Loire Valley

In spite of a sequence of spring frosts affecting some or all of the region recently, the wines of the Loire remain undervalued. They responded particularly well to the warm summer in 2022, so look out for these.

The Loire is a tremendous region offering the wine lover great diversity. There are all the styles of wine one could wish for: dry, medium, sweet, white, red, rosé, still or sparkling. A vinous journey along the Loire Valley takes in crisp Muscadets around Nantes, the gorgeously sweet ‘moëlleux’ Chenin Blancs of the Coteaux du Layon and the superbly complex dry Savennières from around Angers, then the more immediately appealing whites and sparkling wines of Saumur. Cabernet Franc makes the luscious reds of Anjou and the autumnal reds of Chinon and Bourgueil. Continuing upstream leads you to the famous whites of Vouvray and finally on to Touraine, Sancerre, Pouilly-Fumé and Menetou-Salon where Sauvignon Blanc reigns supreme.