Loire Valley

The Loire Valley is one of the main and largest wine-growing regions in France extending along the entire Loire River, from the inland hills of Auvergne to the plains of the French Atlantic coast near Nantes. The vast size of the region makes it impossible to summarize its terroir succinctly so much so that it has become necessary to divide the Loire into a series of smaller regions. Here a vast range of quality wines are produced, with different characteristics, versatile, suitable for every need and taste. The climate, relatively continental in the upper reaches of the river, becomes decidedly maritime as the river approaches the Atlantic coast. The terrains also vary considerably as the river flows gently through the countryside; the hard granite of the Côtes du Forez is strikingly different from the flint and limestone around Sancerre and Pouilly-sur-Loire, and even more so from the soft, crumbly tuffeau of Anjou.

White wines represent the vast majority of production in the region: the main white grape varieties used to make the whites of the Loire Valley are Sauvignon Blanc , Chenin Blanc, Melon de Bourgogne. Among the most famous wines we certainly remember Sancerre , produced from pure Sauvignon Blanc grapes; Vouvray and Chinon , from Chenin Blanc; Muscadet , which represents the most classic pairing with oysters, obtained from Melon de Bourgogne grapes.