LOIRE VALLEY – Wine - France

The Loire is the longest river of France, the last wild river in Europe. It has been designated as a World Heritage area by UNESCO. For much of its 630 miles the Loire’s wines production represents the third largest AOC area (Appellation d'Origine Contrôlée) in France. It is the largest white wine region in France, and the second largest for sparkling wine.

Loire Valley is characterized by 4 areas each having its own kind of wine.

Pays Nantais vineyards can be vinified as the method on the lees. These wines have delicate bouquets and different aromas. Some of them go down smoothly with fruity nose and others are limpid and fresh.

Among the best-known wines of Anjou are the great sweet wines of Bonnezeaux, Coteaux du Layon and Quarts de Chaume. But Anjou is also home to Savennières (a dry white wine) as well as excellent red Anjou and Anjou Villages, the very popular rosé d'Anjou, and sparkling Anjou-Mousseux.

Saumur In addition to the famous sparkling wines (including Saumur Brut and Crémant de Loire) Saumur also produces Saumur-Champigny, one of the Loire Valley's great red wines.

Touraine vineyards are located on limestone soils next to wonderful forests. The lightness of its sparkling wines is much appreciated.

Center-Loire white wines are fruity with various aromas. This offers racy wines. Red wines are supple and perfumed, full and long on the palate. Rosé wines are very refined with delicates aromas.

In a landscape of gently rolling hills and plateaus sculpted by the Loire and Cher rivers grow the Center-Loire vineyards. Winemakers have developed their cellars and vineyards with the shared goal of achieving the very best expression of each terroir composing Center-Loire vineyard. In tasting the wines of its 6 appellations, you are embarked on a travel across the different expressions of the same grape variety.