The soils also vary considerably as the river drops gently down through the countryside. The relatively continental climate in the river's upper stretches becomes decidedly maritime as the river approaches the Atlantic coast. The region's vast size makes it impossible to sum up its terroir in any succinct way, hence the 51 appellations that can be found throughout. The Upper Loire, home of Sancerre and Pouilly-Fume, is undoubtedly Sauvignon Blanc country, and stands in stark contrast to the red-wine specialist regions further upriver, where Gamay and Pinot Noir are dominant. Anjou specializes in Chenin Blanc in both a sweet style from Coteaux du Layon and a dry from Savennieres.Touraine continues the Chenin Blanc theme (mostly dry here though) and complements it with dry, Cabernet Franc-based reds. Pays Nantais is effectively synonymous with dry, crisp whites, as epitomized by Muscadet. Little-known (and often forgotten) are the wines from the river's uppermost stretches, including Saint-Pourcain, in the Auvergne department.Įach of these subregions has its own particular specialty. Pays Nantais, Anjou, Saumur, Touraine and the various appellations collectively referred to as "Upper Loire". With such a wide repertoire of wines stretched out over so many miles, it has become necessary to divide the Loire into a series of smaller regions. Further south, towards central France, is Saint-Pourcain, which often incorporates some Gamay. Perhaps due to the relative closeness to Burgundy, Pinot Noir is the major red grape of Sancerre (although red Sancerre is rare). Lighter-bodied, less "serious" wines are made from Pinot Noir, Malbec (known here as Côt) and Gamay. The number one red wine variety is unquestionably Cabernet Franc – the grape behind the reds of Chinon, Saumur and Bourgueil. Although they offer less stylistic diversity than the whites, a light-bodied, fruity Gamay from the Fiefs Vendeens is a nevertheless quite different from a spicy, tannic Bourgueil (from Cabernet Franc). Loire reds are of increasingly high quality, and of increasing importance as consumer preferences continue to move toward red wines. More popular than traditional, Chardonnay is also encountered, mainly in IGP wines. The key white-wine grape varieties used to make Loire Valley whites are Sauvignon Blanc (generally associated with the central Loire around Sancerre, but found throughout), Chenin Blanc (often found in the Loire Valley proper, around Tours, Saumur and Anjou), and Melon de Bourgogne (the grape behind Muscadet). The Loire Valley has four IGPs, the most common of which is the region-wide IGP Loire (formerly dubbed Vin de Pays du Jardin de la France). A significant proportion of these are produced under IGP titles. White wines are clearly the Loire Valley's strong suit, and account for the vast majority of production. It is quite telling that this brief sketch of the region's wines does not even make reference to the two most famous Loire Valley wines of all – Sancerre and Pouilly-Fumé. The wine styles made here range from the light, tart Muscadet and sweet, honeyed Bonnezeaux to the sparkling whites of Vouvray and juicy, tannic reds of Chinon and Saumur. The region generates vast quantities (around four hundred million liters each year) of everyday wines, as well as some of France's very finest and highest quality bottles.ĭiversity is another of the region's key strengths. It follows the course of the Loire river on its long journey through the heart of France, from the inland hills of Auvergne to the plains on the French Atlantic coast near Nantes ( Muscadet country).Īs the third-largest appellation in France (after Bordeaux and Burgundy), the Loire Valley is highly significant in terms of both quantity and quality wine production. The Loire Valley is a key wine region in western France.
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