LOIRE VALLEY Ansonia Wines Factsheet FACT SHEET

LOIRE VALLEY Ansonia Wines Factsheet FACT SHEET

Loire Valley An diverse region stretching 600 miles from LOIRE VALLEY the Atlantic Coast to central France.

HISTORY · Vines first planted by Romans, used river for transport GRAPES · Monks made wine during the Middle Ages, active White: commerce because of proximity to Paris Melon de Bourgogne, Chenin Blanc · Popular with French royalty & nobility 16th-18th century Sauvignon Blanc · Region suffered in 19th century as railroads made wine Red: from the rest of France more accessible to Paris Cabernet Franc · Recently has been center of biodynamic / natural Pinot Noir wine movement, gained much popularity as global tastes have shifted toward this style

Quotable “In recent years, no region of France has captured the fancy of sommeliers and young wine lovers like the Loire Valley.” - Rajat Parr, “The Sommelier’s Atlas of Taste” FACT SHEET - 02 -

Subregion 1: Lower Loire

APPELLATIONS GRAPES · Melon de Bourgogne · Muscadet de Sèvre et Maine Sur Lie

TERROIR PROCESS · raised on lees (dead yeasts) · flat, maritime climat; granite, schist, clay, volcanic gabbro for several years to impart richness / complexity

TASTING NOTES · Nose: melon, dried apple, stones, dough, honeysuckle · Mouth: very dry, mineral, lightweight, saline, seashells, lemon zest

PAIRING IDEAS · oysters, mussels, scallops, roasted fish, dry goat cheese

ANSONIA WINEMAKER The New Muscadet For centuries Muscadet was known as abundant, inexpensive, unserious wine for washing down a plate of oysters in a Parisian bistro. But in recent years Muscadet has reinvented itself. The appellation elevated several of its terroirs to “Cru Communal” status, requiring longer aging and more limited location. The resulting wines are far more complex and ageworthy than their predecessors, and Martin-Luneau express their terroirs with real sophistication and depth. (Muscadet)

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Subregion 2: Central Loire

GRAPES, WHITE GRAPES, RED Chenin Blanc Cabernet Franc

APPELLATIONS, WHITE APPELLATIONS, RED Vouvray, Montlouis, Anjou, Chinon, Chinon, Saumur-Champigny, Touraine-Azay-le-Rideau Bourgeuil

PAIRING IDEAS, WHITE PAIRING IDEAS, RED oysters, mussels, scallops, roasted barbecued meat, stir-fried pork, fish, dry goat cheese hard sheep’s milk cheeses

TASTING NOTES TASTING NOTES Nose: exotic notes, tropical, Nose: currants, wild cherries, peach, mango, white flowers raspberry, licorice, violets Mouth: smooth, mouthfilling, viscous, Mouth: peppery, minerals, graphite, chalk, minerals, dry or sweet punchy tannin, grip, structure

ANSONIA WINEMAKERS

Nicolas Paget Domaine Sanzay Domaine Demois (Touraine) (Saumur-Champigny) (Chinon)

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Subregion 2: Central Loire

Nicolas Paget, Touraine-Azay le Rideau

Celine Sanzay, Saumur-Champigny Fabien Demois, Chinon

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Subregion 3: Upper Loire

Twin River Towns APPELLATIONS Sancerre and Pouilly-Fumé sit on either side of the Loire · Sancerre River in central France. They produce mostly unoaked · Pouilly-Fumé Sauvignon Blanc, raised in stony soils and showing notes of grapefruits, minerals, lemon, and most famously, gunflint. TERROIR · clay, limestone, marl, flint

GRAPES · Sauvignon Blanc, Pinot N.

PAIRING IDEAS · mussels, trout, oysters, crottin de chavignol (chèvre)

TASTING NOTES Nose: smoke, grapefruit Mouth: mineral, dry, refreshing, lemon zest

ANSONIA WINEMAKERS

Frederic Michot Domaine de la Garenne (Pouilly-Fumé) (Sancerre)

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