Touraine
Touraine
Located in the very centre of the Loire Valley wine region, around the city of Tours, Touraine is a wine area producing a diverse range of wines. There is a generic Touraine regional appellation title, used for wines across the region, which may be still or sparkling and red, white or rose, reflecting the diverse output. Higher quality areas have their own appellation within Touraine, and the most notable of these include Vouvray and Montlouis for white wines and Chinon and Bourgueil for reds. Vouvray and Montlouis produce their wines from Chenin Blanc, and they can be both crisp and dry, or unctuous, nutty and sweet. The reds of Chinon and Bourgueil are typically made from Cabernet Franc and are silky, spicy and full of life. The soils in the region range from alluvial river gravels to the unique porous metamorphic rock, tuffeau, an important geological factor in the distinct styles of wine produced in Touraine.
