French Wine Scholar

Front 1

Crus of Beaujolais (N-S)

Back 1

St Amour, Julienas, Chenas, Moulon-a-Vent, Fleurie, Cherouble ,Morgon,Reginie, Cote de Brouilly, Brouilly

Hint 1

Mnemonic:
So Julius Caesar Marched Forth Chasing My Regiment to the Coast and Back:

Front 2

Communes of Cote de Nuit (N-S)

Back 2

Marsanay (X), Fixin (X), Gevrey- Chamtertin, Morey St-Denis, Chambolle-Musigny, Vougeot, Vosne-Romanee, Nuite Saint-Georges (X)
(X)= no Grand Cru

Hint 2

Mnemonic:
My Friends Give Me Cash- Very Very Nice

Front 3

Champagne Method Traditionale- order of steps

Back 3

Making vin clair
Assemblage
Liquor de Tirage
Prise de Mousse
Ramuage
Degorgement
Liqueur de Dosage

Front 4

Communes of Cote de Beaune with Grand Cru vineyards

Back 4

Ladoix-Serrigny, aloxe-Corton, Perand-Vergelesses, Puligny-Montrachet, Chassagne-Montrachet,

Hint 4

All Cote de Beaune communes N-S:
Ladoix-Serrigny (G), Aloxe-Corton (G), Pernand-Vergelesses (G), Chorey-les-Beaune, Savigny-les-Beaune, Beaune, Pommard, Volnay, Monthele, Auxey-Duresses,
Mersault, St Romain, Puligny-Montrachet (G), Chassagne-Montrachet (G)Saint Aubin, Santaney, Maranges,

Front 5

Communnes of Cote Chalonnaise N-S

Back 5

Buzeron (Aligote), Rully (red and white still and Cremant), Mercury (mostly red), Givry (mostly red), Montagny (only white)

Hint 5

Mnemonic: Bugging Ruth Makes George Mad

Front 6

What are the three subregions of the Loire

Back 6

Lower Loire- Pays Nantais
Middle Loire- Anjou, Layon, Samour, Touraine
Upper Loire-Sancerre, Pouilly Fume, Menetou Salon

Front 7

Whar are the climate and soils of Pays Nantais

Back 7

Climate- marine
Soils- predominantly Gneiss topsoils
(porous and provides critical drainage)
Subsoil crystalline igneous rock

Front 8

What are the grapes of the Pays Nantais?

Back 8

Muscadet (Melon de Bourgogne)
Folle Blanche (Picpoul and Gros Plant) only in VDQS Gros Plant du Pays Nantais
AOC wines all white
VDQS red and rose from Gamay, Pinot Noir, Cab Franc, Cab S. and Negrette
VDQS white Chenin, Sauv Bl, Chard and Melon

Front 9

Describe the production and sale of lower Loire AOCs

Back 9

Most wine produced by coops or negotiants, consumed locally. Largest client is Paris. Wine from all 4 appellations can be aged sur lie

Front 10

Name the sub-regions of the middle Loire

Back 10

Anjou, Layon, Saumur, Touraine

Mnemonic: A lion sleeps tonight

Hint 10

The middle Loire is a named World Heritage site and knkown as Le Jardin de la France

Front 11

What is the climate of the Middle Loire?

Back 11

Maritime with continental influences

Hint 11

Experiences stormy weather and humidity (due to maritime influence) and higher seasonal temp swings due to continental influence (colder in winter, warmer in summer than Pays Nantais but more temperate than Upper Loire. Best vineyards face south to enhance ripening

Front 12

What are the major soils of the Middle Loire

Back 12

Anjou- schist and clay marls with pockets of gravel and shale
Saumur- limestone soils interspersed with sand. Major cremant producer due to acidic wines
Touraine- most complex:
Vouvrey, Montlouis,Ambois-
Tuffeau (pourous limestone
Chinon, Azay-le-Rideau - chalky
sandy gravel. Clay on hillsides
Bourgueil and St-Nicolas-de-B -
patches of sandy gravel with l
limestone pebbles interspersed
with pure limestone slopes

Front 13

What are the white grape varieties of the middle Loire?

Back 13

Chenin Blanc, (Pineau de la Loire), Sauv Blanc, Chard., Arbois, Romorantin

Hint 13

Arbois- native to the Loire used to soften Sauv Bl or Chenin. Mose used in Cheverny and in Vin du Pays.
Romorantin - grown exclusively in Cour-Cheverny

Front 14

What are the red grapes of the Middle Loire?

Back 14

Cab. Franc (principal red grape- also known as Breton), Cab S., Malbec (Cot), Gamay, Pinot Noir, Pinot Munier, Pineau d'Aunis, Grolleau

Hint 14

Pineau d'Aunis- short lived. Blended to increase fruit and used in Rose
Grolleau- native to central Loire and principal grape used for Rose

Front 15

Describe Savennieres AOC

Back 15

in Anjou, high acid and age worthy (easily 20 years); exclusively Chenin; can be dry or sweet
Aromas of linden, anise, grapefruit, pear, honey,quince paste, hazelnut, ripe grain, strawflower, candied lemon or grapefruit. Deepens color with age from pale straw to burnished gold.

Hint 15

Moelleux- 1-8-4.5% RS
Doux - over 4.5% RS

Front 16

Identify and describe the sweet white wine AOCs of Layon in the central Loire

Back 16

Bonnezeaux, Coteaux de l'Aubance, Coteaux du Layon, Chaume, Quarts de Chaume AOCs. Chenin Blanc with long hang times and botrytis.. Med to high RS (up to 25%). Flavors of peach, quince jam, apricot.

Hint 16

Layon is located within Anjou

Front 17

Why is Saumur such a good region for sparkling wines?

Back 17

Limestone soils produce highly acidic wines, and man made tunnels and caves from excavating stone from the limestone subsoil created tunnels and caves that are natural cellars for sparkling wine production

Front 19

What are the categories of sparkling wines in the Loire

Back 19

Petillants- (fizzy) method traditionale, delicately sparkling (half the pressure of mousseux or cremant
Mousseux: (frothy or bubbly)method traditionaelle but no aging requirement. 3 atm pressure
Cremant: method traditionelle, 12 mo aging on lees and 1 month in bottle before release

Hint 19

Sparkling wines in Anjou, Saumur and Touraine

Front 20

List the Rose AOC's of Anjou from dry to sweet

Back 20

Rose de Loire AOC- sourced from anywhere in the Middle Loire and always dry
Rose d'Anjou AOC- Min 0.7%RS from Grolleau
Cabernet d'Anjou- min 1% vRS made from both Cabernets

Front 21

What are the main AOCs of Saumur and what do they produce?

Back 21

Saumur AOC- Still whites from Chenin (up to 20% sauv bl and/or chard) and still reds from Cab F and Cab S
Cabernet de Saumur- Rose w max 1% RS from both Cabernets
Saumur Mousseaux and Saumur Mousseaux Rose AOCs- Chenin with up to 20% Chard and/or Sauv Bl; up to 60% Cab F, Cab S, Malbec, Gamay, Grolleau, and Pinot d'Aunis

Front 22

What are the red AOC's of the Touraine and what is the primary grape?

Back 22

Primary grape- Cabernet Franc.
AOC's: Touraine*, Chinon**, Bourguell**l, St Nicolas de Bourguell**
* can be blended with Cab S, Malbec,Gamay, P.Noir,P.Munier,P.Gris, and Pineau d'Aunis
**can be blended w up to 10% Cab S.

Hint 22

Note- some dry roses are made in these same AOC's from the same grapes

Front 23

Where is dry Rose produced in the Touraine

Back 23

AOC Touraine

Hint 23

Primarily from Cab F, Cab S, and Pinot Gris, although other red varieties can be added in Anjou.
Wine may have max 0.3% RS

Front 24

What kinds of wines are produced in the Vouvrey and Montlouis AOC's of Touraine in the Middle Loire?

Back 24

white, - dry to sweet from Chenin
Sweetness levels sec, demi-sec,
moelleux, doux

Front 25

What white wines are produced in the Touraine AOC? In the Chinon Blanc AOC?

Back 25

Touraine AOC-Dry whites from Chenin, Sauv Bl, and Arbois with up to 20% Chard
Chinon Blanc AOC- whites from 100% Chenin

Front 26

Which kinds of sparkling wines are produced in Touraine?

Back 26

White, Rose and Red- Petillant and Mousseux

Front 27

Which kinds of sparkling wines are produced in Touraine?

Back 27

White, Rose and Red- Petillant and Mousseux

Hint 27

A large portion of cool vintages are made into sparkling wines. Wines would be too acidic for still wine.

Front 28

What are the main sub-regions of the upper Loire?

Back 28

Sancerre, Pouilly Fume, Menetou-Salon

Front 29

Arrange the major sub-regions of the Loire from smallest to largest

Back 29

Upper Loire, Middle Loire, Lower Loire

Front 30

Describe the orientation of most of the vineyards of the upper Loire

Back 30

located on both sides of the river- which runs S-N
Orientation of vineyards is largely east or west

Hint 30

However due to the twisting of the river, there are some south facing sites.

Front 31

What is the climate of the Upper Loire?

Back 31

Continental

Hint 31

Largest diurnal and seasonal shifts of the Loire regions. Winters cold w frost and ice. Summer hot and sunny. Short spring, Fall temperate but fog can be a problem.

Front 32

Soils of the upper Loire

Back 32

Terres Blanche (marl rich in oyster fossils), Caillotes (sm limestone pebbles), and Silex (flint) all over kimmeridgean limestone base

Front 33

What are the white grapes of the upper Loire?

Back 33

Sauvignon blanc (Blanc Fume), Chasselas (allowed in Pouilly-sur-Loire AOC

Front 34

What are the red grapes of the Upper Loire?

Back 34

Pinot Noir, Pinot Gris, Gamay

Front 35

Describe the AOC's of the upper Loire

Back 35

Sancerre- White, Rose, and Red. All three soil types found here.
Pouilly-Fume- white only. Varied soils.
Pouilly-surLoire- whites primarily from Chasselas
Menetou-Salon- White,red and roses very similar to Sancerres
Reuilly- White, red and rose
Quincy- white only
Coteaux du Glennois- white 100%from S. Blanc, red and rose from Gamay and Pinot Noir
Saint-Pourcain- whites 50%Chard, 20-50% Sacy(Tressallier). Up to 10% Sauv Bl can be added. Rose is 100% Gamay. Red must be more than 40% gamay and 25% Pinot Noir.
Cote Roannaise- only red and rose from Gamay
Chateaumeillant- Reds more than 60% gamay with balance Pinot Noir. Rose more than 60% gamay with the rest in Pinot Noir and Pinot Gris
Cote d'Auvergne VDQS- White 100% Chard. Red and rose more than 50% Gamay and less than 50% Pinot Noir

Front 36

When is hand harvesting required in the Loire?

Back 36

Cremant de Loire, late harvest wines, Coteaux du Layon, Coteaux de l'Aubance, all sweet wine AOC's, THe vineyards of Savennieres must undergo one manual sorting before they can be machine harvested.