Describe climate in the Loire.
Cool, northern climate on borderline avg temps for grapes to grow
In colder, rainy years winemaking is difficult
In good years wines are elegant and precise with high acid - “nervosité”
Describe geography in the Loire.
Defined by the massive writhing Loire River, where it makes a left turn from flowing north and continues on 300 mi toward the Atlantic. As well as the pastoral valley that surrounds it
What white wines are grown in the Loire?
Major
Chenin blanc
Sauvignon blanc
Melon de Bourgogne
Minor
Arbois
Chardonnay
Folle Blanche
What red wines are grown in the Loire?
Cabernet franc - major grape
Gamay - Anjou/Touraine, blends
Grolleau - blends, Rosé d’Anjou
Pinot Noir - Sancerre/E. Loire, blends
Minor blending grapes Cab sauv Malbec (côt) Pinot munier Pineau d’aunis
What appellations make up the Eastern Loire?
Sancerre Pouilly-Fumé Reuilly Quincy Menetou-Salon
What grapes are predominant in the eastern Loire? Describe winemaking.
Sauvignon blanc
Racy, flinty, tangy, smoky, nervy
Most fermented in stainless with no malolactic. Some made or aged in barrel
Pinot noir
12% of Sancerre production
Gamay
Blending and rosé
Describe the soil in Sancerre.
- Disparate due to fault lines
- Kimmeridgian era limestone and clay embedded with sea fossils
- Portlandian era limestone w/out fossils
- “terres blanches” - white earth - chalk on top of clay
- “les caillottes” - gravel mixed w limestone
- 30% contain silex - flint/sand based soil combined with clay limestone and silica. Highly desired, said to give the best wines minerality and freshness
Name some of the best vineyards in Sancerre.
Le Grand Chemarin
Chêne Marchand
Clos de la Poussie
What important wine law was passed in Sancerre in the mid 1990s?
Producers may not use the name of the vineyard on their labels.
Name some of the best producers in Sancerre.
Cotat Frères Pascal Cotat Lucien Crochet Henry Pellé Domaine Laporte Reveray-Ducroux
Describe the geography and soil of Pouilly-Fumé.
Town of Pouilly-sur-Loire ok eastern bank opposite Sancerre
Landscape more gentle
Soil has slightly more limestone and flint which produces a gunflint or smoky flavor (“Fume” = smoke)
Who is Didier Dageneau?
The late “wild man of Pouilly” - ex motorcycle racer with no formal wine training
Best known of a small number of new wave producers using small oak barrels in Sancerre and Pouilly-Fumé
His wines are now made by son Louis-Benjamin and now labeled under his name
What are Dageneau wines like? Name a few of the labels.
Barrel aged and barrel fermented
Complex, lush, super rich, full bodied, expensive
Pur Sang - “pure blood”
Silex - “flint”
Name some other well known producers in Pouilly-Fumé.
Ladoucette
Francis Blanchet
Domaine Seguin et fils
Domaine Serge Dageneau et Filles (2nd cousin of LB Dageneau)
Describe the other appellations in the eastern Loire.
Menetou-Salon
- just west of Sancerre
- top producers: Henry Pellé (also makes Sancerre), Jean Teiller, Dom. De Chatenoy
Quincy and Reuilly
- 2 tiny appellations near the river Cher, a tributary of the Loire
- crisp, delicious and less expensive than Sancerre
What two main regions make up the middle Loire?
Anjou-Saumur to the west near city of Angers
Touraine to the east near city of Tours
What appellations are in Tours? What is the leading grape in each?
White-Chenin blanc
- Vouvray
- Montlouis
Red-Cabernet franc
- Bourgeuil
- St.-Nicholas-de-Bourgeuil
- Chinon
- Touraine
What appellations are in Angers? What is the leading grape in each?
- Savennières
- Quarts de Chaume
- Bonnezeaux
- Coteaux du Layon
- Coteaux de L’Aubance
All white - chenin blanc
All but Savennières make sweet wine
Describe Savennières.
Made in tiny area just SW of Angers.
Maybe the worlds greatest dry chenin. Densely flavored with intensity, grip, minerality, and taut acidity. Decades of age worthiness. Quince chamomile honey cream citrus
Describe viticulture and vinification in Savennières.
Vineyards spread over steep, south facing slopes of volcanic schist
Yields among the lowest in the Loire to create concentration and depth of flavor
What is Clos de la Coulée de Serrant?
17 acre vineyard owned by the Jolt family. One of the 1st biodynamic properties in modern era. 1st planted by monks in 1130. Has its own appellation. One of the greatest white wines in the world.
Describe sparkling wine in Loire.
- Crémant de Loire
Broader, usually based on chard; chenin and cab franc also used. Any grape in Loire permitted. Aged just 1 yr on lees and made in dry/brut style - Sparkling from specific appellations
Sparkling Vouvray, Touraine, etc. Any Loire grape allowed within specific appellation. Dry and aged only briefly on lees
All are champagne method
What are the sweet wine appellations in the Loire?
Quarts de Chaume - smallest and most prestigious Bonnezeaux Coteaux du Layon Coteaux de l’Aubance
Describe Loire sweet wines.
Vineyards spread along steep slate, schist, and clay slopes on the banks of the Layon River - Loire tributary
Always chenin. May be medium sweet or fully sweet. Grapes get much of their complexity from botrytis. Floral, peach, apricot, and ripe red apple flavors. Taut acid - cool soils
