The Loire Valley wines represent the third largest AOC (appellation d'origine contrôlée) region in France. It is the largest white wine region in France, and the second largest for sparkling wines. The length of the river and the diversity of soils and climates make the Loire Valley the only region in France to produce excellent wines of great variety. Red, white or rosé, still or sparkling, dry or sweet. The Loire Valley wine region includes French wines from the regions along the Loire River, from Muscadet near Nantes on the Atlantic coast to the Sancerre region in central France. In between, we find the regions of Anjou, Saumur, Bourgueil, Chinon and Vouvray. 87 appellations are found along the river. Although the majority of the production is white wine with the grape varieties chenin blanc, sauvignon blanc and melon de Bourgogne, we also find red wines (especially around Chinon and Bourgueil) made with cabernet franc. In addition to still wines, sparkling and sweet wines are also produced. After the Champagne region, the Loire Valley is the second largest producer of sparkling wines. The white wines of Coteaux du Layon, Montlouis-sur-Loire, Savennières and Vouvray are made from Chenin Blanc. They are known to have a high acidity when young with a great capacity for aging. The villages of Sancerre and Pouilly-sur-Loire are known for their crisp and grassy Sauvignon Blanc. Some producers in the region are experimenting with aging in oak barrels, to give them more roundness and smoothness. However, the vast majority of winemakers prefer unoaked wines to preserve as much of the wine's fruitiness as possible. The villages of Bourgueil, Chinon and Saumur are known for their Cabernet Franc, light and fruity for Saumur, rich and velvety for Chinon. The Muscadet of Pays-de-la-Loire comes from the Burgundy melon grape. They are known for their lemony and mineral notes.
Lists of pages in the Loire Valley wines :
Cour Cheverny and Cheverny wines