Loire Valley (wine)

The wine-growing region of Val de Loire combines several wine regions together. Be considered the common denominator is that these areas are located on the river Loire, with ten of its tributaries. The northern French standards location Also provides generally for fresh, light and delicate wines.

The product range includes dry and semi- dry white wines, white dessert wines, light red wines, sparkling wines and rosé wines. At a length of 1000 km (from Roanne, near the city of Lyon to Nantes and Saint -Nazaire ) about 70,000 hectares of vineyards are farmed. Here arise in the field of quality wines annually approximately 1.4 million hl of white wine and 1,140,000 hectoliters of red and rosé wines. This amount corresponds to approximately 10% of French wine production.

Within this area no less than 32 appellations category Appellation d' Origine ( AOC short ) and 15 Vin de Qualité Supérieur Delimité (short VDQS ) wines are summarized. In addition there are almost 40 different Vin de Pays. The success of Crémant de Loire resulted in the Loire rose to become the second most important sparkling wine producer after the Champagne region.

Since this wealth of options can not be generally grouped under a generic term, sub-regions were defined with its own characteristic features. It involves the below- described Anjou - Saumur, Pays Nantais and Touraine. There are also clearly outlying wine growing regions, which are grouped under the region Cœur -de -France or Centre.

• 4.1 Anjou - Saumur 4.1.1 Anjou
• 4.1.2 Saumur

History

With the exception of some vineyards in the Pays Nantais, which have already been created by the Romans, the history of wine starts on the Loire in the 5th century. The great monasteries of the region designed systematically to vineyards. Sidonius Appolinaris mentioned in a letter from the year 469 the vineyards of the Celtic tribe of the Arverni, who had advanced from the Auvergne to the Loire. Gregory of Tours described in his book History of the Franks also often the wine of the Loire. He also reported on the often successful attacks by the Bretons of the vineyards or on the grape harvests the area around the city of Nantes. During almost 500 years of viticulture developed steadily and secure transport by water gave the area also markets outside the region.

With the coronation of the Duke of Anjou, Henry II Plantagenet King of England on December 19, 1154 began a nearly 900 -year relationship between the Loire wines and the French and English courts and noble families. This close relationship led to the Loire wines enjoyed throughout Europe a good reputation. This reputation made ​​for good business and allowed the winemakers also invest in even better quality. From the 15th century began, for example, to replant the vineyards with new and especially better grape varieties such as Cabernet Franc.

Geography and climate

Geography

Between the Massif Central and the Massif Armoricain the Loire has sought its way through the Paris Basin.

Climate

The vineyards of the area of ​​the Loire are at the northern limit of the reliable cultivation of wine in France. Mild, moist air from the Atlantic flows far into the interior. In addition, the Loire and its tributaries provide a favorable Mesoklima due to the balancing effect of the water. Despite the reliable character of the climate of year gear-dependent influence is considerable, especially for red wines and sweet wines in terms of both quantity and quality. The overall rather cool climate ensures generally, as for example in Sancerre, for wines with a strong acid and thus provides adequate amounts of base wine for sparkling wine production.

With increasing distance from the sea, the climate is much more continental. Generally it is in the spring until the month of May, the danger of late frosts. In 1991, the late frost destroyed about 70 % of the harvest. The rainfall from March to August, with mean values ​​of 45-57 mm / month rather low. During this time the precipitation falls mostly in the form of short and violent thunderstorms. In particular, in August and September, this may result in damage due to rot.

Varieties

The white wines of the Coteaux du Layon wine regions, Montlouis- sur -Loire, Vouvray Savennières and are all made ​​from the Chenin Blanc grapes. In her youth, the wines have a strong acid backbone and can therefore develop a few years in the bottle. The currently very popular Sauvignon Blanc is the basis of the white wines of Sancerre, Pouilly Fumé and Menetou - salon. These wines have initially a distinctive blackcurrant flavor (blackcurrant ). Some manufacturers are experimenting with an expansion of these wines in small oak barrels to take them some of their aggressive acid and the wine round and make it full. The young to drinking Muscadet wines are made from the grape Melon de Bourgogne and an excellent match for dishes with fish and seafood.

The red wines of Saumur, Chinon and Bourgueil purchase their velvety fruity character of the grape variety Cabernet Franc. Other commonly grown red grape varieties are Gamay, Pinot Noir and Malbec. The latter is often called on the Loire Côt.

Local specialties are prepared from the unknown grape varieties Grolleau, Grolleau Gris, Tressalier, Pineau d' Aunis and Romorantin.

Due to its northern location, the area of the Loire River in France was a center for the new variety of grape varieties. Efforts have focused on the mid-19th century to the achievement of dark-colored red wines by means of dyers grapes such as the varieties Gamay de Bouze or Gamay de Chaudenay or on finding early maturing varieties such as Muscat Ottonel.

Loire wine region

The vineyards of the Loire is named after the Bordeaux region of France is the second largest wine-growing region. The wine-growing areas are located along the Loire to several hundred kilometers. Despite this heterogeneity include some wines of the appellation, extending geographically over the entire wine region:

• Appellation Crémant de Loire, a sparkling wine which may be made ​​throughout the Loire within approved areas.
• Appellation Rosé de Loire, a rosé, which has contributed in the past, much to the bad reputation of the Loire wine.

The country wine Vin de Pays du Jardin de la France is also placed nationally and is exclusive to varietal wines of a varietal.

Anjou- Saumur region

The Anjou - Saumur has a vineyard area of ​​about 14,800 hectares. The average production volume of a year is 670,000 hl. The area between the regions Pays Nantais and Touraine lies within the department of Maine -et -Loire, and of the northern Vienne and Deux -Sèvres between the towns of Saumur, Angers, Ancenis and Thouars. Just off the Appellation Haut -Poitou lies north of the city of Poitiers, southwest of Chatellerault. End of the 19th century the area under area was 31,000 hectares. The stock has been almost completely destroyed by the infestation of phylloxera. Since the 1960s, the Rebbe state has largely stabilized.

Anjou

• Anjou appellation for red and white wines ( Anjou, Anjou- gamay, Anjou villages, Cabernet d' Anjou ( rosé) ). The Anjou region is located near the city of Angers and is internationally better known for the molds made from Cabernet Franc Rosé d' Anjou or Cabernet d'Anjou. This often rest sweet wine was in many vintages of poor quality and had long prevented a quality movement in the region. Progress was made, however, with the Chenin Blanc ( Pineau de la Loire often here or francs blanc called ) produced white wines and with the often made ​​from Gamay reds. Good grades are usually offered under the Appellation Anjou -Villages.
• Appellation Bonnezeaux, sweet white wines
• Chaume appellation, white dessert wine
• Appellation Coteaux -de- l'Aubance, white dessert wine
• Appellation Coteaux -du -Layon, white dessert wine
• Appellation Coteaux -de- la -Loire
• Appellation Quarts -de- Chaume, white dessert wine
• Appellation Savennières, dry white wines
• Appellation Vins du Thouars

Saumur

The area around Saumur is after the Champagne appellation Crémant d'Alsace and the most important sparkling wine region of France. Every year, nearly 12 million bottles of the wine cellar, under the name Saumur mousse. During the champagne from Chardonnay, Pinot Noir and Pinot Meunier is made, the sparkling wine of the Loire is a product of the variety Chenin Blanc and thus differs significantly from other sparkling wine products in France. The red wines, which are sold under the appellation name Saumur -Champigny, are easier and more enjoyable way resemble the wines from St- Nicolas -de- Bourgueil.

• Appellation Coteaux de Saumur
• Appellation Saumur
• Appellation Saumur -Champigny

Pays Nantais

The Pays Nantais region extends south and east of Nantes, near the coast of the Atlantic Ocean as far as Ancenis, in the southern part of the department of Loire- Atlantique. Some sections are in the Vendée. Vineyards: 16,000 hectares.

• Appellation Coteaux d' Ancenis, ( VDQS since 1954)
• Appellation fiefs Vendéens, ( VDQS since 1984)
• Appellation Gros Plant du Pays Nantais, White Wine, ( VDQS since 1954)
• Appellations Muscadet, Muscadet Sevre et Maine, Muscadet - Côtes de Grandlieu and Muscadet - Coteaux de la Loire, white wine, AOC. The region of Muscadet is a semicircle around the southern Nantes. As a result of fierce winter frosts in 1709 the right- hardy grape Melon de Bourgogne was planted by a majority. The most important market of the time were Dutch wine merchants who took advantage of the wines of the region as a base wine of the so-called brandewijn. Despite a certain similarity of the name Muscadet has nothing to do with the Muscat family wines. The wine is kept neutral and fresh on the contrary, and is considered a good food with fish dishes. The white wines of Muscadet Sevre et the smaller appellations Maine, Muscadet - Côtes de Grandlieu and Muscadet - Coteaux de la Loire are often sold under the name sur lie. Here, the wines are left longer on the yeast and thus gain wealth and freshness. Because the wines are bottled unfiltered, it can result in the formation of a depot. This deposit is not a wine fault but a natural consequence of something more complex manufacturing process.

Touraine region

The region stretches from Saumur to Orléans six departments: Indre, Indre -et -Loire, Loir -et -Cher, Loiret, Sarthe and Vienne. Vineyards: 13,000 hectares.

The area around Chinon, Bourgueil and St- Nicolas -de- Bourgueil is known for the red wines from the Cabernet Franc. This vine is here often called Breton. The most red wine these three appellations usually comes from Chinon, while the wines of Bourgueil a better structure due to a higher tannin feature. The lightest wines of this region come from the neighboring St- Nicolas -de- Bourgueil. Because of its fruity character of the wine appellations of all three can be enjoyed chilled in the summer.

• Bourgueil appellation AOC
• Chinon appellation AOC
• Appellation Cheverny AOC
• Appellation Coteaux du Loir AOC
• Appellation Coteaux -du- Vendômois, ( VDQS since 1968 )
• Cour -Cheverny appellation AOC
• Appellation Haut -Poitou, ( VDQS since 1970)
• Appellation AOC Jasnières
• Appellation Montlouis- sur -Loire AOC
• Appellation Saint -Nicolas -de- Bourgueil AOC
• Touraine appellation
• Appellation Touraine - Amboise
• Appellation Touraine Azay -le- Rideau
• Appellation Touraine - Mesland
• Appellation Valençay ( VDQS )
• Vouvray appellation AOC
• Appellation Vins de l' Orléanais ( VDQS )

Region Cœur -de -France or Centre

Coeur -de -France is a highly dissected wine region in the north of the Massif Central, which extends over the following departments: Allier (south of the town of Moulins ), Cher, Indre, Loire (east of the Loire in Roanne, Loiret, Nièvre, the Puy -de -Dôme ( in Clermont -Ferrand ) ).

• Châteaumeillant appellation (AOC since 2010)
• Appellation Côte Roannaise in the department of Loire, (AOC since 1994)
• Appellation Coteaux du Giennois (AOC )
• Côtes d'Auvergne, in the Puy -de- Dôme, ( VDQS since 1977)
• Appellation Côtes du Forez in the department of Loire, (AOC since 2000)
• Appellation Menetou Salon ( AOC)
• Appellation Pouilly Fumé - (AOC )
• Appellation Pouilly -sur -Loire
• Quincy appellation (AOC )
• Reuilly appellation (AOC )
• Appellation Saint -Pourçain in the department of Allier, (AOC since 2009)
• Sancerre appellation (AOC )