Loire Valley
Loire Valley
A couple of hours drive south of Paris, and to the west of Burgundy, the wine region of the Loire Valley is one of the most diverse in France. The quality of Loire wine is often overlooked, but they can offer serious value and are renowned for their classy style and fresh flavours. Starting on the Atlantic Coast in the city of Nantes, the region winds its way 300 miles up the Loire River through green, rural land to the pretty villages of the Upper Loire. The scattered nature of the appellations of the Loire host a wide range of soils and climatic conditions for making wine. The climate is cool, and the wines typically have fresh acidity and clean, pure flavours. Appellations of note include Touraine, Sancerre, Muscadet, Pouilly-Fume and Saumur-Champigny. The Loire's 4000 wineries produce a diverse range of wines across all three colours alongside sparkling Cremant de Loire and golden, sticky sweet wines. Most famously, the Loire is known for white wines made from Sauvignon Blanc, Melon de Bourgogne and Chenin Blanc, while Cabernet Franc is the Loire's most famous red export.
