Quarts de Chaume AOC is a sweet wine made with botrytis infected Chenin Blanc grapes. Botrytis affected grapes of different varieties are also used in the production of legendary wines like Sauternes and Tokaj. The Quarts de Chaume appellation is located in Loire ons steep slopes at the confluence of the River Loire and River Layon in Anjou-Saumur. This area is ideal for producing botrytis affected wines because of the humidity from the surrounding bodies of water. The area is also close to the influences of the ocean, which provides air movement to move moist air out of the vineyards in the afternoons. This prevents the helps maintain the proper level of fungal growth required to produce these wines. Quarts de Chaume earned the Grand Cru designation in 2011 and became the first Grand Cru in Loire. Of the sweet wine appellations in this area, Quarts de Chaume has the strictest regulations. The maximum yield is the lowest and the potential alcohol is the highest. For example, Coteaux du Layon AOC allows 35 hectoliters (hL) per hectare (ha) vs 20 in Quarts de Chaume. In the famous botrytis region Sauternes, the maximum yield is 25 hL/ha, but just as in Quarts de Chaume, both appellations have difficulties obtaining this much and commonly are far lower due to the unpredictability of botrytis with climate change.
This week I drank a 2022 Château Pierre-Bise Quarts de Chaume Grand Cru AOC. It is a light amber color. This wine has aromas of honey, raisins, dried apricot, candied orange peel, dried peaches, caramel, and honeysuckle. On the palate, the fresh acidity helps balance the significant sugar level. The grapes for this wine are harvested when they can produce a minimum level of alcohol of 17.5% in the final wine. This wine has 11% ABV and the remaining sugar level is about 170g/liter. The remaining sugar creates a fuller bodied wine. The complex flavors of dried and candied fruits are vibrant and comforting on the palate and slowly fade away on the extended finish. This is a great bottle to drink now or forget about for 10+ years. I paired this bottle with blue cheese and peach/apricot preserves for a delicious nightcap!
-TheLooseTannin
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