir, Gamay, Côt

Question 28

Cheverny AOC

Answer 28

Sav Blanc + 15% max Chardonnay, Chenin blanc, Arbois

40-65% gamay + cab franc, Pinot noir, Cot

Question 29

Cour-Cheverny

Answer 29

100% Romorantin

Question 30

Vouvray

Answer 30

Chenin Blanc + small amount Arbois
(All the styles)

Question 31

Montlouis sur Loire

Answer 31

South of Loire river , opposite Vouvray

Chenin blanc / Demi, semi dry, sweet, sparkling

Question 32

Loir

Answer 32

Tributary of Loire River

Question 33

Appellations of Loir:

Answer 33

• Jasnieres AOC: Chenin blanc, similar to Vouvray but more green and herbaceous
• Coteaux du Loir AOC: 100% Chenin blanc white / Pinot d’Aunis , cab franc, cab sav, gamay, Pinot noir / rose: 25% grolleau permitted
• Coteaux Vendomois AOC: similar to Coteaux du Loir + 20% Chardonnay / no cab sav in reds / rose=Pinot d’Aunis

Question 34

Bourgeil

Answer 34

North of Loire river / steep slopes, limestone

Cab franc + 10% cab sav

Question 35

St Nicholas de Bourgeil

Answer 35

Lighter sandy soils / best drumk young

Question 36

Chinon AOC soils

Answer 36

Sandy gravelly soils near river = best drink young

Tuffeau Jaune = 6/7 years to reach true potential

Question 37

Chinon AOC wines

Answer 37

Red : cab franc + 10% cab sav

Chinon blanc: Chenin blanc

Question 38

Central vineyards climate

Answer 38

Continental

Cold winters / frost danger
Short summer = no easy ripening

Question 39

Main Appellations of Central vineyards

Answer 39

Sancerre AOP - steely, pungent, herbaceous, mineral

Pouilly Fumé AOP - must be white (red labelled Sancerre rouge)

Menetou Salon AOP - similar to Sancerre (sav blanc / Pinot noir)

Pouilly sur Loire AOP - white from Chasselas

Question 40

Reully AOP wines

Answer 40

Sav blanc

Vin Gris = pale rose from Pinot gris

Pinot noir

Question 41

Quincy AOP

Answer 41

100% sav blanc whites only

Question 42

Coteaux du Giennois AOP

Answer 42

Sav blanc

Pinot noir + gamay blends

Question 43

Orlean AOP

Answer 43

White ,red and rose
Large production of Pinot Meunièr & Chardonnay

Question 44

Orlean-clery AOP

Answer 44

Only red / Cab franc

Question 45

Chatomeillant AOP

Answer 45

Red & rose / gamay

Question 46

Saint Pourcain AOP

Answer 46

Sacy grape = known as TRESSALIER