The Loire is undoubtedly the most dynamic wine region for several years! More and more winegrowers with a quality approach, wines of an excellent level, and at all prices, and above all a very great diversity.

So yes, we're not going to lie to each other, given the size of the region, it's normal to find a wide range of wines there. As a reminder, the Loire Valley wine region extends over 70,000 hectares of vines, from Nantes (to the west) to Nevers (to the east).

Come on, we’ll take you on a tour of this beautiful wine region through its terroirs, its grape varieties, and its wines!

As has been said, the Loire Valley is a vast wine-growing region, and historically was quickly divided into 4 sub-regions: Pays Nantais, Anjou, Touraine and Centre.

These 4 sub-regions each have their own identity and climate, which implies the use of very specific grape varieties.

The Nantes region

The westernmost sub-region, Pays Nantais benefits from its immediate proximity to the Atlantic Ocean. The best-known appellation of this region is undoubtedly Muscadet . This wine has long been tarnished by a reputation as a “small wine”, but now, many winemakers have raised the bar with better controlled acidity and great gastronomic wines.

The grape variety used to make Muscadet is Melon de Bourgogne, which is found almost exclusively in this appellation. It is a grape variety that produces light wines, with a nice acidity, and floral and fruity aromas.

There are also some red grape varieties, notably in the Fiefs Vendéens appellation, which is beginning to be increasingly popular with wine lovers, with fresh and fruity wines. The grape varieties used are generally Cabernet Franc and Gamay.

Anjou

We continue our journey along the Loire with Anjou, a vineyard located around the cities of Angers and Saumur, mainly south of the Loire. A wide range of wines are produced there, from dry white to sweet, including reds and even some sparkling wines! The highest quality wines all have one thing in common: they are produced in the immediate vicinity of the river.

As for the reds, they are overwhelmingly produced from Cabernet Franc, as in Saumur and Saumur-Champigny (the highest quality terroirs). We also find Grolleau, a grape variety with a sometimes vegetal tendency but which is starting to gain in quality thanks to certain winegrowers!

On the white side, the king here is Chenin, and in all its forms! It is used to produce both great dry white wines like in Savennières or eternal sweet wines like Bonnezeaux or Quart de Chaume.

Touraine

Let's not lie to ourselves, Touraine has many similarities with Anjou. Nevertheless, we can notice some differences. The reds of Touraine benefit from a superior reputation, with very great wines produced in particular in Chinon and Bourgueil, always thanks to Cabernet Franc.

When it comes to whites, Chenin is still king! This time, it is less used for the production of sweet wines, but very often for the production of sparkling wines as in Vouvray and Montlouis.

In Touraine, we also find a multitude of more atypical wines, such as Cheverny and its Romorantin grape variety, or certain Côteaux du Vendômois, produced from Pineau d'Aunis.

The Center

Heading east, with this last sub-region, and not the least! Sancerre , Pouilly-Fumé , Menetou-Salon … so many names known throughout the world.

The very calcareous soils of this region allow one grape variety in particular to flourish at its best: Sauvignon Blanc. Today, it is found almost everywhere in the world, but it is here, and more particularly in Sancerre, that it has found its letters of nobility. It is characterized by a beautiful natural acidity, fruity aromas and sometimes “varietal” with the vegetal and herbaceous side. Be careful with poor quality Sauvignons, they can sometimes take on aromas of cat pee (easily recognizable!).

Despite the extremely dominant presence of Sauvignon Blanc, there are still some red wines, produced from Pinot Noir and with a fresh and digestible character. Some great Sancerre reds can even sometimes compete with the finest reds of Burgundy.

As you will have understood, the Loire is a region in full evolution, to be followed very closely. It is the new playground of young talented winegrowers. The prices of the land are still reasonable and yet the terroirs are of great quality. A little extra, the wines produced are in tune with the times, often with reasonable alcohol levels and a natural freshness.

 

Ps: The most knowledgeable will have noticed while reading this article, there is a missing wine sub-region, which is starting to emerge from anonymity: Auvergne! We will write an article dedicated to the revival of this wine region and its wines!