On the Road with the Grape Guy

Loire Valley: Vineyard, Grape and Sales Presentation

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Category: On the Road with the Grape Guy

(October 2023) … I had a chance to revisit the Loire Valley – but this time the focus is on Cabernet Franc and see the new marketing campaign of the region.

So let’s take a moment and look at the Loire Valley by the numbers in an overview:

-    2700 producers
-    410 wine merchants (negotiants)
-    80% producers - environmentally certified (by 2022)
-    1 of 10 UNESCO World Heritage designations (about ⅔ of region)
-    By 2030 every vineyard will have at least one environmental certification

The Loire’s new marketing focus is on words that begin with “F”:
Floral, Fruity, Fresh (crisp and light), Fair (low environmental impact)
The one “f” word missing is “fun” – but we as consumers can always put it back in.

The Loire Valley is the 3rd largest AOP winegrowing area in France (and the most diverse) with 4 subregions:

Nantais (Nantais - Ancenis & Clisson) Melon (main) + Folle Blanche /
Anjou-Saumur (Angers & Saumur) Franc - Chenin (main) + Grolleau - Chard - Gamay - Cot /
Touraine (Blois - Tours - Amboise - Chinon) Sauv Blanc - Pinot Noir (main) + Cot - Gamay

Centre-Loire (Sancerre etc.) - own agency / own agenda
(this final region is not part of Inter-Loire, which takes care of the other three)

24 Grape Varieties

Whites: Melon 31% - Sauvignon Blanc 29% - Chenin 27% - Chard 9% … most appear as single varietal wines
Reds: Cabernet Franc 53% - Gamay 14% - Pinot Noir 7% - Grolleau 7% - Cabernet Sauvignon 5% … most appear as single varietal wines
Breakdown of production numbers is:
37% white wine - 29% sparkling wine - 17% red wine - 17% rosé

Loire River: 25% of water supply in France / covers ⅕ of the country

In 2022 the Loire Valley sent wines all over the world, to many different markets …

-    22% of wines exported (with growth potential of 30% by 2030)
-    Volumes exported are on the rise in places like Germany (+15%) - Belgium (+7.3%) along with Norway - Italy and Latvia
-    Volumes are dropping in Australia - Swiss - Netherlands - USA (- 7.5%) and the UK (- 30%)

That said the top markets for the Loire are:
Germany - USA - Belgium - UK - Canada (up 1.2%) - Netherland - Australia and Japan

Since we were there at the tail end of the 2023 harvest, numbers were not completely available – but they did have some idea as to how the vintage had gone, so far:

-    high temps caused risk of spontaneous fermentation
-    Chard / Franc / Savvy B - good balance of sugar and acidity
-    hot year helped elimate pyrazines (vegetal notes) - good fruity character will be present (in still wines)
-    Chenin, in particular had a high risk of mold because of the rains during harvest time
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Dialing Down to Cabernet Franc …

-    Most widely planted grape - 25% of vineyard plantings
-    14,000 ha (same as Bordeaux)
-    ⅓ of total plantings in France
-    main sub-regions: Touraine et Anjou-Saumur
-    styles range from rose-sparkling fruity reds to ageable reds

History: origins of the grape are linked to Spain and Basque Country; it’s first name looks to be Biturica.

Cabernet Franc is perfect for the Loire Valley because …
-    it buds mid-season
-    it prefers cooler climates
-    it is vigorous and likes deep well-drained soils
-    sunshine will help minimize pyrazine (vegetal)

There are 9 Cab Franc Appellations that run through the Loire Valley:
Chinon (major) - Bourgueil - Saumur-Champigny - Saint Nicolas de Bourgueil - Anjou - Anjou-Brissac - Anjou-Villages - Saumur - Saumur-Puy-Notre-Dame (smallest)

In Touraine - 27% of region is Cabernet Franc
Chinon - 12.4% / St-Nicolas-de-Bourgueil - 7.8% / Bourgueil - 6.9%

In Anjou-Saumur it is 41% of the region

-    Cabernet d'Anjou (rosé) – this is the number one appellation rosé wine sold in France
-    Saumur-Champigny (red only)
-    Saumur et Saumur Puy-Notre-Dame (red and rosé)
-    Anjou, Anjou Villages, Anjou Brissac (red)

Finally a look at exports of Cabernet Franc to Canada (and the rest of the world) …

40% of the Cabernet Franc exported comes from Chinon
Saumur and Saumur-Champigny 15%
Anjou and Anjou-Villages 3%
Bourgueil and St. Nicolas de Bourgueil – have just joined Inter-Loire so their numbers are not available at this time.

70% of Loire Wine go to Quebec

Here are a couple of links to dive deeper into the wines tasted:

The Franc of the Saumur
Chinon : Impressed or Not Impressed

Visit to Icario Winery

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Category: On the Road with the Grape Guy

(February 2024) ... Icario winery was established in 1998. It takes its name from mythology: the first winemaker was named Icario, which was the name given to him by Bacchus. The farm is 50 hectares of which 25 hectares are planted to grapes: 70% Sangiovese (40 years old) with the rest equal parts white (Trebbiano, Riesling, Chardonnay and Gewurztraminer) and red (Merlot and Cabernet); all sitting between 360 and 480 meters above sea level.

The area is excellent for grape growing because of the good diurnal temperatures, which can fluctuate 10+ degrees during the night, especially during the important months of July and August. Current production is approximately 100,000 bottles, with a target of hitting the 150,000 mark. The remaining part of the property is olive trees and forest.

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The Wines …

Icario 2022 Nysa Bianco IGT 
- 50% Trebbiano / 20% Gewurztraminer (body) / 10% Riesling (minerality) / 20% Chardonnay (tropical) -    
Pretty minerality, with a floral and spicy component.  (*** ½+)

Icario 2020 Nysa Rosso IGT
- 60% Sangiovese / 20% Merlot / 20% Cabernet Sauvignon -
(12 months barrel - 2 yrs aged in tank) - Notes of dark berries and cherry fruit mixed with mocha, coffee bean, cedar, and a touch of herbal.  (*** ½+)    

Icario 2022 Trebbiano IGT
- 100% Trebbiano -
Sunflower and grapefruit rind with a long finish.  (*** ½)

Icario 2022 Rosso di Montepulciano
- 80% Sangiovese / 20% Merlot -
The Merlot is added to this wine to make it more approachable, sooner; it is also aged 6 months in big barrels. Fresh, light and delicious, with cherry, raspberry, and strawberry fruit - it's a red fruit bowl of deliciousness; while the tannins and acidity help to balance it out nicely.  (****)

Icario 2017 Vino Nobile di Montepulciano
- 90% Sangiovese / 10% Colorino -
Very hot season – yet the wine shows a fresh mouthfeel with red berries, mocha, and a good acid seam that appears on the finish - almost ready. Give it another year, maybe two.  (older vintage)

Icario 2018 Vino Nobile di Montepulciano
- 90% Sangiovese / 10% Colorino -
Very rainy season helped plump up the grapes (that's the positive spin) - but then sunny and warm at the end (that's what you want) ... Elegant and fresh with tannins that show up early in the mouth and kick around to the finish; but there is also plenty of fruit backing it up - drink 5+ years (up to 12).  (older vintage)

Icario 2019 Vino Nobile di Montepulciano
- 90% Sangiovese / 10% Colorino -
The fruit really pushes its way to the fore, both on the nose and palate, where elegance and opulence meet. The red fruit shines, the tannins are well-integrated, and the acidity is on-point.  (****+)

Icario 2018 Vino Nobile di Montepulciano Riserva - Vitaroccia    
- 95% Sangiovese / 5% Cabernet Sauvignon -
The wine is named after a river on the property, the name means "life of the stone" ... Spicy, yet elegant, good fruit composition that shows a darker side of Sangiovese - black fruit, namely dark plum with elegant tannins. Small 5000 bottles production.  (****+)

Icario 2018 Vino Nobile di Montepulciano Selezione - Sansasia
- Sangiovese -
This is the best expression of the Sangiovese from the property. Good modern fruit character: cherry, plum, mocha, blackberry, and cassis - 10% is created in an older appassimento style (drying grapes); while only 2000 bottles are production.  (****)