Along the biggest French river, the vineyards of the Loire Valley produce typical white and red wines held in high esteem throughout the world.
The wine region spreads along the Loire River and its tributaries from the Atlantic Ocean to the vineyards of Sancerre and Pouilly-Fumé. It consists of four different wine-growing areas.
Pays Nantais
Pays Nantais has an oceanic climate with heavy rainfalls, mild winters and warm summers. AOC Muscadet is the most important appellation but the famed vineyards are within AOC Muscadet Sèvre and Maine. The region of Nantes is specialized in Muscadet, a dry white wine famous previously for its rugged style. Nowadays the producers make a more round and appealing wine. Muscadet is to be drunk young paired with seafood and crustaceans. Muscadet-sur-lie (on lees) is a fashionable wine. This wine is directly bottled in spring after being left on lees in the barrels or vats. It is an elegant fresh white wine, with more body and yeasty notes.
Anjou-Saumur
At the center of the Loire valley, Anjou-Saumur spreads on the east side of Pays Nantais to the city of Saumur. It enjoys a more continental climate. The greatest wines are produced south of the Loire river. AOC Saumur around the city makes white wines with Chenin Blanc.
The best red wines of Cabernet Franc come from the appellation Saumur-Champigny. These red wines are rich and fruity with a refreshing quality. The town is also an important center of production for sparkling wines.
On Loire's right bank, AOC Savennières produces dry medium-bodied white wines from late-harvest grapes of Chenin Blanc. The young wines are very acid and quite bitter. But the best wines with age develop complex honeyed and smoky notes and a distinct minerality.
The great sweet wines of the region are made inside AOC Coteaux du Layon, on the renowned sites of AOC Quarts de Chaume and AOC Bonnezeaux. The grapes affected by noble rot (botrytis) produce strong white wines that balance a good acidity with refreshing fruity flavors.
Tourraine
Touraine benefits from the double oceanic and continental influences. The generic appellation AOC Touraine makes red wines with Cabernet Franc, Gamay or Malbec and with wines of Sauvignon Blanc.
AOC Vouvray offers a large range of style for its white wines of Chenin Blanc, from still to sparkling and from dry to sweet. When the grapes are affected by noble rot, the harvest can be the latest in France.
AOC Chinon produces red wines made of Cabernet Franc. The lightest production comes from the sandy vineyards of the Vienne River’s valley. On the northern plateau, the clay and gravelly soils produce stronger wines but the best examples come from the limestone hillsides. Nowadays, the trend goes towards making more ripe and round young wines.
North of Chinon, Bourgueil and Saint Nicolas de Bourgueil are exclusively making red wines of Cabernet Franc.
Centre
The winemaking sub-region Centre at the eastern side of Loire Valley is home to AOC Sancerre, the great producer of excellent dry white wines. The vineyards on chalky rocky soils lie on south-facing hillsides. Sancerre wines are made of Sauvignon Blanc and known for their strong acidity. Most are to be drunk young and only the best can age well and develop the typical flavors of flint and smoke. The appellation also produces light reds and rosés with Pinot Noir grapes.
On the other shore, AOC Pouilly-Fumé makes dry white wines similar in style to Sancerre.
Main grape varieties in Loire Valley
The dominant variety in the Loire valley is Chenin Blanc that makes the best white wines of Touraine and Anjou. The trend goes towards more ripe wines, balancing acidity and alcohol level, with more body thanks to the residual sugar. The variety blossoms on limestone soils and its wine can age well thanks to its high acidity. The harvest with successive selections enables to pick the ripe grapes and remove the rotten ones.
The lightly ripe berries are used to make sparkling wines. The riper and botrytised ones go to the production of still wines. The young wines have a wide array of aromas from apple to tropical fruits, a pronounced minerality, and smoky notes. The botrytised grapes develop on the palate notes of orange marmalade. With age the rich wines reveal a honeyed roundness.
Melon Blanc called Muscadet has delicate flavors of green apple and herbs. Its early ripening and good frost resistance enables the variety to grow easily in Pays Nantais.
Sauvignon Blanc wines with their distinct vegetal characters are less powerful than New Zealand white wines.
With its early flowering and ripening, Cabernet Franc produces spicy and fruity red wines with soft tannins and a high acidity. There is some well-structured wines for ageing thanks to the maturation in oak barrels.
Some of Loire's best producers
Château de Villeneuve, Château Pierre Bise, Clos Rougeard, Patrick Baudouin, Bernard Baudry, Domaine de la Taille aux Loups, Clos Naudin, Huet, Philippe Alliet, Yannick Amirault, Didier Dagueneau, Charles Joguet and Gratien & Meyer are the most interesting wine estates in Loire Valley.
