This document provides an overview of the Loire Valley wine region of France. It discusses the various subregions including Pays Nantais, Anjou, Saumur, Touraine, and the Upper Loire. It outlines the main grape varieties grown such as Chenin Blanc, Sauvignon Blanc, Cabernet Franc, and Pinot Noir. It also summarizes the prominent appellations including Sancerre, Pouilly-Fumé, Savennières, and Vouvray. The document highlights the diversity of soils, climates, and styles of wine produced across the Loire Valley.

2. welcome to
la france part II
loire
bordeaux I
bordeaux II
sud ouest
languedoc &
roussillon
jura & savoie

3. la france – part II

4. la vallée de la loire

5. la vallée de la loire
toils in the shadow of
bordeaux
burgundy
rhône
not because of a lack of
quality
many treasures to offer
often overlooked

6. la vallée de la loire

7. la vallée de la loire
loire's delicious wines
come from
numerous appellations
many grape varieties
•
•
some well known
some not so
much

9. loire valley appellations
87 appellation d'origine protégée – aop
0 grands crus

10. loire valley at a glance
diversity
– terroir
– climate
– varietal
all types of wine
– red
– white
– rosé
– sparkling
– sweet

11. loire valley at a glance
most famous
appellations of the
loire valley
– sancerre
– vouvray
– muscadet
– chinon

12. sancerre
domaine vacheron

14. loire valley
varietals

15. loire valley grape varieties
white
chenin*
–
pineau de loire
sauvignon blanc*
–
fumé blanc
muscadet*
–
melon de
bourgogne
folle-blanche
–
arbois
gros plant

16. loire valley grape varieties
white
chasselas
chardonnay
grolleau gris
romorantin
saint-pierre doré
sacy

17. loire valley grape varieties
red
cabernet franc*
–
breton
cabernet-sauvignon
cot
–
malbec
pinot noir*
meunier gris/pinot
meunier

18. loire valley grape varieties
red
pinot gris
gamay*
pineau d'aunis
grolleau
–
groslot
gamay de bouze
gamay de chaudenay
négrette

19. soil

20. loire soil
wide variety of soil
granite, slate, gneiss
limestone covered by
•
•
•
sand
argiles
cailloux de
limons

21. climate

22. loire climate
nantes & anjou
coastal - atlantic ocean
ocean influence
saumurois & touraine
semi-continental
center
semi-continental
the tempering effects of
the loire river
influences climate

23. loire valley regions
1 - pays nantais
3 – touraine
2 - anjou-saumur
4 - central vineyards or upper loire

24. loire valley regions - pays nantais
muscadet coteaux de la loire
muscadet côtes de grandlieu
muscadet sèvre-et-maine
coteaux d'ancenis
muscadet

25. loire valley regions - pays nantais
the pays nantais has been
producing wine since the
roman era
muscadet is the bestknown wine of the this
region
muscadet
– melon de
bourgogne
was brought to the loire
centuries ago from
burgundy

26. loire valley regions - pays nantais
not very well suited to the
terroir of burgundy
melon flourished in the
pays nantais, as was
demonstrated in the
winter of 1709, when frigid
temperatures ravaged the
countryside, exploding
barrels, and even freezing
the atlantic ocean along
the coast

27. loire valley regions - pays nantais
most vineyards were
destroyed, but the
melon survived,
producing wines that
perfectly reflect their
maritime
environment, and
which make a natural
partner for the
superlative belon
oysters of brittany

28. loire valley regions - anjou

29. tuffeau limestone subsoil

30. anjou at a glance
–
–
–
–
–
red
white
rosé
sparkling
sweet

31. anjou appellations
anjou (sparkling)
anjou-villages
anjou-villages-brissac
anjou coteaux de la loire
cabernet d'anjou (rosé)

32. anjou appellations
coteaux du vendômois
coteaux du loir
jasnières
– 100% chenin
blanc
– lauded for their
steeliness in
youth and
ability to
improve and
transform with
age

33. anjou at a glance
anjou is also home to most of
celebrated sweet wines of
the loire valley
all made with chenin blanc
●
coteaux du layon
●
quarts de chaume
●
bonnezeaux

34. anjou at a glance
anjou’s most famous dry white
●
savennières
– cru
– la-roche-au-moines
– coulée-de-serrant
• monopole
• nicolas joly
– chenin blanc

35. anjou at a glance
reds outnumber the whites in
this area & may be made
from
●
cabernet franc
●
cabernet sauvignon
●
côt (the local name for
malbec)
●
pineau d’aunis
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gamay and
●
grollot

36. anjou at a glance
best red anjou is made
entirely from cabernet franc

37. château de la mulonnière
l'effet papillon
aoc savennières

38. loire valley regions
saumur & saumur champigny

39. saumur & saumur champigny
appellations
cabernet de saumur
coteaux de saumur
saumur
saumur blanc
saumur brut
samur brut rosé
saumur-champigny
crémant de loire (saumur)

40. saumur & saumur champigny
at a glance
the saumur brut appellation
wines are among the most
prestigious sparkling wines
of the loire
●
●
●
chenin blanc and/or
cabernet franc
small additions of
chardonnay
(in rare instances)
sauvignon blanc
depending on the
style of the individual
producer

41. saumur & saumur champigny
at a glance
saumur is also the principal
region for the production
●
●
●
crémant de loire
made according to the
méthode traditionnelle
can include a greater
variety of grapes
●
must be hand harvested
●
yields are strictly limited
●
and the wines must age
for at least a year before
commercial release

42. saumur & saumur champigny
at a glance
saumur also produces excellent
still wines
white saumur
●
mainly chenin blanc
●
mainly cabernet franc
reds
most of the wines are light
bodied and made for early
drinking

43. saumur & saumur champigny
at a glance
saumur-champigny makes
somewhat richer red wines
that have seen a
tremendous growth in
popularity in recent years
cabernet franc
●
●
●
may be blended (although
the practice is rare) with
small quantities
cabernet sauvignon
pineau d’aunis, a grape
unique to the loire valley

44. loire valley regions
touraine

45. touraine at a glance
–
–
–
–
red
white
rosé
sparkling

46. touraine at a glance
white
●
sauvignon blanc
blended
●
chardonnay
●
chenin blanc
sparkling
●
chenin blanc
●
cabernet franc
●
gamay
●
côt (malbec)
●
pinot noir is also used
red

47. touraine appellations
touraine
touraine cot
touraine mousseux
crémant de la loire
touraine - ambroise*
touraine-noble joué
touraine-mesland
touraine-azay-le-rideau
valençay

48. touraine appellations
great variety under appellations
●
vouvray
●
montlouis sur loire
●
●
●
●
mineral-scented & dry
fruity off-dry “sec
tendre”
to rich, honeyed
dessert wines
delicious sparkling
wine
these wines showcase the
versatility of the chenin blanc

49. touraine appellations
chinon
●
historic town is home to
one of the loire valley’s
most celebrated
cabernet franc wines

50. touraine appellations
bourgueil
●
●
100% cabernet franc reds
and rosé
resplendent of raspberry
and the grape’s hallmark
“pencil shaving” aromas,
and can be slightly more
tannic than wines from
neighboring chinon
st-nicolas-de-bourgueil
'beaujolais' of loire

51. loire valley regions
upper loire

52. upper loire - appellations
pouilly-fumé &
pouilly-sur-loire
sancerre
menetou-salon
giennois
reuilly
quincy
chateaumeillant

53. upper loire - appellations
cheverny
– gamay & pinot
noir
cour-cheverny
– romorantin

54. upper loire - appellations
cour-cheverny
white wine only
– romorantin
this grape, grown only in
loire, makes floral,
lively wines with a
character uniquely their
own

55. upper loire – at a glance
centre loire, dominated by two
grapes
all white wines are made from
●
sauvignon blanc
and all red wines
●
pinot noir
small amount of rosé
●
gamay
●
pinot gris

56. upper loire – at a glance
great variety exists within the
region
numerous micro climates
different types of soil on which
the vineyards are planted
one has only to taste several
of the wines side by side to
experience the difference
soil can make in wines
made from the same grape

57. sancerre – at a glance
sancerre, the most famous
appellation of the centre loire
●
●
●
produces the bestknown
most imitated sauvignon
blanc wines in the world
sets international
standards for sauvignon
blanc

58. sancerre – at a glance
vineyards are ideally situated on
the left bank of the loire
the steep hillsides provide
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●
●
●
●
optimal exposure to the
sun
very important
advantage in a cool
climate
chalk and flint soils
provide an ideal growing
medium
fresh, fruity sauvignon
blanc
perfumed, elegant pinot
noir

59. upper loire – at a glance
pouilly fumé
●
●
entire production
devoted to sauvignon
blanc
higher levels of clay in the
soils give pouilly fumé
creamier, rounder notes
than its neighbors

60. upper loire

61. domaine des grandes espérances
les ailes pourpres
aoc touraine ambroise