Loire Valley Flashcards
(41 cards)
What are the 3 regional appellations of Muscadet
Muscadet Coteaux de la Loire (northern appellation, leaner wines, great value in warm years)
Muscadet Cote de Grandlieu(new, very minor, lower quality)
Muscadet Sevre et Maine (major)
What is sur lie and what kind of wine does it produce?
Sur lie is a classification of wine in Muscadet where the wine must be
- originated from one of the 3 sub appellations
- aged on lees over winter
- bottled directly off the fine lees without filtering between March 1st and Nov 30th the year after harvest.
This adds complexity, richness and a slight sparkle
What is the Jardin de la France?
Jardin de la France or garden of France is another term for the Loire valley.
What are the main grapes of the Loire valley?
Melon de Bourgogne
Chenin Blanc
Sauvignon Blanc
Cabernet Franc
What region produces the most white wine in France?
The Loire valley. It is also only second in sparkling production after champagne
What is Breton?
Breton is the regional term for cab franc
What are the distinct major regions of the Loire valley from west to east (heading inland)?
4 regions Pay Nantais Anjou-Saumur Touraine The central vineyards
What is considered the optimal ABV of Muscadet and why?
12% or lower to show it’s lighter fresher character
What is a basic description of a Muscadet wine?
White Dry to bone dry High acid Neutral Designed for youthful consumption
What is Hermine d’Or?
It is an unofficial labeling term in Muscadet that promotes terroir, ageabillity and quality.
What is Cru Communaux and what kind of wines does it produce?
Cru Communaux is high quality labeling term from Muscadet in the Loire valley for Melon Blanc. To qualify wines must,
•Be from specified schist soils •spend a minimum of 18 months sur lies(longer than sur lie allows for aging) •Come from the sub regions of Muscadet Sevre et Maine -Clisson -Le Pallet -Gorges -Chateau Thébaud -Goulaine -Monnieres-Saint-Fiacre -Mouzillion-Tillères
Name the major and 3 minor appellations of Pays Nantais?
Major - Muscadet Minor - •Gros Plant du Pays Nantais(can be sur lie) •Coteaux d’Ancenis •Fiefs Vendéens
What % of Anjou’s production is rose and what varietal is used?
45% of total production is a blended rose dominated by Groulleau
What is the main grape of red wines in Anjou?
Cab Franc, this makes up nearly one third of planting’s in the region
Explain the relationship between Anjou and Saumur?
Anjou is the region as a whole while Saumur is a major sub region on the eastern border next to Chinon. Anjou AOP is the umbrella term for the region cover red, white, rose and sparkling wines, Saumur wines may label as Anjou but not vice versa
What is Savennières and what kind of wine does it produce?
Savennières is a north western appellation of Anjou in the Loire valley. On the north bank of the Loire river with a steep southern exposure and unique soil of blue schist with volcanic debris. The 2 sub appellations of Roche Aux Moines and Coulée de Serrant are considered the unofficial grand crus of the area.
Wines are 100% Chenin Blanc, dry and can be austere and rigid in their youth, these wines will develop complexity and honeyed richness with age
What are the 2 unofficial grand crus of Savennières?
Roche Aux Moines
Coulée de Serrant(M- owned by Nicolas Joly - rigidly biodynamic producer)
Name the 4 major sweet wine appellations of Anjou and their styles?
•Coteaux de l’Aubance
•Coteaux du Layon
- harvested in tries(multiple passes through vineyard) wines may be either pure healthy late harvest wines or botrytis affected. Minimum residual sugar is 34g/L so neither appellation reaches the same richness of Sauternes but are more flexible as pairings
•Bonnezeaux (bon-zou)
Often botrytis affected high quality region. Chateau des Fesles is the top producer
•Quarts de Chaume
Entitled to use Grand cru since 2010. Small bands of sandstone and schist on the bank of the layon river. Protected from prevailing winds and covered by morning fog from layon river. Offers the top quality, often botrytis affected wines of the region. Domaine des Baumard and Chateau Pierre-Bise are great producers of Savennières and Quarts de Chaume
What is Chaume and what kind of wines does it produce?
Chaume is a village appellation of the Coteaux du layon in Anjou that produces sweet wines. At minimum 80g/L residual the wines are rich. The appellation was short lived in 2009 after Quarts de Chaume found the names too similar. After being granted their own grand cru status the appellation of Chaume was allowed to rise to Chaume/Chaume Premier cru.
What are the red wine appellations of Anjou?
Anjou villages AOP is the red wine appellation and represents great value and quality. These wines are can franc based but many add portions of cab sauv to result in a fuller, more structured wine.
Anjou Villages Brissac AOP is a recent addition that covers the same 10 villages of Coteaux de l’Aubance.
Saumur-Champigny - “the field of fire”, a northeastern area of Saumur with harder limestone, iron rich soils and inflections of shale. Produces light, bright, elegantly floral Cab Franc.
Haut Poitou - Cab Franc and white producing region due south of saumur
Anjou Gamay varietal labeled wine is permitted and offers the lightest red of the region
What is Saumur and what kind of wines does it produce?
Saumur is the most eastern appellation of Anjou on the border with Chinon. With soft tuffeau limestone soils similar to those of Touraine.
Whites:
Formally allowed to blend sauv Blanc and Chardonnay. Now as of 2016 is 100% Chenin
Reds:
Cab franc, Cab Sauv, Pineau d’Aunis
Rose:
Formally Cabernet de Saumur, now just part of Saumur AOP
Sparkling:
Makes up over half of the production for the region. Labeled as either Saumur AOP sparkling wines or methode traditionnelle Cremant de Loire. Crémant is often the higher quality as it allows blending with grapes from Touraine and Anjou Saumur with fewer restrictions on grape varietals
What is Haut Poitou and what kind of wines does it produce?
Haut Poitou is an appellation of Anjou in the Loire valley about 50 miles south of Chinon. This area produces whites of Sauvignon Blanc and Sauvignon Gris and Cab Franc for reds
What is Saumur-Champigny and what kind of wines does it produce?
Saumur-Champigny (sha-Pi-ny) “field of fire” is a north easterly sub appellation of Saumur in Anjou, Loire valley. The area has a harder and more iron rich limestone soil with inflections of shale. The wines of this region are light, bright and floral Cab Francs
From west to east name the major appellations of Anjou
7 appellation •Coteaux du Layon •Savennières •Quarts de Chaume •Coteaux d’Aubance/Anjou Village Brissac •Bonnezeaux •Saumur •Saumur-Champigny
