Loire: wine variety with reputation

From the Massif Central in south-central France to the mouth of the Atlantic, the Loire covers 1,000 kilometres through the Paris Basin. It is the longest river in France. Winemaking, however, takes place only on a distance of about 400 kilometers. Already in the 11. For centuries, the Loire wines were very popular in England and Holland - the river was the ideal transport route to not only arouse international interest, but also serve it. In addition, it was not only the monks in the 12th. In the 17th century, wine-growing on the Loire was promoted by the French kings and their nobility, who built more than 400 châteaux along the Loire and its tributaries.

Meanwhile, the Loire wines are known all over the world. They are mainly associated with fruity, fresh sparkling wines, but they can also be very serious. The Crémant de Loire is not the only export hit, as white wines made from Sauvignon Blanc are also proving the reputation of the wine-growing region. So it may come as a surprise that when it comes to grape varieties, Cabernet Franc actually has the upper hand. Or that in France itself, rosé wines from the Loire are most in demand in supermarkets. And there are more Loire surprises! But before we get into them, let's take a look at the basics for a better overview.

Loire: geography and climate

To put it in perspective, the Loire wine-growing area is so diverse that even in terms of geography and climate you can't shear it over a ridge. While in the west the Massif can still have an effect on the climate, in the east it is mainly the Atlantic with its mild and humid air that influences viticulture. Not to mention the fact that the Loire and its tributaries have a favourable mesoclimate per se. This has a very balancing effect. Without this effect, wine-growing as we know it would not be possible on the Loire. With increasing distance from the sea, the climate becomes much more continental. In general, there is a risk of late frosts in spring until the month of May.

The soils of the Loire Valley are also very different. For example, while in Centre-Loire you will find the famous silex soils responsible for the legendary flint in the Loire wines, in Touraine you will find more tuff rocks of white and yellow chalk, usually covered by sand, gravel and clay. Granite and slate can also be found here. Especially if you travel further from Tours to Chinon. In Saumur, on the other hand, limestone soils rich in minerals predominate. And in the area around Nantes, granite, slate and gneis dominate the wines.

Loire: Good to know

Loire wines: sub-regions and appellations

The unifying element of all Loire wines is the Val de Loire, which has its own IGP (Indication géographique protégée = protected geographical indication). It covers the entire Val de Loire. Both white and red wines as well as rosés are allowed to be produced here. Sparkling and sweet wines, meanwhile, are excluded from being marketed as IGP Val de Loire wines. However, they have their own appellations. In general, the Loire wine growing region is divided into five sub-regions. For a better overview, these five regions follow with their respective appellations and geographical indications from east to west towards the Atlantic.

Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes

• AOP Côtes d’Auvergne
• AOP Saint-Pourçain
• AOP Côtes du Forez
• AOP Côte Roannaise
• IGP Puy de Dôme
• IGP Urfé

Centre-Loire (Cœur-de-France)

• AOP Coteaux du Giennois
• AOP Châteaumeillant
• AOP Menetou-Salon
• AOP Pouilly-Fumé
• AOP Pouilly-sur-Loire
• AOP Quincy
• AOP Reuilly
• AOP Sancerre
• IGP Côtes de la Charité
• IGP Coteaux de Tannay
• IGP Coteaux du Cher et de l’Arnon

Touraine

• AOP Touraine
• AOP Touraine Amboise
• AOP Touraine Azay-le-Rideau
• AOP Touraine Chenonceaux
• AOP Touraine Oisly
• AOP Touraine Mesland
• AOP Touraine Noble-Joué
• AOP Chinon
• AOP Vouvray
• AOP Montlouis-sur-Loire
• AOP Bourgueil
• AOP Saint-Nicolas-de-Bourgueil
• AOP Jasnières
• AOP Coteaux-du-Loir
• AOP Coteaux-du-Vendômois
• AOP Valençay
• AOP Cheverny
• AOP Cour-Cheverny
• AOP Orléans
• AOP Orléans-Cléry

Anjou-Saumur

• AOP Anjou
• AOP Rosé d’Anjou
• AOP Cabernet d’Anjou
• AOP Anjou-Villages
• AOP Anjou-Brissac
• AOP Anjou-Coteaux de la Loire
• AOP Coteaux du Layon et „Villages“
• AOP Coteaux du Layon 1er Cru Chaume
• AOP Quarts de Chaume Grand Cru
• AOP Bonnezeaux
• AOP Coteaux de l’Aubance
• AOP Coulée de Serrant
• AOP Savennières
• AOP Savennières Roche aux Moines
• AOP Saumur
• AOP Saumur-Champigny
• AOP Saumur Puy-Notre-Dame
• AOP Coteaux de Saumur
• AOP Haut-Poitou

Nantais

• AOP Gros Plant du Pays Nantais
• AOP Muscadet
• AOP Muscadet Sèvre-et-Maine et “Crus Communaux”
• AOP Muscadet Côtes de Grandlieu
• AOP Muscadet Coteaux de la Loire
• AOP Coteaux d’Ancenis
• AOP Fiefs Vendéens

Loire wine style

As you can see, the Loire as a wine region is very small. It can be useful to get an overview of the different styles of wine. And these are mainly influenced by the different grape varieties. Let's just go into some detail.

White wine

Sauvignon Blanc: Sauvignon Blanc has its origins in the Loire - and is also the figurehead among grape varieties. It accounts for just under 16 per cent of the total area of vines. The sauvignon blanc wines from the Sancerre, Pouilly-Fumé and Menetou-Salon appellations are known all over the world. Not only do they have a pronounced cassis aroma, but they also shine with the famous flint note.

Chenin Blanc: The Loire wines of Chenin Blanc are characterised by a strong acid structure that becomes more harmonious as they mature. The best-known varieties come from the appellations of Coteaux du Layon, Montlouis-sur-Loire, Savennières and, of course, Vouvray. These Loire wines are ideal food accompaniments. Incidentally, 93.3% of Chenin Blancs grown in France are found on the Loire.

Melon de Bourgogne: The youthful, fresh muscadet wines from the Loire are perfect for all kinds of dishes, and their light fruitiness will appeal to many people's tastes. Aged in hops or with extra long yeasts, you can find excellent examples of this charming grape variety in the Nantais sub-region in the three Muscadet appellations, where 99.9% of France's Melon de Bourgogne vines are on the Loire.

Red wine

Cabernet Franc: Anjou and Cabernet Franc simply go together. The wines have a fruity, velvety character that will satisfy both untrained and demanding palates. They don't have quite as much extract, making them ideal for the ongoing trend of lighter-footed reds. In addition to the AOPs Anjou, Cabernet d'Anjou and Saumur in the Anjou-Saumur sub-region, the Cabernet Francs also trump Chinon and Bourgueil in the Touraine.

Gamay: Only 6.6% of the total vineyard area in the Loire is planted with the red grape variety Gamay. On the world market, these red wines do not play a central role. But that does not change the fact that the charming, fruity Game wines can charm wine lovers around the globe and are considered a real insider tip.

Pinot Noir: It wasn't until 2015 that Pinot Noir was planted all over the Loire (and not just in individual appellations). Now the area of vines totals 2,227 hectares. This makes Pinot Noir the only red variety whose area is growing rather than shrinking. The wines are a symbol of finesse and elegance - with a distinct fruity component.

Rosé wine

Anjou, in particular, produces semi-dry and sweet rosé wines, which are very much loved by the French themselves. Cabernet Franc plays the main role here. Rosé production is allowed in most of the Loire appellations. These Loire wines are usually dry too. Although the Loire rosé wines are hardly known internationally, they account for 26.2% of total production - the reds only come in at 16.4%.

Sparkling wine

The AOP Crémant de Loire covers more than 12,000 hectares of vines. The epicentre is in Saumur, where you can find the finest Saumur Brut. In general, the Crémants de Loire are very diverse. From the fresh-spirited to the ripe, everything is possible here. That's what makes the sparkling wines so attractive to the trade. The same goes for the excellent value for money.

Loire wines in detail

Loire: Wine as an economic factor

The Loire Valley is one of the few French wine-growing regions that is struggling with declining sales. The reasons are very different. For one thing, the Loire wines are very popular in the country itself. Their good price-pleasure ratio makes them a stable part of the range nationally, especially in food retailing, gastronomy and on wine lists. In exports, the white wines are particularly popular, at 59%. They also account for 66% of the total value - making them the big stable factor. All the white wines from Centre-Loire are exported. The main drawcard here is undoubtedly the appellation Sancerre, which has by far the largest export volume with 109,128 hectoliters. For comparison, the appellation Vouvray is the second export with 26,236 hectoliters for white wines.

With 102,625 hectoliters, Crémant de Loire also plays a major role in exports. But not only there. On the shelves of French food retailers, sparkling wine accounts for 37% of all Loire wines - but in French gastronomy it is only 2%. In fact, 75% of all gastronomic establishments in France carry at least one Loire wine on their menus. In general, however, the Loire wines are of interest not only to global gastronomy and food retailing, but also to the specialty trade. Not only do they have an enormous variety, but they also have a good margin.

Your selling points for Loire wines

• From inexpensive everyday wines to top-of-the-line wines with character, there's something for the whole clientele
• Ideal food companions
• Many different styles
• Crémant de Loire is in the fast lane
• Very good value for money