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  Quaffers® Feature - July 2003
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 'Le jardin de la France' is how the Loire region is described by the French. Indeed it is a beautiful area hugging the longest river in France and with a flourishing polyculture which includes not just vines, but apple and pear orchards, soft fruits, sunflowers and corn. Beloved of the French monarchy in the past and because of its strategic importance, the Loire is home to some of the most magnificent Châteaux in the country attracting hoards of tourists each year. Often overlooked in the wine stakes, the Loire region nevertheless produces a wide array of wines made from an assortment of black and white grapes from sparkling to still, very dry to the very sweet and in shades of white, red and rosé.
Given its relatively northerly location, the Loire produces cool climate wines that exhibit high levels of acidity. The largest percentage of wines produced are still and white; the best known being Sancerre, produced in the east of the region in the Central Vineyards. There are four main vineyard regions in the Loire: Nantais (in the West closest to the coast), Anjou-Saumur, Touraine and the Central Vineyards. Each of these areas produces a different style of wine, often with distinct grape varieties most suited to the unique climatic conditions and soil types.
Nantais
This region produces approximately 900,000 hectolitres of wine each year. It is situated south and east of Nantes in the lower part of Brittany close to the mouth of the river Loire. Its proximity to the coast means a temperate and damp climate so it is no surprise that the main grape variety planted here is Muscadet, which has a thick skin, is hardy and an early ripener. The other grape commonly found here is the Gros plant ö not a particularly inspiring variety and with high acidity. These two grapes are used to produce dry wines, the best of which are fermented on their lees and sometimes aged in oak. Responsible for about 85% of Muscadet produced is Muscadet de Sévre et Maine which is dry, minerally and with a hint of blossom or apple.
Anjou-Saumur
 Further inland, the region of Anjou-Saumur stretches along the Loire from about 40KM west of Angers to 10KM east of Saumur and south to include the Loire tributaries, the Aubance and Layon. The climate here is a little drier and warmer than the Nantais and the soil is mainly Tuffeau - a soft limestone. A number of grape varieties and styles of wine are found in this important region. The main white grape is Chenin Blanc or Pineau de la Loire, as it is also known. It has high levels of acidity and sugar and is well suited to cool climates and limestone soils. The grape is extremely versatile and is used in still and sparkling wines and both dry and sweet bottles. Some Chardonnay and Sauvignon Blanc is also grown here, often to add flavour and body in blends, particularly in sparkling wines. Several black grapes grow here including Gamay, Cabernet Franc - the main black grape of the Loire, Cabernet Sauvignon, Malbec and Grolleau (used solely for the blend in Anjou Rosé wines).
Most dry white wines are bottled early to preserve the apple and floral aromas of the Chenin Blanc. All of the wines have high acidity and this enables the wines to age well. Complexity develops with age, and often the aroma associated with aged Chenin Blanc wines is that of wet wool. Famous dry wines from this region come from Savenniéres. The sweet wines come from the south of the region on the tributaries of the Aubance and Layon (Coteaux du layon and Coteaux de L'Aubance) as well as the "Crus" Quarts de Chaume and Bonnezeaux - the most famous Loire sweeties. These are very concentrated wines with high levels of acidity and capable of ageing for 50 - 100 years.
Saumur-Champigny is the most famous and highest quality red wine from the region, made from Cabernet Franc with good dark blackcurrant fruit and the ability to age well. Other more basic red and rosé wines are produced as well as the sparkling wines, made by the same traditional method as Champagne.
Touraine
The region runs along the Loire from the villages of Chinon and Bourgueil (10 KM east of Saumur) past Tours and almost as far as Blois - home of a very spectacular Château. The climate is warmer and drier again than the two previous regions, but spring frosts can be a problem. The soils vary from flinty clay over limestone to sandy gravel near the river to Tuffeau in the hills. The same grape varieties are grown here as in Anjou-Saumur but the style of wines are somewhat different. Vouvray, for example, can be dry but is often made as an off-dry wine. The high acidity can be a problem in poor years when the grapes have not ripened properly, giving very lean wines. The best will show the characteristic apple or peachy fruit, and sweet examples will be very honeyed.
The famous and top quality wines of Touraine are the reds from Chinon, Bourgueil and St Nicolas-de-Bourgueil which are made from Cabernet Franc and exhibit the blackcurrant and herbaceousness of the grape. Many can be aged for five to ten years. Some rosé and sparkling wines are also made.
Central Vineyards
So-named because this region lies in the centre of France below Orléans, above Nevers and to the south west of Chablis. The climate here is continental with cold winters and very hot summers, though still a relatively cool climate compared with many of the other French vineyard areas. The soil here is mainly clay with limestone, chalk and flinty topsoils. Sauvignon Blanc is the main white grape here, rather than Chenin Blanc, and its highly acidic, low sugar berries can produce smoky, gooseberry and raw blackcurrant aromas. Pinot Noir is the main black grape grown in the Central Vineyards, although there is also some Cabernet Sauvignon.
The white wines are all dry, having been through cool fermentation and early bottling. The famous examples come from Sancerre, Pouilly Fumé, Menetou Salon, Quincy and Reuilly where the wines are very dry, crisp and aromatic. The red wines of the area such as red Sancerre, Menetou Salon and Reuilly, are light, fruity and often with a pleasant strawberry aroma and typical earthiness of the Pinot Noir grape.
Although it is regrettable that many wines from the Loire are overlooked in favour of those from sexier French regions, the benefit is that these wines often represent very good value for money. Next time you are looking for a fruity red for lunchtime drinking, think about a red Sancerre and surprise yourself. These wines are superb.
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