Wine of the Loire Valley

The Loire River is 629 miles long, starting in the Massif Central in southeastern France, running north for about 300 miles, and then turning westward for another 300 miles before emptying into the Atlantic. It is the latter 300 miles that will be our focus today, that is, from Sancerre/Pouilly-Fumé in the east to Saint-Nazaire near the Atlantic.

The Loire Valley wines defy easy categorization. The wines are sweet, semi-sweet and dry, sparkling and still, with whites produced from Chenin Blanc, Melon de Bourgogne, and Sauvignon Blanc, while the fresh and lively reds feature Cabernet Franc, Gamay, and Pinot Noir (which are also blending partners in the Rosé and Sparking wines of the Loire). The French drink the rosés chilled, and the reds lightly chilled.

Starting in Nantais at the western end of the valley are the Muscadet wines produced from the Melon de Bourgogne grape. These feature apple, pear and stone-fruit notes. They are light and lively, excellent aperitifs, and pair well with light seafood….and they are priced +/- $15/btl (mostly minus!). Generally, the best examples are those of Muscadet de Sevre-et-Maine sur lie.

Continuing eastward into the Anjou-Saumur (A-S) region, the wines are again white, but here they are produced from Chenin Blanc. Savennières produces uniquely intense but bone-dry Chenin Blancs. There is nothing like it. The remaining A-S appellations of note, Quarts de Chaume, Bonnezeaux, Coteaux du Layon, and Coteaux de l’Aubance all produce sweet dessert wines from Chenin Blanc. These are decadent, and all are characterized by honeyed tropical fruit notes and a bracing acidity that provides a crisp, clean finish. All of these Chenin Blancs can be cellared -- they age very well.

Next up-river is Touraine. Here we have both white and red wines. The whites produced in Vouvray and Montlouis are again made from Chenin Blanc. Unlike Savennières, which are all dry, Vouvray and Montlouis wines can be dry (sec), sweet (moelleux or doux), or somewhere in-between (demi-sec). The red wine appellations of note are Chinon, Bourgueil and St. Nicolas-de-Bourgueil. The grape of these 3 appellations is Cabernet Franc, and typically they are 100% Cab Franc. For more on Cab Franc, click “Blog” on our website home page, and scroll down until you see my article devoted to this grape.  

Should you encounter a wine labeled Touraine Rouge, that bottle is most likely Gamay-based. Gamay is the grape of Beaujolais). 

Finally, in the northeastern corner of Touraine is Cheverny. Here they produce fresh red blends of Pinot Noir, Gamay, and Cabernet Franc, and whites that are generally Sauvignon Blanc blended with smaller amounts of Chardonnay. Stylistically these whites are very close to those of Sancerre and Pouilly-Fumé, but they are not quite as minerally or acidic. On the other hand, they are certainly less expensive.

We continue further to the east finally arriving in two of the Loire’s most famous appellations Sancerre on the western bank of the Loire, directly across the river from Pouilly-Fumé on the eastern bank. In both, the whites are 100% Sauvignon Blanc. While Sancerre has a higher name-recognition here in the US, Pouilly-Fumé is recognized as an equal internationally. In fact, there are relatively few individuals world-wide who can distinguish the two in a blind tasting. Sancerre Rouge is Pinot Noir.

But what many regard as the two finest expressions of Sauvignon Blanc in the world come at a price (typically $20 and up per bottle). But…look to the whites of Menetou-Salon (on Sancerre’s southwest border) or Quincy and Reuilly, just to the west on the Cher River (a Loire tributary), for Sauvignon Blanc almost as good, but more modestly priced. Visit us and find most of these wines. Cheers!