WINE REGION
Loire Valley
The Garden of France
The Loire Valley is France's most diverse wine region, stretching 1,000 kilometres from the Atlantic coast to the heart of the country. It produces an extraordinary range of styles — from bone-dry Muscadet to lusciously sweet Coteaux du Layon, from mineral Sancerre to elegant Chinon — all united by a freshness and vitality that is the Loire's signature.
"The Loire is the most democratic of France's great wine regions — extraordinary quality at prices that don't require a second mortgage."
The region divides into four main zones: the Pays Nantais near the Atlantic (Muscadet), Anjou-Saumur in the middle (Chenin Blanc, Cabernet Franc), Touraine (Vouvray, Chinon, Bourgueil), and the Central Vineyards (Sancerre, Pouilly-Fumé).
KEY GRAPES
Whites: Melon de Bourgogne (Muscadet), Chenin Blanc (Vouvray, Savennières), Sauvignon Blanc (Sancerre, Pouilly-Fumé). Reds: Cabernet Franc (Chinon, Bourgueil), Gamay.
CLIMATE
Varies from Atlantic-influenced in the west to more continental in the east. Generally cool, producing wines of high natural acidity and freshness.
AGEING POTENTIAL
Muscadet sur lie: 5–20 years for the best. Savennières: 10–30 years. Sancerre: 3–8 years. Vouvray demi-sec: 10–30 years.
FOOD PAIRING
Muscadet: oysters, mussels, seafood. Sancerre: goat's cheese, asparagus, grilled fish. Chinon: rabbit, pork rillettes, charcuterie. Vouvray: pork, chicken, mild cheeses.
APPELLATIONS
Key Appellations
PRODUCERS
Producers to Know
Didier Dagueneau
Pouilly-Fumé
The greatest Sauvignon Blanc producer in the world — Silex and Pur Sang are benchmarks.
Domaine Huet
Vouvray
The definitive Vouvray estate — Chenin Blanc of extraordinary complexity and longevity.
Domaine Olga Raffault
Chinon
Elegant, terroir-driven Cabernet Franc — the benchmark for Loire reds.
Luneau-Papin
Muscadet
The finest Muscadet producer — single-parcel wines that age magnificently.
TASTING NOTES
Bottles Worth Seeking Out
Dagueneau Pouilly-Fumé Silex 2021
Flint, white peach, and a mineral intensity that is almost electric. The greatest Sauvignon Blanc in France.
Huet Vouvray Le Mont Sec 2020
Extraordinary Chenin Blanc — quince, beeswax, and a mineral backbone that will carry this wine for decades.
Luneau-Papin Muscadet Clisson 2018
Saline, complex, and surprisingly rich — the finest Muscadet I have tasted.