🇫🇷LOIRE VALLEY–Central Vineyards

CENTRAL VINEYARDS IS– AOC.– 10      @Bourges

  • BLANC= Sauvignon Blanc 33%, Chardonnay, Pinot Gris, Sauvignon Gris
  • ROUGE= Cabernet Franc, Gamey, Pinot Meunier, Pinot Noir

GEOGRAPHY– France, REGION-Loire Valley(East), SUB-REGION-Central Vineyards

  • DEPARTMENTS-Cher, Indre, Nievre, Loiret, Rhone-Alpes
  • Sub-AOC.’s– Cotes du Forez AOC., Coteaux de Giennois AOC., Cote Roannaises AOC., Gien Cosne-Sur-Loire AOC., Menetou-Salon AOC., Orleanais AOC., Pouilly-Fume AOC., Quincy AOC., Reuilly AOC., Sancerre AOC., Valencay AOC.

TOPOGRAPHY– “Rolling/ Hilly”, SLOPES/ ?, +Alt.?, On~Cher~River~Tributary~Loire~

SOILS– “Metamorphic”, “Sedimentary”, Silex(Flint), Chalk, Gravel, Tufa, Marl

  • Oxfordian Era Formation- MYA. Caillottes(Small Limestone Pieces, Flint)
  • Kimmeridgian Era Formaton- MYA. Terres Blanches(Clay)
  • Tuffeau- Yellowish, Sedimentary Rock(Mixture of Sand and Marine Fossils), Form In Turonian Era(90 Million Years Ago)

CLIMATE– “Continental” With “Mediterranean” Influence

  • Summers– Warm     |   Winters– Cold, Wet

**Central Vineyards Images Courtesy of Delong Maps, Purchase These Maps at Delongwine.com

ORLEANAIS AOC.     @Orleans

  • BLANC= Auvernat Blanc AKA=Chardonnay, Pinot Gris
  • ROUGE= Cabernet Franc, Pinot Meunier, Pinot Noir
  • GEOGRAPHY– France, REGION-Loire Valley, SUB-REGION-Central Vineyards(North-West), LATITUDE: 48° ‘N’
    • DEPARTMENT-Loiret, @Hw.#E60, “Non-Contiguous“(3)
    • COMMUNES– (13) Baule, Beaugency, Chery, Clery-Saint-Andre, Mardie, Mareau-Aux-Pres, Meung-sur-Loire, Mezieres-Lez-Clery, Olivet, Orleans, Saint-Ay, Saint-Hilaire-Sant-Mesmin, Saint-Jean-de-Braye, Saint-Jean-de-la-Ruelle, Saint-Pryve-Saint-Mesmin
  • TOPOGRAPHY– “Flat/ Rolling”, On~Loire~River~
  • SOILS= ”Metamorphic”, ”Sedimentary”, Kimmeridgian, Siliceous Clay/ Gravel
  • CLIMATE= ”Continental”
  • VITICULTURE– 90 ha. Planted
    • –Estate/ Producers– Clos Saint-Fiacre, Reynald Heaule
  • CULTURE–  AKA=Cote de Gien
    • “Monks & Monasteries“ ~Orleanais~

ORLEANAIS-CLERY AOC.     @Orleans

  • ROUGE= Cabernet Franc, Cabernet Sauvignon
  • GEOGRAPHY– France, REGION-Loire Valley, SUB-REGION-Central Vineyards(North-West), LATITUDE: 48° ‘N’
    • DEPARTMENT- Loiret, @Hw.#E60
    • COMMUNES– Chery, Clery-St.-Andre, Mezieres-Lez-Clery, Olivet, St.-Hilaire-St.-Mesmin, St.-Pryve-St. Mesmin
  • TOPOGRAPHY– “Flat/ Rolling”, On~Loire~River~
  • SOILS= ”Metamorphic”, ”Sedimentary”, Kimmeridgian, Siliceous Clay/ Gravel
  • CLIMATE= ”Continental”
  • VITICULTURE– 28 ha. Planted
    • –Estate/ Producers–  Benedicte & Hubert Piel, Clos St.-Fiacre, Valerie Deneufbourg,

COTEAUX De GIENNOIS AOC.    @Gien

  • BLANC= Sauvignon Blanc
  • ROUGE= Gamay, Pinot Noir
  • GEOGRAPHY– France, REGION-Loire Valley, SUB-REGION-Central Vineyards
    • DEPARTMENT-Cher, @Hw.#A77
    • BORDERS– Sancerre(South-West)
  • TOPOGRAPHY– “Flat/ Rolling”, On~Loire~River~(East)
  • SOILS= “Metamorphic”, ”Sedimentary”
  • VITICULTURE– 190 ha. Planted
  • VINICULTURE– Rose
    • –Estate/ Producers– Clement & Florian Berthier, Joseph Mellot, Matheus Coste, Villargeau

GIEN COSNE-Sur-LOIRE AOC.      @

  • BLANC= Sauvignon Blanc
  • ROUGE= Pinot Noir
  • GEOGRAPHY– France, REGION-Loire Valley, SUB-REGION-Central Vineyards
    • DEPARTMENT-Cher, @Hw.#A77
  • TOPOGRAPHY– “Flat/ Rolling”
  • SOILS= “Metamorphic”, ”Sedimentary”
  • VITICULTURE– ? ha. Planted
    • –Estate/ Producers–

POUILLY-FUME AOC.     @Pouilly-Sur-Loire

  • BLANC= Sauvignon Blanc
  • GEOGRAPHY- France, REGION-Loire Valley, SUB-REGION-Central Vineyards(East)
    • DEPARTMENT-Cher, @Hw.#A77, VILLAGES– Sury
    • BORDERS– Coteaux du Giennois AOC.(North), Sancerre AOC.(West)
  • TOPOGRAPHY– “Rolling/ Hilly”, On~Loire~River~(East)
  • SOILS= ”Metamorphic”, ”Sedimentary”, Kimmeridgian, Caillottes(Small Limestone Pieces, Flint), Marl
  • CLIMATE= ”Mediterranean” With “Continental“ Influence
  • VITICULTURE– 1,200 ha. Planted,  HARVEST/ -75 Hectoliter per Hectare
    • –Estate/ Producers– Alexandre Bain(Nat.Pro.), Bouchie-Chatellier, Cailbourdin, Chatelain, Comte Henry d’Assay, Didier Dagueneau, Francis Blanchet, Fournier Pere & Fils, Marc Deschamps, Michel Redde et Fils, Patrice Moreux(4.4ha.), Pascal Jolivet, Pastou, Pe, Saget la Perriere, Quintessence
  • CULTURE– Fume/ Smoke…Named After the Struct Gun Flint Aroma of the Wines.
    • “Monk & Monasteries“  ~La Charite-Sur-Loire~

SANCERRE AOC.      @Sancerre

  • BLANC= Sauvignon Blanc, Chardonnay
  • ROUGE= Pinot Noir
  • GEOGRAPHY– France, REGION-Loire Valley, SUB-REGION-Central Vineyards, DEPARTMENT-Cher
    • BORDERS– Menetou-Salon AOC.(South-West), Pouilly-Fume AOC.(South-East), Coteaux du Gienois AOC.(North-East)
    • Sub-Zones- Bue, Crezancy, Chavignol, Menetreol-Sous-Sancerre, Vinon
    • COMMUNES-(14)- Les Boucauds
  • TOPOGRAPHY– “Rolling/ Hilly”, SLOPES/ ?, +Alt.240mt. – 280mt., On~Loire~River~(West)
  • SOILS= ”Metamorphic”, ”Sedimentary”, Silex(Flint)
    • Oxfordian Era Formation- Caillottes(Small Limestone Pieces, Flint), Griottes(      )
    • Kimmeridgian Era Formaton-  Terres Blanches(Clay)
      • High In Clay and Limestone(Exogyra Virgula Fossels)
  • VITICULTURE– 2,900 ha. Planted
    • –Estate/ Producers– Carrou, Chevreau, Claude Riffault(13.5ha.), Daniel Crochet, David Sautereau, Etienne & Sebastien Riffault(Nat.Pro.), Gerard Fiou, Girault, Henri Bourgeois, Hubert Brochard, J. de Villebois, Jean-Max Roger, Lucien Crochet(35ha.), Martin, Poussie, Saget La Perriere, Vacheron, Vincent Pinard
    • –Vineyards– Chene Marchand, Croix du Roy, Grand Chemarin
  • VINICULTURE– Still-Varietal, Rose
  • CULTURE– “Monks & Monasteries“ ~Sancerre~

MENETOU-SALON AOC.     @Menetou-Salon

  • BLANC= Sauvignon Blanc
  • ROUGE= Pinot Noir
  • GEOGRAPHY– France, REGION-Loire Valley, SUB-REGION-Central Vineyards, DEPARTMENT-Cher
    • BORDERS– Sancerre AOC.(North-East)
    • COMMUNES-(10)Aubinges, Humblligny, Menetou-Salon, Morogues, Quantilly, Parassy, Soulangis, St. Ceols, Vignoux-Sous-Les-Aix
  • TOPOGRAPHY– “Rolling/ Hilly”, SLOPES/ ?, +Alt. 175 mt.-315 mt.
  • SOILS= “Metamorphic”, “Sedimentary”, Limestone, Clay
  • VITICULTURE– 500 ha. Planted
    • –Estate/ Producers– Chavet, L’Ermitage, Henry Pelle, Isabelle et Pierre Clement, Jean Teiller, Joseph Mellot, Millet-Roger, Nicolas Girard, Patient Cottat, Philippe Gilber

VALENCAY AOC.     @Valencay

  • BLANC= Sauvignon Blanc, Sauvignon Gris, Chardonnay, Arbois
  • ROUGE= Gamay, Cot, Cabernet Sauvignon, Pinot Noir
  • GEOGRAPHY– France, REGION-Loire Valley(East-Central), SUB-REGION-Central Vineyards
    • DEPARTMENT-Indre
  • TOPOGRAPHY– “Rolling/ Hilly”, On~Cher~River~
  • SOILS= “Metamorphic”, ”Sedimentary”
  • VITICULTURE– 240 ha. Planted
    • –Estate/ Producers– Augis, Le Claud Delorme, Sebastien Vaillant

QUINCY AOC.     @Quincy

  • BLANC= Sauvignon Blanc, Pinot Gris
  • ROUGE= Pinot Noir
  • GEOGRAPHY– France, REGION-Loire Valley, SUB-REGION-Central Vineyards(West)
    • DEPARTMENT-Cher, BORDERS– Reuilly AOC.(South-West), @Hw.#E11
  • TOPOGRAPHY– “Rolling/ Hilly”, On~Cher~River~Tributary~Loire~
  • SOILS= “Metamorphic”, ”Sedimentary”,  Sand, Gravel, Silex, Pink Limestone
  • VITICULTURE– 240 ha. Planted
    • –Estate/ Producers– Andre Pigeat, J. de Villebois, Lecomte, Mardon, Pierre Duret, Trotereau, Villalin
  • CULTURE– “Monks & Monasteries“  ~Quincy~

REUILLY AOC.     @Reuilly

  • BLANC= Sauvignon Blanc
  • ROUGE= Pinot Noir, Pinot Gris
  • GEOGRAPHY– France, REGION-Loire Valley, SUB-REGION-Central Vineyards(West)
    • DEPARTMENT-Cher, Indre, BORDERS-Quincy AOC.(North-East), “Non-Contiguous(2)”
    • COMMUNES-Cerbois, Chery, Diou, Lazenay, Lury sur Amon, Preuilly, Reuilly
    • South of Vierzon-City(    km.)
  • TOPOGRAPHY– “Rolling/ Hilly/ Terraced”
  • SOILS= “Metamorphic”, ”Sedimentary”, Limestone, Sand, Gravel, Kimmerridgian Marl
  • VITICULTURE–  260 ha. Planted
  • VINICULTURE– Rose
    • –Estate/ Producers– Claude Lafond, Domaine Reuilly, Jacques Vincent

COTE ROANNAISES AOC.     @Roanne

  • BLANC= ?
  • ROUGE= Pinot Noir, Gamey
  • GEOGRAPHY– France, REGION-Loire Valley, SUB-REGION-Central Vineyards
    • DEPARTMENTS– Rhone-Alpes, North-West of Lyon-City(     km.)
  • GEOGRAPHY– “Rolling/ Hilly”
  • SOILS= “Metamorphic”, ”Volcanic”, Sand, Granite,  Basalt
  • VITICULTURE– 180 ha. Planted
    • –Estate/ Producers– Robert Serol, Pothiers

COTES Du FOREZ AOC.     @Montbrison

  • BLANC=   ?
  • ROUGE= Gamay
  • GEOGRAPHY– France, REGION-Loire Valley, SUB-REGION-Central Vineyards
    • DEPARTMENTS-Rhone-Alpes, COMMUNES– 17
  • TOPOGRAPHY– “Rolling/ Hilly”, SLOPES/ Monts du Forez Hills, +Alt.?
  • SOILS= “Metamorphic”, ”Volcanic”, Basalt
  • VITICULTURE– 168 ha. Planted
    • –Estate/ Producers– Domaine Madone, Domaine Poyet, Clos Chozieux, Couzan

CREMANT De LOIRE     @Loire

  • BLANC= Chardonnay, Chenin Blanc
  • ROUGE= Cabernet Sauvignon, Gamey, Pineau d’Aunis, Pinot Noir
  • GEOGRAPHY– France, REGION-Loire Valley(Greater)
  • VINICULTURE– SPARKLING…METHOD/ Traditionelle(+AGED/+1 Year, On Lees)
    • Cremant de Loire Can Be Produced From the Entire Region , From 13 Different Grapes From Any Area From Muscadet to Sancerre

Indication Geographique Protégée IGP. of Loire Valley

  • VITICULTURE– Wines Produced In Loire Valley Non-Conforming to a AOP.

COTEAUX De TANNEY IGP.

  • GEOGRAPHY– France, REGION-Loire Valley, DEPARTMENT-Nievre

COTEAUX Du CHER Et De L’ARNON IGP.

  • GEOGRAPHY– France, REGION-Loire Valley, DEPARTMENT-Between Cher & Arnon Rivers

COTE De La CHARITE IGP.

  • GEOGRAPHY– France, REGION-Loire Valley, DEPARTMENT-Nievre, South of Sancerre

VAL De LOIRE IGP.

  • GEOGRAPHY– France, REGION-Loire Valley
    • Catchment Covering 14 Department of the Loire

*Refer to “BIBLIOGRAPHY/ Sources” For Details On Scholarly Works Referenced.