The Many Faces of the Loire Valley (it's not all about Sancerre!)

People always think of the Loire as a white wine producing region but in fact an enormous variety of different wines is made. The region stretches from the Atlantic coast almost as far as Burgundy, so you can imagine the variety of microclimates and soils and hence wine styles that this offers. It is not all about Sancerre! So imagine you’re in a boat travelling up the Loire into the centre of France and I will explain to you the treasures that you will find here.

 

The Loire Valley, courtesy of www.jacksonvillewineguide.com

 

Muscadet is a wine that a lot of you will have heard of but perhaps see as quite unfashionable. The key words to look out for are sur lie - this indicates that the wine has been allowed to rest on its "lees" (aka the dead yeasts that are present post fermentation) giving the wine its freshness and rich character. This is the perfect white to serve with moules marinières and other shellfish dishes served in and around Nantes.

Anjou-Saumur is the next region you come to, and by far the most productive in the valley. Here the main white grape is Chenin Blanc, which I believe is a stunningly underappreciated grape in this country (mainly thanks to all the drab examples we get from South Africa). Like Riesling, this grape variety is able to produce white wines that are super sweet or bone dry and everything in between. My personal favourites are the minerally, zingy Savennières and the sweet Coteaux du Layon wines which can be just as delicious as Bordeaux’s Sauternes. The main red grape of this region is Cabernet Franc, which is used to make the deliciously crunchy and earthy Saumur-Champigny.

Touraine is next, where Cabernet Franc is used to make Chinon, Bourgeuil and St-Nicolas-de-Bourgeuil – very similar in style to Saumur Champigny and best drunk young and slightly chilled. For the whites, Chenin Blanc is used to make Vouvray and Montlouis wines in either dry (sec), semi-sweet (demi-sec) or very sweet (moelleux) styles. This is where buying your wine from a reputable wine shop is useful as the manager can steer you towards the style that you’ll enjoy best. If you haven’t before tried these wines, they will blow your mind with their honeyed apple character.

Another wine that is worth looking out for from here is Sauvignon Blanc de Touraine – this is a fresh, fruity and grassy white made from 100% Sauvignon Blanc, and you can normally get a bottle for under a tenner.  

Finally, as you reach the centre of France, you come to Sancerre and Pouilly Fumé. These two villages are on opposite sides of the river from each other, with very chalky, stony soils (Pouilly Fumé’s soils are more flinty). Both whites are made from Sauvignon Blanc and their styles are very similar: grass, elderflower, gooseberry (or “cat’s piss” if you’re not a fan) and flinty/minerally. If you normally drink New Zealand Sauvignon Blanc, have a taste of these for something a little more refined. You can get red and rosé Sancerre, not much is produced but it’s worth looking out for. Made from Pinot Noir, they tend to be full of soft red fruits and perfect for drinking in the Summer.

 Also worth looking out for is Menetou-Salon, another 100% Sauvignon Blanc white which is often referred to as a “poor man’s Sancerre.”

 

Happy Swigging!