Loire Valley: The heart of France by Ashley Pini

LOIRE VALLEY

The heart of France

The Loire Valley by numbers

63 000 ha of wine growing area 2,700,000 hl production 3rd largest AOC wine making region France’s top producer of white AOC wines 2nd largest producer of sparkling wines (after Champagne) 2nd largest producer of rosé AOC wines 79 wine appellations 320 million bottles sold per year (68 million exported)

4 main vine growing regions

Region Nantaise Anjou/Saumur Touraine Centre-Loire The Loire Valley lies at the geographical and cultural heart of France. The purest French is said to be spoken here and the region has long been the preferred residence of French kings from the Middle Ages to the 17th century. France’s most famous and visually stunning châteaux are also in the Loire Valley making it, along with its accessibility from Paris, one of the most popular tourist destinations in Europe. Much of the Loire has been designated a UNESCO World Heritage Region. It is also home to the 3rd largest AOC winemaking region with a range of wines that are characterised by their freshness and diversity of colour.

The region has four distinct areas that are known for their production of specific grapes: Region Nantaise, Anjou/Saumur, Touraine and Centre-Loire.

Region Nantaise is the furthest west, closest to the coast, influenced by winds that have travelled thousands of kilometres across the vast north Atlantic ocean. Here is the famed Melon de Bourgogne and Muscadet.

Moving upstream to the east is the Middle Loire, headlined by cities of Angers and Tours. The Middle Loire is home to the two districts of Anjou/Saumur and Touraine where Cabernet Franc and Chenin Blanc are kings, this is the beating heart of the Loire Valley, with the highest production and the most appellations. The region benefits significantly from long hot summers developing a smooth, silky cabernet style, especially in the Anjou-Villages appellation. Here you find the wine styles of Vouvray, Saumur-Champigny and Chinon. Savennieres is the most famous region for Chenin Blanc production, but unfortunately, the volume is far lower than demand restricting access some of the region’s most age-worthy wines. Cremant de Loire is the regional appellation for sparkling wines from Anjou, Saumur and Touraine that, in its best form, can rival the noisy neighbours to the north-east in Champagne.

Further upstream and you’ll land in the heart of France and the city of Bourges, home to the World Heritage-listed Gothic Saint Etienne Cathedral. In wine region parlance you are now in the Upper Loire, the region famous for Sauvignon Blanc and Pinot Noir, and the wine districts of PouillyFume and Sancerre.

A visit to the Loire Valley uncovers a long list of visually stunning vineyards and breathtaking chateaux all set against the backdrop of the Loire River, winding its way from Sancerre to Nantes. There’s something for everyone on this journey; from the wine connoisseur to the history buff. The region has sometimes lived in the shadows of its neighbours: Bordeaux to the south, Burgundy to the east and Champagne to the north-east. The Loire Valley winemakers are working hard to change all of that, travelling the world and letting people know that their wines are worth a visit.

The diverse styles of wines from the Loire are, perhaps, a retail opportunity giving real value in a market that wants provenance and the “next big thing” all at the same time. Prosecco has proven this, so maybe history suggests that this region is ready for its own renaissance.

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More about that later…

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