The Loire River spans 600 miles and it's the longest river solely in France. The valley surrounding it is cut into four major wine sections, with maaaany regions within them. Bookended by crisp refreshing whites, with everything in between, Loire Valley is diverse and exciting. It's also my personal favorite wine region in the world, and not just because it contains the only place to specialize in my beloved Cabernet Franc specifically, but because I just love ALL OF IT!
(This article was written for GrapeBunch, our weekly wine periodical. Click here to read the original!)
The history of viticulture and winemaking in Loire Valley goes back to the 1st century, when the Romans planted vineyards there after they started settling in Gaul. By the 11th century, the wines of Sancerre had built up a reputation across Europe for its excellent quality.
We're going to start our journey through Loire in the "Lower Loire" / Vignobles Nantais. This is the western-most section and the area in blue in the map above. The most famous region in Lower Loire is Muscadet Sèvre et Maine, where they make white wines using the Melon de Bourgogne (AKA Melon Blanc) grape. As the name states, Melon de Bourgogne originated in Burgundy but disappeared from there in the 16th century as other varieties faired better. Here in Lower Loire, however, it flourished. Often you'll see Muscadet labled as "Sur Lie". This means that it spent time "on the lees", which means the wine remained for some time with the dead yeasts that fermented it, giving it a richness with bready and floral characteristics. The classic pairing with Muscadet are oysters.
Moving on to the "Middle Loire" / Vignobles d'Anjou-Saumur, which is the pink and purple portion on the map. This is where we'll meet the most important grape in Loire Valley: Chenin Blanc. This grape makes every style of white wine you can think of. From light and crisp dry wines, fuller bodied dry wines, semi-sweet wines, super sweet dessert wines, to lively sparkling wines. Vouvray is one of the regions here that makes outstanding, world famous Chenin Blanc! And if you ever have the chance to taste a Savennières (another Chenin Blanc from Middle Loire), POUNCE ON IT! Anjou is where one of my favorite rosés are made, and it's called Rosé d'Anjou. This rosé is made from Cabernet Franc and has just a touch of sweetness that plays oh so nice with the salitness of a big ol' ham.
Now we're on to the orange portion: "Central Loire" / Vignobles de la Touraine, where we're going to meet my wonderful friend Cabernet Franc! Here the reds are usually Cabernet Franc, Pinot Noir, and Gamay (used in Burgundy for Beaujolais), while the whites are usually Sauvignon Blanc or Chenin Blanc. If you see a wine labeled Chinon then it's usually 100% Cabernet Franc, with up to 10% Cabernet Sauvignon allowed. Although Cabernet Franc is planted internationally, Chinon is the only region in the world to specialize in Cabernet Franc specifically, and enjoying their wine is always a treat for me. Another region to note here is Cheverny, which makes red blends from Pinot Noir, Gamay, and Malbec, and white blends from Sauvignon Blanc, Chardonnay, Chenin Blanc, and Orbois.
Heading deeper into France, we hit the green portion on the map and what is known as the "Central Vineyards" / Vignobles du Centre Loire, named so for being in the center of France. This is where Sauvignon Blanc reigns supreme, with a bit of Pinot Noir and Gamay here and there. Why does Sauvignon Blanc love it here? It's the soil! You can smell and taste the influence of the limestone and flint! The white wines from sister regions Sancerre and Pouilly Fumé are 100% Sauvignon Blanc. They're crisp and zippy with a stoney minerality; Pouilly Fumé displaying a more flinty profile than Sancerre due to more flint in the soil. Another region of the Central Vineyards to look out for is Quincy. You can't catch the Red Line to Boston's North Station from here like our Quincy, but they do make very delicious Sauvignon Blanc.
Chateau de la Chesnaie Muscadet is light with crisp acidity and notes of white flowers, honeysuckle, white peach, nectarine, and pineapple. Pairing: There is no better wine with oysters than Muscadet.
Joey Casco
Beverage Marketer
Certified Specialist of Wine
Certified Specialist of Spirits
Comments
Post a Comment