Loire Valley Wines: The Tasting

Below you will find the wines we sampled at my most recent wine tasting course with the Mt Airy Learning Tree (MALT) http://mtairylearningtree.org/ .  Most of these wines can be found at  Wine Works in Marlton, NJ http://www.wineaccess.com/store/wineworks/index.html . The "Cent Visages" Malbec is available at PA wine and liquor stores (code: 46420)

Wines of the Loire Valley

Mt. Airy Learning Tree

March 18/April 1, 2014

1. (March 18 class) Domaine de la Taille aux Loups « Triple Zero » Montlouis Petillant

Jacky Blot

Varietal: Chenin Blanc

Classification: Montlouis-sur-Loire AOC (Appellation d'Origine Controlee)

Production/Tasting Notes: No sugar used for chapatalization, triage or dosage; methode traditionelle; bottled after 3 months for secondary fermentation; natural yeasts; grapes harvested from 50+ year old vines (vieilles vignes); no malolactic fermentation, thus preserving acidity and freshness; elegant, brisk, notes of citrus, pear fruit, mineral.

Food pairings: shellfish, sole, flounder; or as an apertif

12.5 % Alcohol

1. (April 1 Class) Francois Pinon Vouvray Brut NV (Non Vintage)

Varietal : Chenin Blanc

Classification: Vouvray AOC

Production/Tasting Notes: Musky florality, showing dried pear, fig and pungent herbal qualities and subtle chalky, alkaline minerality. Broad, palate-coating orchard and pit fruit flavors are quite lush and accessible, offering building richness and gentle back-end grip and lingering finish with spiciness. 12.5 % alcohol

2. Chateau de la Chesnaie (Muscadet) 2012

                      

Varietal: Muscadet (Melon de Bourgogne)

Classification: Muscadet Sèvre et Maine (AOC)

Tasting Notes: Bright, round; crisp, dry, fresh lemon peel; floral & sea spray scents; tangy citrus & oyster mineral notes across palate

Food pairings: quintessential shellfish wine; also, fish, risotto, cheese

12 % Alcohol

2. (April 1 class) Domaine de la Pepière Muscadet (Organic) 2012

Varietal: Muscadet (Melon de Bourgogne)

Classification: Muscadet Sevre et Maine sur Lie (AOC)

Production/Tasting Notes:  Natural yeast fermentation; extended lees contact; deep, vibrant bouquet eliciting aromas of lime, green apple; crisp, dry, lemon-tinged; floral & briny scents; tangy citrus and oyster mineral notes across palate; full-bodied for a Muscadet. 12 % Alcohol

3. Hubert Brochard Sancerre 2011

                           

Varietals: Sauvignon Blanc

Classification/Region: Chavignol, Sancerre (AOC)

Production/Tasting Notes: Aged on lees; no filtration; intense minerality;dry, crisp; floral scents; white fruit aromas and flavors

Food Pairings: seafood; fish in sauces; Crottin de Chavignol goat chees

13 % Alcohol

4. Domaine de la Pepie (Marc Ollivier) Cabernet Franc 2012

Varietal: Cabernet Franc 100%

Classification: Vin de Pays du Val de Loire

Production/Tasting Notes: Dry, earthy, rustic; medium-bodied;notes of raspberry, plum, white pepper, rosemary, cola;

Food pairing: burgers, salmon; artisan pizza, savory crepes

12 % Alcohol

5. Bernard Baudry “La Croix Boissee” 2011

Varietal: Cabernet Franc 100%

Classification: Chinon AOC

Production/Tasting Notes: Unfiltered; no pesticides or chemical fertilizers used in soil;
"light-bodied and fresh, yet dense, with persistent flavors of red fruit, herbs and mineral" (3 stars in NY Times review);  perfumed aromas of black fruit, crushed hazelnut, coffee, spice box, green bean, and tobacco; fine, solid structure and minerality with a long mouth coating finish; will benefit from aging

Food pairings: Roast chicken, roasted lamb; braised veal;

13% Alcohol

6. Cot (Malbec) “Cent Visages,” Jean Francois Merieau 2010
   

   
   

    

Varietals: Malbec 100%

Classification: Touraine AOC

Production/Tasting Notes: Medium bodied; dry with lively acidity; aromas of dark berries (cranberry, cherry) combined with minerality and smokiness;

Food pairings: Roasted or grilled meats; cheeses; ratatouile

12.5 % Alcohol

Factoids about Loire Valley and its Wines

• Loire Valley wine producers are at the forefront of the natural or biodynamic movement which uses minimalist techniques to make wine.
• The largest wine region in France, the Loire Valley extends from the edge of the Atlantic Ocean in the Nantais to the central regions of Sancerre and Pouilly Fume through the heart of the famed Chateaux of the Loire
• The Loire River runs 625 miles
• If not for the River, vineyards could not likely grow well so far north
• There are over 60 different appellations in the Loire Valley ranging in style from bone-dry to intensely sweet, including some excellent petillants (sparkling wines)
• Cremant de Loire and Vouvray petillant are the sparkling wines of the region made from Chenin Blanc, Cabernet Franc
• The Sancerrois is home to the best Sauvignon Blanc from villages such as Sancerre, Pouilly, Quincy, Menetou-salon and Reuilly

Common Grape Varieties of the Loire Valley

Whites

CHENIN BLANC – Vinified for wines ranging from dry to sweet, from still to bubbly. Predominant grape of Vouvray whites

SAUVIGNON BLANC – Principal grape of the famed Sancerre and Pouilly Fume AOCs

MUSCADET (alias MELON de BOURGOGNE); THE grape of the Nantais region, renowned for its pairing with shellfish, especially oysters, and seafood.

Reds

CABERNET FRANC – The workhorse red grape of the Loire; if it's a red wine from the Loire, it's most likely Cabernet Franc.

Other reds grown in the Loire: Cot (Malbec), Gamay, Pinot Noir, Pineau d'Aunis, Grolleau

Wine Quotes: One not only drinks the wine, one smells it, observes it, tastes it, sips it and one talks about it.

~King Edward VII