Wine tasting in the Loire Valley
21.07.2023 - 08:01
/ roughguides.com
It is hard to believe the Loire valley lies just an hour from Paris. Peppered with storybook châteaux and sleepy riverside villages, this bucolic region is one of the most captivating in France. But while the castles and scenery have won the valley a place on the UNESCO World Heritage List , its wines remain under-appreciated. Some of France’s most picturesque vineyards carpet the surrounding hills, covering the slopes in a patchwork of neatly lined trellises. Loire valley vintages might not have the prestige of Bordeaux or Burgundy, but thanks to the varied climate and terroir, they offer unmatched diversity. Use our Loire valley map below to navigate your wine tour.
The stretch of interest begins at Nevers, and using Loire à Vélo’s 800km of cycling routes, exploring the valley is a breeze. You’ll find there are numerous caves and châteaux vying to offer you a sip, or better a bottle, of their carefully crafted booze. Santé!
Sophisticated and rather pricy Sancerreand Pouilly-Fumé are made from the Sauvignon Blanc grape, which is grown in the vineyards surrounding the neighbouring villages of Sancerre and Pouilly-sur-Loire. Characterised by grassy and herbaceous flavours, you’ll find these wines are more restrained than their zingy New Zealand cousins. Pouilly-Fumé is generally the more complex of the two and the best will have a smoky mineral character, said to come from the flint soils found here. If you’re feeling a little too giddy to spot the difference, peaceful footpaths in the surrounding countryside provide the perfect opportunity to walk off a liquid lunch.
The best time to visit Tours is spring, when wisteria is draped over buildings around the city, filling the air with a light, sweet scent. The wines are similarly perfumed: this is the place to sample Vouvray, produced from the Chenin Blanc grape. These wines can by dry, sweet or sparkling and range in flavour from apple to exotic fruits. As bunches of Chenin grapes ripen unevenly, they are handpicked in a unique series of harvests known as trie. The most prized grapes are actually those infected with a fungus called botrytis cinerea. Often referred to as noble rot, it makes the grapes shrivel, concentrating the sugars and flavours to make delectable moelleux (sweet) wines which smell a bit like marmalade.
Chateau de Saumur, Loire Valley, France © Alexander Demyanenko/Shutterstock
The red Chinon, made from Cabernet Franc, is the wine to taste in this charming riverside village. Cabarnet Franc is the often overlooked parent of Cabernet Sauvignon (a genetic cross between Sauvignon Blanc and Cabernet Franc) and it’s capable of producing a wide range of styles. The lightest wines have a leafy raspberry character and – ignore the wine snobs –