Anjou wine is produced in the

Loire Valley wine The Loire Valley wine region includes the French wine regions situated along the river Loire from the Muscadet region near the city of Nantes on the Atlantic coast to the region of Sancerre and Pouilly-Fumé just southeast of the city of Orléans ...

region of

France France (), officially the French Republic ( ), is a country primarily located in Western Europe. It also comprises of overseas regions and territories in the Americas and the Atlantic, Pacific and Indian Oceans. Its metropolitan area ...

near the city of

Angers Angers (, , ) is a city in western France, about southwest of Paris. It is the prefecture of the Maine-et-Loire department and was the capital of the province of Anjou until the French Revolution. The inhabitants of both the city and the pr ...

. The wines of region are often grouped together with the wines of nearby Saumur as "Anjou-Saumur". Along with the wines produced further east in

Touraine Touraine (; ) is one of the traditional provinces of France. Its capital was Tours. During the political reorganization of French territory in 1790, Touraine was divided between the departments of Indre-et-Loire, :Loir-et-Cher, Indre and Vien ...

, Anjou-Saumur make what is collectively known as the "Middle Loire" (as opposed to the "Upper Loire" which includes the wine regions of

Sancerre Sancerre () is a medieval hilltop town (ville) and commune in the Cher department, France overlooking the river Loire. It is noted for its wine. History Located in the area of Gaul settled by the powerful Celtic (Gaule Celtique) tribe, the B ...

and

Pouilly-Fumé Pouilly-Fumé is an ''appellation d'origine contrôlée'' (AOC) for the dry sauvignon blanc white wine produced around Pouilly-sur-Loire, in the Nièvre département. Another white wine produced in the same area but with a different grape vari ...

.J. Robinson. ''Jancis Robinson's Wine Course'', Third Edition. Abbeville Press, 2003. pp. 180-184. . Within the Anjou wine region are several ''

Appellation d'origine contrôlée An appellation is a legally defined and protected geographical indication primarily used to identify where the grapes for a wine were grown, although other types of food often have appellations as well. Restrictions other than geographical bou ...

s'' (AOCs) responsible for a broad spectrum of wines including still red, white and rosé produced with varying levels of sweetness. Extending across the

Deux-Sèvres Deux-Sèvres () is a French department. ''Deux-Sèvres'' literally means "two Sèvres": the Sèvre Nantaise and the Sèvre Niortaise are two rivers which have their sources in the department. It had a population of 374,878 in 2019.

, Maine-et-Loire and

Vienne Vienne (; Poitevin-Saintongeais: ''Viéne'') is a landlocked department in the French region of Nouvelle-Aquitaine. It takes its name from the river Vienne. It had a population of 438,435 in 2019.départements A department (, ) is an administrative or political division in several countries. Departments are the first-level divisions of 11 countries, nine in the Americas and two in Africa. An additional 10 countries use departments as second-level div ...

'', the generic Anjou AOC

appellation An appellation is a legally defined and protected geographical indication primarily used to identify where the grapes for a wine were grown, although other types of food often have appellations as well. Restrictions other than geographical boun ...

and its various sub-appellations encompasses vineyards across more than 151 communes. Wine expert

Tom Stevenson Tom Stevenson (born 1951) is a British wine writer and critic. Described by his colleagues as one of today's most prolific wine authors, Stevenson is regarded as the world's leading authority on Champagne.christies.coChristie’s Champagne Ma ...

describes the wines of the area as being a " microcosm of the Loire Valley", featuring wines made from every

grape variety This list of grape varieties includes cultivated grapes, whether used for wine, or eating as a table grape, fresh or dried (raisin, currant, sultana). For a complete list of all grape species including those unimportant to agriculture, see Viti ...

and in almost every style produced in the entire Loire wine region.T. Stevenson ''The Sotheby's Wine Encyclopedia'' pg 282-286 Dorling Kindersley 2005 Among the wines of Anjou, Savennières is noted for its dry Chenin blanc wines and the

Coteaux du Layon Coteaux du Layon is an ''Appellation d'origine contrôlée'' (AOC) for sweet white wine in the Loire Valley wine region of France. Coteaux du Layon is situated in the Anjou district of the region, along the river Layon, which is a tributary of the ...

for its sweet

dessert wine Dessert wines, sometimes called pudding wines in the United Kingdom, are sweet wines typically served with dessert. There is no simple definition of a dessert wine. In the UK, a dessert wine is considered to be any sweet wine drunk with a meal ...

s that includes the

botrytized wine Noble rot (french: pourriture noble; german: Edelfäule; it, Muffa nobile; hu, Aszúsodás) is the beneficial form of a grey fungus, ''Botrytis cinerea'', affecting wine grapes. Infestation by ''Botrytis'' requires moist conditions. If the we ...

s of

Bonnezeaux Coteaux du Layon is an ''Appellation d'origine contrôlée'' (AOC) for sweet white wine in the Loire Valley wine region of France. Coteaux du Layon is situated in the Anjou district of the region, along the river Layon, which is a tributary of the ...

and

Quarts de Chaume Coteaux du Layon is an ''Appellation d'origine contrôlée'' (AOC) for sweet white wine in the Loire Valley wine region of France. Coteaux du Layon is situated in the Anjou district of the region, along the river Layon, which is a tributary of the ...

. Various rosé wines are produced in the region under different AOC designation include ''Rosé d'Anjou'', the most basic level made predominantly from Grolleau, and ''Cabernet d'Anjou'' which is usually made from Cabernet Franc or Cabernet Sauvignon.A. Domine (ed) ''Wine'' pg 224-226 Ullmann Publishing 2008 For most of its history, dry red wines have represented a small percentage of Anjou

winemaking Winemaking or vinification is the production of wine, starting with the selection of the fruit, its fermentation into alcohol, and the bottling of the finished liquid. The history of wine-making stretches over millennia. The science of wine and ...

but in recent years the numbers have been steadily increasing—aided, in part, by the 1987 establishment of the ''Anjou-Villages'' AOC designation for red wines which can be made from only Cabernet Sauvignon and Cabernet Franc. The

Gamay Gamay is a purple-colored grape variety used to make red wines, most notably grown in Beaujolais and in the Loire Valley around Tours. Its full name is Gamay Noir à Jus Blanc. It is a very old cultivar, mentioned as long ago as the 15th centu ...

grape of the

Beaujolais wine Beaujolais ( , ) is a French ''Appellation d'Origine Contrôlée'' (AOC) wine generally made of the Gamay grape, which has a thin skin and is low in tannins. Like most AOC wines they are not labeled varietally. Whites from the region, which mak ...

region has had a long history in the Anjou with its own ''Anjou-Gamay'' AOC. Grapes from around the region can go into basic ''Anjou blanc'' and ''Anjou Rouge'' AOC wines.J. Robinson (ed) ''"The Oxford Companion to Wine"'' Third Edition pg 24 Oxford University Press 2006

History

29-autunno,Taccuino Sanitatis, Casanatense 4182

Wine made from the Chenin blanc grape can be dated to the 9th century in vineyards belonging to the Glanfeuil Abbey located just south of Angers in what is now Le Thoureil. Angevin wines have been held in high esteem since the

Middle Ages In the history of Europe, the Middle Ages or medieval period lasted approximately from the late 5th to the late 15th centuries, similar to the post-classical period of global history. It began with the fall of the Western Roman Empire ...

but were mostly limited to local French markets. Unusual for the time Anjou was known for its unique winemaking technique of blending ''vin de presse'', the wine extracted from pressing the grapes, with the ''vin de goutte'' or

free run juice In winemaking, pressing is the process where juice is extracted from the grapes with the aid of a Winepress, wine-press, by hand, or even by the weight of the grape berries and clusters.Jeff Cox ''From Vines to Wines: The Complete Guide to Growing ...

that came from the weight of

gravity In physics, gravity () is a fundamental interaction which causes mutual attraction between all things with mass or energy. Gravity is, by far, the weakest of the four fundamental interactions, approximately 1038 times weaker than the stro ...

pressing the grape. This ''vin de presse'' added extra

tannins Tannins (or tannoids) are a class of astringent, polyphenolic biomolecules that bind to and precipitate proteins and various other organic compounds including amino acids and alkaloids. The term ''tannin'' (from Anglo-Norman ''tanner'', f ...

and color to the wine but could limit the wine's appeal for being consumed young.H. Johnson ''Vintage: The Story of Wine'' pg 124-125,144 & 188 Simon and Schuster 1989 Dutch traders in the 16th and 17th century introduced

sweet wine Dessert wines, sometimes called pudding wines in the United Kingdom, are sweet wines typically served with dessert. There is no simple definition of a dessert wine. In the UK, a dessert wine is considered to be any sweet wine drunk with a meal ...

production to the region that would feed the growing and prosperous market for such wines in

Rotterdam Rotterdam ( , , , lit. ''The Dam on the River Rotte'') is the second largest city and municipality in the Netherlands. It is in the province of South Holland, part of the North Sea mouth of the Rhine–Meuse–Scheldt delta, via the ''"Ne ...

. Anjou wines experienced some brief popularity with the

English English usually refers to: * English language * English people English may also refer to: Peoples, culture, and language * ''English'', an adjective for something of, from, or related to England ** English national ide ...

market being in demand due to their reputation for tasting "ripe and sweet". The high point of the Angevin wine industry was the early 19th century when the market demands of

Paris Paris () is the Capital city, capital and List of communes in France with over 20,000 inhabitants, most populous city of France, with an estimated population of 2,165,423 residents in 2019 in an area of more than 105 km² (41 sq mi), ma ...

overtook those of the Dutch and plantings flourished throughout the area. But soon the

phylloxera epidemic The Great French Wine Blight was a severe blight of the mid-19th century that destroyed many of the vineyards in France and laid waste to the wine industry. It was caused by an aphid that originated in North America and was carried across the Atl ...

would ravage the region's vineyards and bring this golden era to a close. In response to the devastation, growers in Anjou replanted with a wide range of grape varieties of varying qualities, including

hybrid grape Hybrid grapes are grape varieties that are the product of a crossing of two or more ''Vitis'' species. This is in contrast to crossings between grape varieties of the same species, typically ''Vitis vinifera'', the European grapevine. Hybrid grap ...

s. Even with this massive replanting, vineyards in the Anjou still number less than half of the acreage planted during the peak years of production.

Climate and geography

Located along the river Loire near the town of Angers, the region of Anjou has a mild continental climate with some maritime influences due to its close proximity to the

Atlantic Ocean The Atlantic Ocean is the second-largest of the world's five oceans, with an area of about . It covers approximately 20% of Earth's surface and about 29% of its water surface area. It is known to separate the " Old World" of Africa, Europe ...

.E. McCarthy & M. Ewing-Mulligan ''"French Wine for Dummies"'' pg 206-210 Wiley Publishing 2001 This influence is tempered by the forests of the

Vendée Vendée (; br, Vande) is a department in the Pays de la Loire region in Western France, on the Atlantic coast. In 2019, it had a population of 685,442.

department to the southwest which absorbs the brunt of the

rainfall Rain is water droplets that have condensed from atmospheric water vapor and then fall under gravity. Rain is a major component of the water cycle and is responsible for depositing most of the fresh water on the Earth. It provides water f ...

and winds coming in off the Atlantic. Annual rainfall totals for the region usually hover around 19 inches (500mm). The

vineyard soils The soil composition of vineyards is one of the most important viticultural considerations when planting grape vines. The soil supports the root structure of the vine and influences the drainage levels and amount of minerals and nutrients that the ...

close to the Loire are composed primarily of carboniferous rock and

schist Schist ( ) is a medium-grained metamorphic rock showing pronounced schistosity. This means that the rock is composed of mineral grains easily seen with a low-power hand lens, oriented in such a way that the rock is easily split into thin flakes ...

. Chenin blanc, in particular, seems to do well in this soil type. Panorama layon

Most of the wine regions in Anjou are located south of the river Loire, with the one notable exception of Savennières which is located on the right bank of the river just south of Angers. The tributaries of the Loire, particularly the

Layon The Layon () is a long river in the Deux-Sèvres and Maine-et-Loire departments in western France. Its source is near Saint-Maurice-la-Fougereuse. It flows generally northwest. It is a left tributary of the Loire, into which it flows near Chal ...

and Aubance, play significant roles in the area's wine production with vineyard planted on their right banks and sheltered from wind by nearby hill sides. The Aubance and Layon flow parallel to each other going northwest towards the Loire and when the climate is favorable can help promote the development of

noble rot Noble rot (french: pourriture noble; german: Edelfäule; it, Muffa nobile; hu, Aszúsodás) is the beneficial form of a grey fungus, ''Botrytis cinerea'', affecting wine grapes. Infestation by ''Botrytis'' requires moist conditions. If the we ...

that is at the heart of the region's sweet wine production.H. Johnson & J. Robinson ''The World Atlas of Wine'' pg 118 Mitchell Beazley Publishing 2005

Appellations

Within the Anjou wine region are several ''Appellation d'origine contrôlée'' (AOC)s responsible for a broad spectrum of wines including still red, white and rosé produced with varying levels of sweetness. The region produce more variety of different wine styles, from different grape varieties than any other Loire Valley wine region. The majority of wine production in the region revolves around sweet white wines produced under their own sub-

including the

and Coteaux de l'Aubance AOCs. Around 15% of yearly Angevin wine production goes to dry white wines made predominantly from Chenin blanc with the Savennières AOC being the most noted example and ''Anjou Blanc AOC'' being the most commonly found on the worldwide wine market. Among the rosés produced in the region are predominantly Grolleau ''Rosé d'Anjou AOC'' and the Cabernet Franc and/or Cabernet Sauvignon based ''Cabernet d'Anjou'' with the later being more widely recognized for quality than the former. Grapes from the region also go into third style of rosé known as ''Rosés de Loire'', which can include grapes from across the Middle Loire Valley though the bulk of the production is centered around Anjou. This style of rosé is completely dry and can be made from Pinot noir,

, Grolleau, Cabernet Franc, Cabernet Sauvignon and Pineau d'Aunis.K. MacNeil ''The Wine Bible'' pg 264-266 Workman Publishing 2001 The production of dry red wines has been steadily increasing since the late 20th century spurred on, in part, by the creation of the ''Anjou-Villages AOC'' in 1987 for premium red wine production. Made predominantly from Cabernet Franc, some of the most ideally situated vineyards located south of Angers in the Coteaux de l'Aunbance AOC was given their own distinct sub-appellation in 1998 known as the ''Anjou-Villages Brissac AOC''. The Gamay grape of

Beaujolais Beaujolais ( , ) is a French ''Appellation d'Origine Contrôlée'' (AOC) wine generally made of the Gamay grape, which has a thin skin and is low in tannins. Like most AOC wines they are not labeled varietally. Whites from the region, which mak ...

still has a presence here and its own appellation of ''Anjou Gamay AOC.'' Gamay, as well as a variety of other red wine grape varieties, can also be produced under the catch-all appellation ''Anjou Rouge AOC''.

Major appellations

*Anjou AOC - The boundaries of this AOC extend into nearby Saumur, allowing some of the wine produced in that region to be sold under the Anjou AOC label. The basic Anjou Rouge can be produced from Cabernet Franc, Cabernet Sauvignon and Pineau d'Aunis and tend to be medium to full bodied. Basic Anjou Blanc can range in style from dry to sweet and light bodied to full. They must be composed of a minimum 80% Chenin blanc with Chardonnay and Sauvignon blanc permitted to fill out the remaining 20% of the blend. According to wine expert Tom Stevenson, both the reds and whites wines have the aging potential of only a few years after

vintage Vintage, in winemaking, is the process of picking grapes and creating the finished product—wine (see Harvest (wine)). A vintage wine is one made from grapes that were all, or primarily, grown and harvested in a single specified year. In certa ...

. *Anjou-Villages AOC The boundaries of this red wine only AOC was first delimited in 1986 but did not go into effect until the 1991 harvest. Made entirely from Cabernet Franc and/or Cabernet Sauvignon, these wines have an aging potential of 2–6 years after harvest. There are 46 communes in the appellation allowed to produce grapes for this AOC. *Anjou-Villages Brissac AOC A sub appellation of the Anjou-Villages AOC, the boundaries of this AOC encompassed the vineyards around

Brissac-Quincé Brissac-Quincé () is a former commune of the Maine-et-Loire ''département'', in France. It was created in 1964 from a regrouping of two former neighbouring communes, Brissac and Quincé. On 15 December 2016, Brissac-Quincé was merged into the ...

and nine surrounding villages. Officially recognized in 1998, producers in the region were given an allowance to back date their labels with the new appellation for the previous 1997 & 1996 vintage. *Cabernet d'Anjou AOC The first rosé wine to be made entirely from Cabernet grapes was in 1905 but for most of the 20th century, this style of rosé took a backseat to the popularity of Rosé d'Anjou made predominantly from Grolleau. Made entirely from Cabernet Franc and/or Cabernet Sauvignon, these rosés tend to be drier than Rosé d'Anjou with higher alcohol and potentially more character. *Rosé d'Anjou AOC Also known as Anjou Rosé AOC, these medium-sweet rosés saw a period of immense popularity in the mid to late 20th century where in the late 1980s they composed nearly 55% of all wine produced in the Anjou district. Since that high point, production has been steadily declining. Made predominantly from Grolleau with small percentages of Cabernet Franc, Cabernet Sauvignon, Gamay,

Malbec Malbec () is a purple grape variety used in making red wine. The grapes tend to have an inky dark color and robust tannins, and are known as one of the six grapes allowed in the blend of red Bordeaux wine. In France, plantations of Malbec are n ...

and Pineau d'Aunis permitted, these wines can be sold ''

nouveau A ''nouveau'' ( ), or ''vin (de) primeur'', is a wine which may be sold in the same year in which it was harvested. The most widely exported ''nouveau'' wine is French wine Beaujolais ''nouveau'' which is released on the third Thursday of N ...

'' with wine experts recommending that they be consumed early soon after release. Coulée de Serrant and Clos de la Bergerie

*Savennières AOC In the early 20th century, Savennières was known mostly for sweet wine production. As the focus turned towards dry Chenin blanc based wines, the region started to garner attention for mineral intensity and aging potential of the wines. Located along four southeast facing slopes on the right bank of the river Loire, vineyards in Savennières are composed primarily of

and

volcanic soil The soil composition of vineyards is one of the most important viticultural considerations when planting grape vines. The soil supports the root structure of the vine and influences the drainage levels and amount of minerals and nutrients that the ...

s. Yields are highly restricted to just 20 hectoliters per hectare which tends to produce more concentrated fruit. In recent years, the wines of Savennières have received much praise and recognition for their quality by various wine experts such as Jacqueline Friedrich who describes the intense flavors and layers of minerality as ''"the most cerebral wine in the world"'' and Karen MacNeil who describes the wines as "''..possibly the great dry Chenin blanc in the world."'' *Savennières Coulée-de-Serrant AOC A 17 acres (7 hectare) sub appellation of Savennières, this AOC encompasses one single vineyard that is a monopole owned by Nicolas Joly. *Savennières Roche-Aux-Moines AOC A 42-acre (17 hectare) sub appellation of Savennières, this AOC encompasses a single vineyard that is partially owned by 3 wine estates- Château de la Roche-aux-Moines (owned by Nicolas Joly), Château de Chamboureau and Domaine-aux-Moines.

Sweet wine appellations

*Anjou Coteaux de la Loire AOC Located southwest of the city of Angers, this white wine only appellations was designated in 1946 to produce sweet wines from Chenin blanc. The grapes in this AOC are harvested at same sugar levels as in Sauternes (221 grams per liter) with the finished wines having

residual sugar The subjective sweetness of a wine is determined by the interaction of several factors, including the amount of sugar in the wine, but also the relative levels of alcohol, acids, and tannins. Sugars and alcohol enhance a wine's sweetness, wh ...

levels of 17 grams per liter. In the early 21st century, as the market for dessert wines dwindle, vineyards in this area are rapidly being converted to Cabernet Franc and Cabernet Sauvignon for production of red wines under the Anjou AOC appellation. *Bonnezeaux AOC A sub-appellation of the Coteaux du Layon AOC comprises three southwest facing slopes within the village of Thouarcé that produce sweet, often botrytized, wines made entirely from Chenin blanc. Harvest in Bonnezeaux is very labor-intensive requiring harvested to go through the vineyards in multiple passes or ''tries'' selecting only the ripest individual grapes. In 2003 the ''

Institut National des Appellations d'Origine An institute is an organisational body created for a certain purpose. They are often research organisations ( research institutes) created to do research on specific topics, or can also be a professional body. In some countries, institutes ca ...

'' (INAO) increased the harvest sugar levels from 204 grams per liter to 238 and the minimum residual sugar levels of the finished wine from 17 grams per liter to 34. Wine expert Tom Stevenson describes the wines of Bonnezeaux as being more full-bodied and richer than those of Quarts-de-Chaume with an aging potential of up to 20 years or more. SemillonBotrytisCinerea

*Coteaux de l'Aubance AOC Located along the river Aubance, this AOC covers sweet wines made entirely from Chenin blanc planted in the schist vineyard soils of the region. To qualify for the Coteaux de l'Aubance AOC designation producers must harvest the grapes in ''tries''. In 2003 a special designation of Coteaux de l'Aubance ''

Sélection de Grains Nobles Sélection de Grains Nobles (SGN) is French for "selection of noble berries" and refers to wines made from grapes affected by noble rot. SGN wines are sweet dessert wines with rich, concentrated flavours. Alsace wines were the first to be described ...

'' was set aside for the grapes harvested at sugar levels of 230 grams liter (as opposed to 204 g/L) with residual sugar levels of the finished wine reaching a minimum of 34 grams per liter (as opposed to the previous standard of 17 g/L). Due to the high cost of labor and low production, many producers in this area are converting their vineyards to the red Cabernet varieties to produce the rosé wine Cabernet d'Anjou. *Coteaux du Layon AOC This large appellation overlaps the Saumur AOC to the southeast and the Anjou Coteaux de la Loire AOC in the northwest. The region has a long history of winemaking sweet white wines dating back to the 4th century AD. Today the AOC is dedicated to 100% Chenin blanc wines that, in favorable years, are afflicted by noble rot. Yields are restricted to a maximum of 30 hectoliters per hectare and wines must have a minimum 12%

alcohol level Alcohol by volume (abbreviated as ABV, abv, or alc/vol) is a standard measure of how much alcohol (ethanol) is contained in a given volume of an alcoholic beverage (expressed as a volume percent). It is defined as the number of millilitres (mL) o ...

in order to qualify for AOC designation. In 2003 mandatory harvest sugar levels being increased from 204 grams per liter to 221 g/L or 294 g/L for the newly established ''Sélection de Grains Nobles'' (SGN) designation and minimum residual sugar levels in the finished wines increased from 17 g/L to 34 g/L. *Coteaux du Layon Villages AOC A sub-appellation of the Coteaux du Layon AOC, this wine region covers six communes along the river

that have historically produced wines of high quality. The six communes are

Beaulieu-sur-Layon Beaulieu-sur-Layon (, literally ''Beaulieu on Layon'') is a commune in the Maine-et-Loire department in western France. The composer and organist Louis Aubeux (1917–1999) was born in Beaulieu-sur-Layon. Geography The commune is traversed by ...

Faye-d'Anjou Faye-d'Anjou () is a former commune in the Maine-et-Loire department in western France. On 1 January 2016, it was merged into the new commune of Bellevigne-en-Layon.Rablay-sur-Layon Rablay-sur-Layon () is a former commune in the Maine-et-Loire department in western France. On 1 January 2016, it was merged into the new commune of Bellevigne-en-Layon.Rochefort-sur-Loire Rochefort-sur-Loire (, literally ''Rochefort on Loire'') is a commune in the Maine-et-Loire department in western France. Geography The commune is traversed by the river Layon. See also *Communes of the Maine-et-Loire department The followin ...

Saint-Aubin-de-Luigné Saint-Aubin-de-Luigné () is a former commune in the Maine-et-Loire department in western France. On 31 December 2015, it was merged into the new commune Val-du-Layon. This rural village, located in the deep valley of Layon and in the Loire Val ...

and

Saint-Lambert-du-Lattay Saint-Lambert-du-Lattay () is a former commune in the Maine-et-Loire department in western France. On 31 December 2015, it was merged into the new commune Val-du-Layon.aromas; Faye-d'Anjou wines having a distinctive

brushwood Brushwood can mean: * ''Melaleuca uncinata'' or Broombrush * Brushwood, New South Wales, a rural community in the central east part of the Riverina region of New South Wales, Australia * Brian Brushwood Brian Allen Brushwood (born January 17, ...

aroma; Rablay-sur-Layon wines tend to be the most bold and round; the wines of Rochefort-sur-Loire tend to be full bodied and have the most aging potential; Saint-Aubin-de-Luigné wines are characterized by their delicate aromas that develop over time and the wines of Saint-Lambert-du-Lattay often have very

round Round or rounds may refer to: Mathematics and science * The contour of a closed curve or surface with no sharp corners, such as an ellipse, circle, rounded rectangle, cant, or sphere * Rounding, the shortening of a number to reduce the number ...

mouthfeel and robust flavors. *Quarts-de-Chaume AOC Most of the land in this appellation near the village of Chaume once belonged to the

abbey An abbey is a type of monastery used by members of a religious order under the governance of an abbot or abbess. Abbeys provide a complex of buildings and land for religious activities, work, and housing of Christian monks and nuns. The con ...

of Ronceray d'Angers who required from tenant vignerons

tithes A tithe (; from Old English: ''teogoþa'' "tenth") is a one-tenth part of something, paid as a contribution to a religious organization or compulsory tax to government. Today, tithes are normally voluntary and paid in cash or cheques or more ...

in the form of 1/4 (a quarter or ''"Quarts"'') of their yearly production. From this history, the name Quarts-de-Chaume was attached to the Chenin blanc wines of this region harvested and produced in a manner similar to those in Bonnezeaux.

Chaume AOC controversy

Along the river

is the commune of

Rochefort-sur-Loire Rochefort-sur-Loire (, literally ''Rochefort on Loire'') is a commune in the Maine-et-Loire department in western France. Geography The commune is traversed by the river Layon. See also *Communes of the Maine-et-Loire department The followin ...

which contains the village of Chaume with a long making tradition that finally received AOC designation in the early 21st century. In 2003 the INAO granted the request for the sweet wines from this region to be called Chaume 1er Cru des Coteaux du Layon AOC. Made entirely from Chenin blanc, these wines are most often the product of '' passerillage'' or "raisining" on the vine than of infection by

. Yields were restricted to no more than 25 hectoliters per hectares as grapes were harvested with a minimum of 238 grams per liter with at least 34 grams of residual sugar in the finished wine. The producers in the Quarts-de-Chaume AOC, located on the

plateau In geology and physical geography, a plateau (; ; ), also called a high plain or a tableland, is an area of a highland consisting of flat terrain that is raised sharply above the surrounding area on at least one side. Often one or more sides ...

southwest of Chaume, took exception to the new AOC particularly the inclusion of the term 1er Cru (or

Premier cru Cru is a wine term used to indicate a high-quality vineyard or group of vineyards. It is a French word which is traditionally translated as "growth", as is the past participle of the verb "croître" (to grow); it literally means 'grown'. The t ...

) which has a quality association with the wines of Burgundy. The producers of the Quarts-de-Chaume AOC felt that consumers would equate Chaume 1er Cru des Coteaux du Layon as being of a higher quality than their own wines and such their own AOC designation was being devalued.M. Rosen '
AOC Chaume designation scrapped
"'' Decanter Magazine, June 17th 2009 In response to these concerns, the INAO renamed the AOC in 2006 to the shorter Chaume AOC.F. Robinson '

'' Decanter Magazine, September 12th 2006 Quarts-de-Chaume AOC producers still felt that the close associate between their AOC and Chaume was causing damage to the value of their wines and continued to object to the AOC naming. In response the INAO disbanded the Chaume AOC entirely in 2009. Now wine produced in this region must fall under the larger Coteaux du Layon AOC designation.

Other appellations

*Anjou Gamay AOC This appellation maintains nearly the same boundary as the Anjou AOC but is dedicated to wines produced 100% from the Gamay grape. Similar to

Beaujolais nouveau Beaujolais nouveau ( , ) is a red wine made from Gamay grapes produced in the Beaujolais region of France. It is a '' vin de primeur'', fermented for just a few weeks before being released for sale on the third Thursday of November. Distributo ...

, these wines can be produced as '' Vins de primeur'' and released as early as the third Thursday of November following harvest. *Anjou Mousseux AOC

Sparkling wine Sparkling wine is a wine with significant levels of carbon dioxide in it, making it fizzy. While the phrase commonly refers to champagne, European Union countries legally reserve that term for products exclusively produced in the Champagne regi ...

AOC produced according to the

traditional method The traditional method is the process used in the Champagne region of France to produce Champagne. It is also the method used in various French regions to produce sparkling wines (not called “Champagne”), in Spain to produce Cava, in Portu ...

. Most vineyards in the appellation overlap with those of Saumur, making the appearance of the Anjou Mousseux AOC on

wine label Wine labels are important sources of information for consumers since they tell the type and origin of the wine. The label is often the only resource a buyer has for evaluating the wine before purchasing it. Certain information is ordinarily incl ...

s rare as producers favor using the more recognizable and marketable

Saumur AOC Saumur is a French wine region located in the Loire Valley. The region is noted for sparkling wines produced by the traditional method The traditional method is the process used in the Champagne region of France to produce Champagne. It is ...

designation. Both white and rosé sparkling wines are produced in this region with sweetness levels ranging from brut to

demi-sec The subjective sweetness of a wine is determined by the interaction of several factors, including the amount of sugar in the wine, but also the relative levels of alcohol, acids, and tannins. Sugars and alcohol enhance a wine's sweetness, wh ...

. The white sparkling wines must be composed of a minimum 60% Chenin blanc with Cabernet Franc, Cabernet Sauvignon, Gamay, Grolleau, Malbec and Pineau d'Aunis permitted to fill out the remaining 40%. Rosé sparklers are made from a blend of Cabernet Franc, Cabernet Sauvignon, Gamay, Grolleau, Malbec and Pineau d'Aunis. *Anjou Pétillant AOC Wines labeled under this designation are semi-sparkling (similar to the

Italian wine Italian wine is produced in every region of Italy. Italy is the world's largest producer of wine, with an area of under vineyard cultivation, and contributing a 2013–2017 annual average of 48.3 million hl of wine. In 2018 Italy accounted fo ...

frizzante Sparkling wine is a wine with significant levels of carbon dioxide in it, making it fizzy. While the phrase commonly refers to champagne, European Union countries legally reserve that term for products exclusively produced in the Champagne regi ...

'') and sold in regular still wine bottles and corks rather than Champagne bottles. These wines are aged in the bottle for a minimum of 9 months before release and can range in sweetness levels from dry to medium sweet. The white wines produced under this style must be composed of a minimum 80% Chenin blanc with Chardonnay and Sauvignon blanc responsible for the remaining 20%. A semi-sparkling rosé style may be produced under the Rosé d'Anjou Pétillant AOC designation and be composed of predominantly Grolleau with Cabernet Franc, Cabernet Sauvignon, Gamay, Malbec and Pineau d'Aunis also permitted.

Viticulture and winemaking

The two major grape varieties of the Anjou are Chenin blanc, known locally as Pineau de la Loire, which is used for dry, sweet, still and sparkling wine and Cabernet Franc which is used mostly for rosé and still red wines.A. Bespaloff ''"Complete Guide to Wine"'' pg 92 Penguin Books 1994 The sweet wine production of Anjou is highly dependent on favorable climate conditions and experiences marked

variation from year to year. The character of the vintage and climate will ultimately determine what type of wine will be produced. Many of the vineyards in the Coteaux du Layon, Bonnezeaux, Quarts de Chaume and Coteaux de l'Aubance AOCs are located on sheltered slopes along tributaries of the Loire. In favorable vintages, the late summer and early fall months will bring climate conditions that encourage moisture and mist in the morning and enough sunshine in the afternoon to promote the development of favorable ''

Botrytis cinerea ''Botrytis cinerea'' is a necrotrophic fungus that affects many plant species, although its most notable hosts may be wine grapes. In viticulture, it is commonly known as "botrytis bunch rot"; in horticulture, it is usually called "grey mould" o ...

'' rot instead of less desirable forms of grape rot. In exceptional years where there is enough warmth and dry weather during the harvest months, the grapes will be left on the vine to raisin in a process known as ''passerille''. This method

desiccate Desiccation () is the state of extreme dryness, or the process of extreme drying. A desiccant is a hygroscopic (attracts and holds water) substance that induces or sustains such a state in its local vicinity in a moderately sealed container. ...

s the wine, removing moisture and concentrating sugars, without adding the nuance of flavor that ''Botrytis'' does. A characteristic of

late harvest Late harvest wine is wine made from grapes left on the vine longer than usual. ''Late harvest'' is usually an indication of a sweet dessert wine, such as late harvest Riesling. Late harvest grapes are often more similar to raisins, but have been ...

and botrytized wine production is the harvest of individual grapes in successive passes or ''tries'' through the vineyard ensuring only the ripest grapes are picked. Some producers will

ferment Fermentation is a metabolic process that produces chemical changes in organic substrates through the action of enzymes. In biochemistry, it is narrowly defined as the extraction of energy from carbohydrates in the absence of oxygen. In food ...

and bottle the production of each ''tries'' separately but many eventually blend them together in order to produce a more balanced wine. The wine is often fermented at low temperatures and for some sweet wines can take up to 2 months. The

left in these wines can range from 12 to 14% depending on the sweetness level. The broad spectrum of wine styles produced in Anjou brings with it a wide variety of winemaking techniques. In areas such as the Coteaux du Layon, the wines are fermented in 400 L (106 gallons) "double- barriques" and submitted to partial

malolactic fermentation Malolactic conversion (also known as malolactic fermentation or MLF) is a process in winemaking in which tart-tasting malic acid, naturally present in grape must, is converted to softer-tasting lactic acid. Malolactic fermentation is most often ...

. The basic still wines of ''Anjou blanc'' are made similar to still white wine production elsewhere though, as wine expert Jancis Robinson notes, they do have an historical association with being over sulfited. As red wine production continues to find a market, and plantings of Cabernet Sauvignon increase, more producers are experimented with the use of new oak barrels. In riper years Angevin producers can make more fuller bodied reds similar to those found in the Touraine wine reds but still relatively light when compared to the reds of warmer climates such as

Bordeaux Bordeaux ( , ; Gascon oc, Bordèu ; eu, Bordele; it, Bordò; es, Burdeos) is a port city on the river Garonne in the Gironde department, Southwestern France. It is the capital of the Nouvelle-Aquitaine region, as well as the prefect ...

and the Rhone.

References

{{reflist, 2 Wine regions of France