Loire, France
But there's more to this historical region than pretty fairytale castles, of course. Vineyards line the entire 1000 km length of the Loire River, France's longest river.
Broadly speaking, the Loire is divided into four distinct wine producing regions: Pays Nantais; Anjou-Saumur, Touraine and the Upper Loire. The wines range from dry, high acid examples suited to seafood in the west, through sweeter, lighter versions in the centre and back to dry, steely wines in the east.
A feature of Loire wines is their variations from vintage to vintage, due to their northerly location. Abundant sun and full ripening may accompany one harvest while the next may be dogged by lots of rain and cool temperatures. When nature co-operates, pundits agree that the Loire can produce some stunning wines.
Pays Nantais is the most western region, located close to the Atlantic coast and centred around Nantes. It's home to Muscadet, a dry, firmly tart white wine ideal for matching with marine harvests from the Atlantic. The wine is made from Melon de Bourgogne grapes, also known as Gamay Blanc.
Grapes are harvested early to preserve acidity. The charm of good Muscadet lies in the fact that it is left on its lees - sur lie - lending the wine yeasty fullness and texture.
To the east of Pays Nantais is Anjou-Saumur, centred around the towns of Angers and Saumur, which is dramatically presided over by a magnificent 14th century white stone castle.
The Anjou region is renowned for two things: its reliance on Chenin Blanc (also known locally as Pineau de la Loire) and its production of rosé wines (up to 45% of total wine output).
The two best appellations are Quarts de Chaume and Bonnezeaux. Traditionally, farmers leave the grapes on the vine as long as possible, striving for ultimate ripeness, and harvesting in successive sweeps or tries. The result is sweet white wines with impeccable acid balance, capable of long maturation and beautiful complexity.
The other great example of wine made from this grape is Savennières, which can be exceedingly dry. Good examples require around four years of ageing before being drinkable, but can be awesome after two decades!
Saumur is the centre of the Loire's sparkling wine industry, although experts regard the bubbly as less complex than that from its north-eastern counterpart, Champagne. The region even has many subterranean caves meticulously dug out of the volcanic tufa soils to store the sparkling wine - as is done in Champagne. Both in Anjou and Saumur fairly light red wines are made from Cabernet Franc.
Some ephemeral and delicate examples can be found in Saumur-Champigny.
As the name indicates, the Touraine region surrounds the town of Tours. The most prominent wine areas are Bourgueil and Chinon (for reds) and Vouvray and Montluis, where the best Chenin Blanc wines are made.
The grape used for the Loire's best reds is Cabernet Franc, known locally as Breton. While best drunk young, some age well for a decade. The appellation rules now allow for the addition of up to 25% Cabernet Sauvignon, which adds firmer structure and longevity.
The Chenin Blanc wines of Vouvray and Montluis can be particularly confusing, because they are so weather and vintage dependent. In a good year, with lots of sun and prime ripening, they can be honeyed and sweet, while lesser years lead to wines with rasping acidity and dryness. As a result of their high acidity, they happily stand the test of time, lasting decades.
The most easterly area is the upper Loire, where Sancerre and Pouilly are found. The dominant grape variety here is Sauvignon Blanc. The popularity of this grape and wine has seen Sancerre's vineyard area treble to 2400 hectares in the last 25 years.
The best examples of Sancerre are grown in predominantly limestone soils, and display mineral, racy, flinty flavours with distinctive dryness and a typically bold, aromatic pungency.
It's best drunk within two to three years of harvest.
Pouilly-Fumé is the wine made in the area surrounding the town of Pouilly-sur-Loire - and is known locally as Blanc Fumé. In spite of the commonly held American belief that Blanc Fumé means a Sauvignon Blanc wine aged in wood, the Fumé part of the name refers to the smoky, flinty nature of the wine rather than the smokiness imparted by a barrel. But just to confuse matters, some Pouilly-Fumés are also wooded.
WEBSITES
www.vins-valdeloire.com
(region's official wine website)
www.loirevalleytourism.com
(a Loire valley tourism site)
www.lvo.com
(the Loire Valley online site)
www.loire.net
(travel, restaurant and hotel info)
www.castles-france.net/chateaux-loire/
(a guide to the chateaux of the Loire)
FACT FILE:
White: Chenin Blanc (aka Pineau de la Loire), Sauvignon Blanc,
Melon de Bourgogne (aka Gamay Blanc)
Red: Cabernet Franc, Pinot Noir, Cabernet Sauvignon
Aroma and flavour associations:
Chenin Blanc - can range from honey and apricots to tart, dry,
tangy, greenish flavours
Sauvignon Blanc - mineral, flinty, racy acid, steely, gooseberry.
Muscadet - dry and firm, can have a vague salty tang and leesiness
Cabernet Franc - raspberry
Pinot Noir - berry fruit, some strawberries.
Soils: Vary dramatically - from sand, clay and gravel in the west and volcanic tufa in Tours to limestone and gravel in the east.
Climate: Again varies dramatically from west to east. In Pays Nantais the climate is moderated by the Atlantic Ocean's influence, but winters can be harsh throughout the Loire and frost can be a problem. Warm summers, mild autumns.
Average rainfall: 600 to 800 mm
