Loire

This beautiful region is crossed by a river which the French have dubbed "Royal", the Loire. All this explains widely, as King and
nobles over the centuries have chosen this corner of France to build castles and mansions of the most beautiful in the world. Over 1000 km counterpointed
by vineyards and hills, loops and angles that have attracted poets, painters, artists. Nantes, Anjou, Tours, evoking stories of men and screws, and Coteaux
de Loire, L'Aubance and du Layon, lead us to reflect on the excellent quality of wines that it produces. Varieties like Chenin Blanc, Muscadet, Melon de Bourgogne Blanc, and more recently, Cabernet Franc and Sauvignon, since 1970, are the main actors who play their part, in the Loire.
Production area
Loire
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Loire

Country name France
History The Loire, which is the longest river in France, more than 1000 km, has its source in the Massif Central, south-east of Lyon, not far from the Rhone valley. But, unlike the Rhone, which flows from north to south, the Loire flows to the north, making a great turn to the west at Orléans and then pouring into the Atlantic, near the city of Nantes. The wine district follows the course of the river, starting just before the curve, up to the sea. This area is, rightfully, called the garden of France and, everywhere, you meet trees in bloom and rolling hills covered with vineyards. From Orléans to Anger, the road is bordered by magnificent castles that recall the era in which the French kings built their most imposing resident here. A trip to the Loire Valley is not complete without a view of the magnificent Chabord, the Diane de Poitiers Chenonceau and the delightful little Azay-le-Rideau.
Perc white grape 1
Soil and climate Around the city of Nantes, at the mouth of the Loire, the climate is mild and humid, but sometimes the winter can be stiff and the problematic spring frost, situations that must also be faced in the Anjou-Saumur area. Touraine is little affected by the sea climate but dominates the continental climate, with harsh winters and warmer, shorter summers. Around Poully, -sur-Loire and Sancerre the climate is markedly continental, winters longer and colder and summers shorter and warmer. Hail and spring frosts are a drama here too. In the very long wine-growing area of ​​the Loire we also find many mesoclimate.
Typical dishes A typical specialty of the area are the cheeses. We recommend the "Crottin de Chavignol", a popular goat's cheese, the "Pouligny St. Pierre", with a vaguely nutty flavor and the "Saint Maure du Touraine", a mature cheese with a strong flavor. You can also buy tasty local products directly on the farms and dairies that dot the region. Among the desserts we remember the "tarte tatin", the famous inverted cake typical of the Loire. It is a delicious apple pie, which is served upside down and accompanied by cream.
Typical products A particular grape variety for the Loire is the Chenin Blanc (also called Pineau de la Loire) which produces splendid white wines with marked acidity. Cultivated in many parts of the world, only here in the Loire, the vine gives wines so rich and aromatic. The dried ones are very rich in aromas and extracts, with good acidity and concentration, and the sweet ones have notes of fruit like melon, apricot and peach, and a deliciously balanced acidity that allows them to age gracefully. The Sauvignon Blanc competes for the first place, producing fresh white wines, elegant, fruity and with notes of freshly cut grass, minerals, flint and gooseberries, especially in the area of ​​Sancerre and Poully. Sauvignon Blanc is also grown in the denomination Reully, Quincy, Menetou-Salon and Chevernay and in the VDQS Glennois and Orléans area. Muscadet produces white, light and dry wines that can have a rather low acidity if the grapes are not harvested in time. It is a vitignie native to Burgundy, where it is Melon de Bourgogne. In the Muscadet area, Gros Plant is also cultivated, also known as Folle Blanche, which gives a dry and unripe wine. The Cabernet Franc (Breton) reigns supreme as the noblest red wine grape of the Loire. If you get the best result in Chinon and Bourgueil where the wine acquires aromas of freshly cut grass, cedar wood and great elegance and complexity.