The Loire Valley
Main grapes: There is no one signature style here so prepare yourselves for the ultimate shopping list: WHITE - Sauvignon Blanc, Chenin Blanc, Melon Blanc (often referred to as Muscadet), RED – Cabernet Sauvignon, Cabernet Franc, Gamay
Sub-regions: Sancerre, Pouilly-Fumé, Vouvray, Touraine, Saumur, Anjou, Muscadet Sèvre et Maine
Climate: The climate of the Loire is generally cool, however the general rule is that the vineyards closer to the coast, such as those in the Anjou area, are warmer and drier (they’ve clearly got the right idea). At the furthest Northern point of this region fungal diseases caused by rain can be a bit of a problem…granted it doesn’t sound quite as appetizing as the sunny beach, but even so many of the wines made there are excellent.
You should know...Fun fact: the Loire is the longest river in France. Not impressed by that general knowledge gem? I should probably tell you something useful then: The Loire can loosely be split into 4 sub areas: the Central Vineyards, Touraine, Anjou-Saumur and Nantais. You wouldn’t be wrong to label the Loire a bit of a show-off since this extremely diverse area produces red, white and rosé wines.
Sub-regions: Sancerre, Pouilly-Fumé, Vouvray, Touraine, Saumur, Anjou, Muscadet Sèvre et Maine
Climate: The climate of the Loire is generally cool, however the general rule is that the vineyards closer to the coast, such as those in the Anjou area, are warmer and drier (they’ve clearly got the right idea). At the furthest Northern point of this region fungal diseases caused by rain can be a bit of a problem…granted it doesn’t sound quite as appetizing as the sunny beach, but even so many of the wines made there are excellent.
You should know...Fun fact: the Loire is the longest river in France. Not impressed by that general knowledge gem? I should probably tell you something useful then: The Loire can loosely be split into 4 sub areas: the Central Vineyards, Touraine, Anjou-Saumur and Nantais. You wouldn’t be wrong to label the Loire a bit of a show-off since this extremely diverse area produces red, white and rosé wines.