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Study Cards on wine, wines, melon

Location of Pays Nantais

This region takes its name from the city of Nantes
Situated close to the Atlanctic Ocean

What is the principal grape variety of Pays Nantais?

The principal grape variety is Melon (Melon de Bourgogne or Muscadet)
Next to that Folle Blanche (Gros Plant) is also grown

Describe the expected style of wine made from Melon?

Melon makes a wine with high acidity a light body and low in alcohol.
The wines typically have low aromatic intensity intensity aromas of greep apple, lemon, pear, seashell
Often wines are made sur lie
The wines are good to very good in quality and inexpensive to mid-priced

Winemaking Pays de Nantais

Chaptilization is permitted up to 12% abv
Fermentation vats large underground glass-lined concrete vats, stainless steel is also used
To keep the wine as neutral as possible
No MLF to keep acidity in wine high

Decribe the technique of sur lie which is highly typical in Pays Nantais

Sur lie is a technique of filling out the body of what would otherwise be very light bodied wines.
After the alcoholic fermentation is completed one racking is allowed to remove the gross lees.
After this the wine remains in contact with the fine lees through the following winter and until botteling.
Ageing on the lees also retains freshness of the wine and may retain a small amount of carbon dioxide.

Where does InterLoire stand for and what does it do?

InterLoire stands for Interprofession des Vins du Val de Loire and it promotes wines together with those Ajou-Saumur and Touraine

Négociants continue to play an important role accounting for half of sales. Many smaller négociants have been bought up by larger companies which companies now account for a larger proportion of négociant sales?